Opening to mixed reviews, this film is much better than I was lead to believe. It is extremely well made, well directed, edited, and acted. And the special effects are superb. If you like sci-fi, this movie will greatly satisfy, and the plot --with events fortunately not likely to occur--is filled with valid scientific bases. You can learn a bit about geo-physics and enjoy a ride to the center of the earth. The characters are drawn fairly well, with a lot of realism. I was very impressed with the entire production.