The movie follows the story of Henry DeTamble (Tim Robbins), a geologist who disappears while on an expedition. His son, Josh DeTamble (Josh Hutcherson), teams up with a young girl named Maxine "Max" Anderson (AnnaSophia Robb) to find him. They embark on a perilous journey to the center of the Earth, facing numerous challenges and encountering prehistoric creatures along the way.
