This animated version is not bad. It is not as good as the classic 1959 film, though I wasn't expecting it to be, but is still leagues better than SyFy's. It is also better than Blye Migicovsky's version of The Count of Monte Cristo, which I disliked. It does have its flaws, I do think it is too short, consequently there are a few parts that felt rushed and the more thrilling sequences much too brief. There are logical lapses such as with Gower and the lodestone, and I do agree that Hercules is far too reminiscent of a chipmunk. However while simple in its style, the animation is more colourful in backgrounds and less blocky in character design than The Count of Monte Cristo, while the score is rousing and the songs while not the best songs I've ever heard are decent and actually help to move the story forward. The dialogue is amusing, the story mostly skips along nicely and did on the whole hold my attention, while the characters are at least not dull or unlikeable and the voice acting is solid. All in all, not a bad animated version, better than I expected actually. 5/10 Bethany Cox
Journey to the Center of the Earth
(1996 TV Movie)
Definitely not the best version, but not bad
26 August 2012