Journey to the Center of the Earth
"Journey to the Center of the Earth" (New Line/Walden) is a little more faithful to Jules Verne's classic 1864 novel than the 1959 Hollywood version, but proves an enjoyable retread nonetheless.

Brendan Fraser plays Trevor Anderson, a present-day geology research professor whose teenage nephew, Sean (Josh Hutcherson), son of Trevor's late explorer brother, is left in his care for 10 days.

An annotated copy of the Verne book leads them to believe Max -- a geologist, like his brother Trevor -- was on the brink of a groundbreaking discovery, and the boy and his uncle set off to Iceland where they also hope to learn the circumstances of Max's disappearance.

There, they enlist the help of Hannah (Anita Briem), daughter of a professor who died in disgrace for his belief that Verne's story was true.

She agrees to be their guide to Mount Snaeffels, where a storm leads them to take shelter in a cave in which they are trapped after an avalanche. One misadventure leads to another -- including the ground giving way beneath them -- and the travelers find themselves deeper and deeper below the earth's surface, reliving much of what transpired in the book.

Prehistoric creatures, birds that glow like fireflies (one of which becomes Sean's Tinker Bell-like guide), flying piranhas, carnivorous plants, seismic activity, dangerously rising temperatures, stormy seas, floating rocks and giant mushroom forests are just some of the wondrous -- and sometimes threatening -- phenomena they encounter in this "world within the world."

Though perhaps not as memorable as that earlier James Mason and Pat Boone version, director Eric Brevig's fast-moving remake provides plenty of nifty special effects, which are especially effective in the 3-D presentation used in some theaters. A hair-raising roller coater ride on some abandoned mine cars is a particularly exciting sequence.

Personable leads and squeaky clean content make this wholesome family viewing for all but the very youngest viewers who might be upset by some of the intense, though bloodless, action sequences. For older viewers, the calamities the intrepid explorers must face are more diverting than truly frightening, a few unexpected -- if mild -- jolts notwithstanding.

Character and plot development are minimal in the script by Michael Weiss, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin, but Sean's grief for his father and his subsequent bonding with Trevor are nicely handled.

The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

The Dark Knight
As the title implies, "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros./Legendary) is not your grandfather's heroic "Batman," but an emotionally complex vigilante, reviled as much as hailed by a populace he's risking himself to help.

This tumultuous and technically dazzling sequel to 2005's "Batman Begins" has the chiropteranlike crusader (Christian Bale), alter ego of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne, challenged by the Joker (Heath Ledger), an anarchic criminal markedly devoid of the slightest moral code, to reveal his true identity or else scores of people will die.

Batman is deeply conflicted about the Joker's threat, especially with popular opinion demanding the caped crusader turn himself in for his disruptive crime-busting.

Meanwhile, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), the upstanding district attorney who also happens to be Bruce's romantic rival for the affections of lawyer Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) -- working in tandem with Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), chief of the city's major crime unit, strives to bring integrity to a deeply corrupt Gotham City.

Both Gordon and Dent -- assisted by Rachel as assistant district attorney -- must work within the boundaries of the law, but they rely on Batman as their unofficial ally to take a less orthodox approach.

Much of the interest in this film has been fueled by advance word on Ledger's performance in light of the actor's tragic death earlier this year. He is indeed electrifying in his last completed role: swaggering, mocking and diabolical. His vibrant turn outshines just about everyone else in the cast, including Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman as Wayne's impeccable butler Alfred and Wayne Enterprises CEO Lucius Fox, respectively; Eric Roberts as gangster Maroni; and Nestor Carbonell as Gotham's mayor.

Director and co-writer Christopher Nolan brings consummate polish to the creation of a chaotic and brutal milieu, but one at least relieved by underlying decency. A climactic scene involving a moral decision among hundreds of people provides emphatic affirmation, as do other small acts of honor throughout the film.

Despite the skill with which it was made, the film would have benefited from some judicious cutting, while Nolan's script (written with his brother, Jonathan Nolan) often seems needlessly complex. The competitive factions that make up Gotham's crime syndicate -- all financially tied to an Asian honcho (Chin Han) and ultimately beholden to the Joker -- plus the treacheries and turnabouts among even the upstanding characters, become dizzying.

But Christopher Nolan's bottomless pool of inventiveness and the epic sweep of the story keeps you riveted if, by the end, more than a little enervated.

The film will also be presented in Imax theaters, and six of the masterful action sequences were shot with Imax cameras, a first for a feature film.

The film contains bloodless but intense action violence including shootings, explosions and vehicular mayhem, but virtually no objectionable language or sexual elements. (A-III, PG-13)

Meet Dave (20th Century Fox/Regency)
Whimsical comedy in which the tiny captain (Eddie Murphy) of a human-shaped alien spaceship (also Murphy) gains the help of a kindhearted young New York widow (Elizabeth Banks) and her bullied 11-year-old son (Austyn Lynd Myers) in his quest to save his home planet. Director Brian Robbins' film relies entirely on the single joke of Murphy's abject social awkwardness, but along the way celebrates generosity, human decency and the heroic potential of seemingly ordinary people. Some mild scatological humor, a sexual reference and a brief profanity. (A-II, PG)

Harry Forbes is director of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online at www.usccb.org/movies.