PG (4 out of 5 bagels)
Sometimes the best part about watching a Disney movie is that chances are if the movie is a hit you can expect a new ride at their theme parks. Such is the case with Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” even though that was a ride first followed by the successful trilogy of a movie franchise. All I can say is that Disney once again given us a thrill of a ride that is their latest coupled with escapism to the max all centered around a hidden UFO, space aliens, killer special effects all rolled into one movie that the entire family can escape to. Oh yeah, the kids are the main stars in this movie even though “The Rock” gets top billing. The only thing missing was a surprise appearance by Nevada State Senator Harry Reid to give us his belief system as to whether or not extraterrestrials reside in Area 51 since it does fall into his jurisdiction.
Yes, it’s another remake and you know my feelings on remakes. Why? I mean especially when the original is also in color and still worth renting if you haven’t seen it. Probably one of the reasons I did like this one is because of the UFO angle. I wish they could have lost the title though it’s misleading and conjures up images of pirates that is anything but in the new version. This one does borrow from the 1975 original, “Escape to Witch Mountain” albeit with so many changes it really could just stand on its own. The new version it’s literally out of this world with Disney taking a huge leap of faith pushing its PG rating into the realm of more. Why? Well, it’s not too often you get a sci-fi flick that could easily be marketed towards adults and then there’s the guns. Maybe it’s been a long time since I noticed but it was easy to forget that the family entertainment giant would consider firearms in a movie that will definitely surprise a few parents who take their kids to see this. The original had some guns but the bad guys never actually used them. The big gun this time though is Dwayne Johnson (AKA The Rock) who lately has been feeling quite at home with the Disney folks. Although not a great flick the Disney movie, “The Game Plan” (2007) had its moments and audiences who did see it loved it so who needs film critics?
Like the original “Witch Mountain” we have a brother & sister team (Alexander Ludwig and Anna Sophia Robb) that posses special powers who appear to look human but aren’t. Las Vegas cab driver Jack Bruno (Johnson) happens to be the lucky guy who becomes their ride. What happens in Vegas does not stay there when the kids must convince him that not only are they from this planet but have to get to their crashed spacecraft before assassins take them out. Although the main assassin is an alien hit man (or alien) who goes by the name of Siphon there others who are dispatched to capture not just the teenagers but Jack as well. You see Jack has some major grown-up problems of his own and on top of that has to be convinced that these kids are telling the truth. So yeah there is a lot happening in this movie but that makes it all the more exciting. As far fetched as it all sounds the multiple plot scenarios make “Race to Witch Mountain” a very fast paced thriller with plenty of action and cool special effects. Director Andy Fickman may not have a lot of movies under his director’s belt but knows how to bring out the strengths of his actors in particular Dwayne Johnson who he directed in “The Game Plan,” as mentioned earlier another Disney outing from 2007.
“The Rock” has successfully gone the route of other big name stars who seem to like being in family friendly movies instead of R rated flicks. Maybe it’s because he was tired of being in movies that showcased his wrestling and realized that he couldn’t make a long lasting career as an aging action figure. Just ask Sylvester Stallone or Bruce Willis. At least Schwarzenegger was able to parlay his action hero status into that of a governor. Plus he has a daughter and wants to start making movies that he would take his family to.
“Race to Witch Mountain” is rated PG for sequences of action and violence, frightening and dangerous situations and some thematic elements with a running time of 98 minutes. |
