Core, The MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +2 Content: -1

In this science fiction adventure, numerous unexplained electromagnetic phenomena begin to pique the interest of the political, military and scientific leaders of the world. When geophysicist Dr. Josh Keyes (Aaron Eckhart) is asked to investigate, he begins to put the pieces together, discovering the horrible truth: The Earths core has stopped spinning, and the protective electromagnetic field that it produces is breaking down. The consequences are catastrophic, and earths inhabitants are given only months to live unless something can be done to reverse the effects and restart the cores spinning. A team of scientists and astronauts, including Keyes, are assembled to command Virgil, a super-strong, worm-like tunneling vehicle equipped with several nuclear weapons. Piloted by Major Rebecca Childs (Hilary Swank) and its crew of terranauts, Virgil makes its way down into the core of the earth in order to restore the planet to normal.

The Core offers avid science fiction fans high hopes but takes only a few minutes to dash them. The films premise is of course implausible, but the movie makers seem to forget that their job was to convince viewers with a well-told story. Instead, cheesy dialogue and bad acting dominate The Core. The disappointing films storyline does nothing to help make the premise believable and at times does quite the opposite, adding impossible conditions to an impossible mission. Its hard to believe at times that the writing can be so bad, but it is and wastes the potential of this film, which also has little action. The only saving grace is the comparatively small measure of objectionable language; so, although it will bore you, at least it wont offend you. Unfortunately, another decent sci-fi premise is wasted on a mediocre film. What a shame!

Preview Reviewer: Shaun Daugherty
Distributor: Paramount Pictures