Embedded in the children's movie Eight Below is a story that appeals to adults. Unfortunately, it emerges only in the first half. Disney's tale of eight sled dogs abandoned during an Antarctic storm, the film definitely starts out with the rhythms of a harrowing adventure. Screenwriter David DiGillio lays the groundwork, offering an insider's look at the world of Antarctic exploration, as well as the unique personality types who make the sourthernmost land mass their area of expertise, among them Jerry Shepard (Paul Walker). Jerry's transportation of a scientist (Bruce Greenwood) to a remote mountain -- a treacherous trip Jerry advises against -- turns into a handful of thrilling set pieces, involving caverns hidden by snow, frigid waters, storms, the threat of frostbite, and a heroic group of exceptionally trained dogs. Combine that with some lighter moments and some gorgeous cinematography, and Eight Below has a great vibe going. It's when the humans must evacuate that the movie wanders into the precious territory of a kiddie film, losing track of that vibe. Whenever director Frank Marshall checks in on the dogs, the jaunty flute music kicks in, and the action tends to take on the whimsy of a talking animal movie. There's also a certain inauthenticity to these passages, since they involve imagining how the dogs might survive in this environment without humans -- a speculative exercise at best. Meanwhile, as Jerry makes repeated attempts to get back to them, even through political channels back in the U.S., his character is sentenced to a lot of frowning and looking forlorn -- a stark contrast from the man of action we saw in the first half. Eight Below exceeds expectations by quite a bit, but it would be even better if the second half could match the first -- and if it were 20 minutes shorter.