I don't watch contemporary films anymore, but I like to find some old gems and Journey to Center of the Earth (JCE) is def one of them. The movie is an adaptation from the classic from Jules Verne first published in 1864 in France, one of the earliest popular works of science fiction ever created. And its 1959 motion picture became one of the first popular sci-fi flicks. The movie has now been restored digitally and worth watching.
Stream it [here] on yts(https://en.yts-official.mx/movies/journey-to-the-center-of-the-earth-1959/)
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I tend to enjoy cinema with mythological motifs. JCE imo is symbolic and about the unknown and the turning within oneself, a journey of self discovery.
"Do you realize we know less about the Earth we live on, than about the stars in outer space? The greatest mystery is here, right under our feet." — Professor Lidenbrock
This is an analogy for having been distracted in our lives by looking outward, finding joy, meaning and satisfaction in the outside world, through hedonism, money or prestige. But the real treasure is your own soul located in your inner depths, and it's such an obvious place to look that we tend to completely overlook it (and avoid it unconsciously). It's a long and dangerous journey down. Deep inside linger the shadow, and the lizard brain, that try to prevent us from discovering our lost temple.
This journey into the center of the earth is a common motif found in other sci-fi and fantasy. For instance the Mines of Moria in LOTR, or the trip through the Planet Core in Star Wars episode 1, all depict this perilous journey into dark where old creatures lurk, blocking the way to our destiny.
Controversy and Subjectivity
To speak of soul still tends to be somewhat controversial and is often discarded as being non-scientific. Hence, the final scene shows the Professor apologizing to the crowd for this irrational journey he went on. This is reminiscent of Contact, by Carl Sagan starring Jodie Foster playing Dr. Arroway who goes on a similar journey but the inverse sense: to outer space. When Arroway returns she has to explain herself in front of a tribunal, apologizing for having had a 'religious' experience. Was she delusional? Did she go mental? Did she really go, or was it all just one big fat lie?
It is funny how 'science' fiction often can properly pose the antithesis of the otherwise rational scientific method which some have monotheistically christened to be the only legit way of finding truth, which completely discards any subjectivity and feeling. Which is quite odd, because most of our life decisions are based on those 'irrational' inputs. In those instances we gladfully discard the scientific method and rightfully so.
But enough philosophical rambling.
I hope you'll enjoy Journey to Center of the Earth as much as I did (or more).