Following the same plot devices that made Jumanji a hit, Zathura launches audiences into an intergalactic adventure that is a rollercoaster ride of a movie from start to finish. It is loaded with special effects, some funny dialogue, great creatures, and even some decent suspense for a “family” movie.
The film is based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg (who also wrote Jumanji) and directed by Jon Favreau (Elf). It stars Jonah Bobo, Josh Hutcherson, Dax Shepard, Kristen Stewart, and Tim Robbins (who appears at the beginning and ending of the film).
This time the story (which lacks some of the humor that Jumanji had) focuses on Danny (Bobo) and Walter (Hutcherson) – who can’t get along and are forced to spend a few hours together after their father (Robbins) leaves them in their care of their sleeping teenage sister Lisa (Stewart).
After Danny “accidentally” hits his brother in the head with a ball, he finds himself in the scary basement where he discovers the board game Zathura. Naturally, he wants to play it and it doesn’t take long for the “game” to begin.
The adventure starts off with a bang, as the first card pops through the slot and reveals that they are about to get hit with a meteor shower. The two boys, who fight like true brothers throughout the movie, soon find themselves drifting through space and forced to play the game. Before the adventure can truly begin, the sister is quickly taken care as she is frozen in the bathroom for five turns.
Left on their own, the two boys are forced to deal with a crazed robot, that pesky thing called gravity, and some lizard aliens that have a taste for meat – and as Danny quickly learns the two boys are “meat.” Just when everything looks like the end for the boys, they are able to rescue a stranded astronaut (Shepard) – who helps guide them through the rest of the game the same way Williams did in Jumanji.
Danny and Walter quickly learn Zathura is more than a simple game
Unlike Jumanji (which focused on father/son relationships), Zathura focuses on brotherly love, and the role that brothers play in each other lives. The two boys do a good job at coming across as real brothers, and learn that they have to depend on each other. This becomes more apparent towards the end of the movie as Danny and Walter save each other, and learn the truth about the astronaut’s identity.
The film turns into a pretty good action movie with the ending battle between the lizard aliens (called Zorgons) and the boys. The game is lost (hmm, that happened in Jumanji too), and it is up to Danny get it back so they can finish. While he is forced to sneak onto the alien ship, his brother has to come to his rescue, and in the end the sister saves the day – giving her a reason to actually be in the film.
The movie has a great “Flash Gordon” feel to it, and succeeds in making you feel like a kid while you watch it. It has some great comedy – mostly thanks to Danny’s lines – and the special effects seem to really bring the art from the book to life on the screen.
While Zathura is a fun family movie that kids are sure to love, it may fall a little flat on parents. It isn’t a sequel to Jumanji (although in an interview on the special features Allsburg explains how the two stories are connected), but goes over many of the same plot elements that made the first movie a hit.
This reusing of plot elements (such as the game board turning real, the cheating scene, and the helpful adult) may be enough to distract some people from enjoying the film or make them wonder why they don’t just watch Jumanji in the first place.
The movie never goes overboard with some of the scarier moments
It also hurts the film because you never really are worried about the kids. In Jumanji, you really didn’t know how it was all going to work out, but there is never a question of if they will make it back home in this movie. You never really worry about the kids, because you know eventually they will make it home safe and sound.
Another problem in the movie is the astronaut’s identity – which is explained through the use of a pesky blackhole and the old reliable time travel plot. While this part of the story doesn’t hurt the movie, it may be a little difficult for kids to figure out, and will leave more than a few adults scratching their heads. I don’t know if it was really needed in the movie, but it did come off as kind of lame when I watched it.
The DVD comes loaded with the type of special features that you would expect from this type of movie. They include a couple of behind the scenes looks at how the film was made – The Right Moves – The Making of Zathura, Making the Game, and the Cast of Zathura. The disc also includes a couple of really good looks at the movie’s special features in the Race to the Black Planet: A Visual Effects Documentary, Zorgons, Robots and “Forzen Lisa,” and Minatures and the World of Zathura.
Finally, the DVD includes The World of Chris Van Allsburg – which features an interview with the writer, and a look at his art. In the feature, he talks about how he came to be a writer and artist, and how he crafted the story of Jumanji and Zathura. He also discusses the two stories ties to each other, and how they were inspired by the games he saw in an old catalog.
While Zathura may seem like very familiar ground to fans of Jumanji, the movie has enough originality to make it extremely enjoyable for both adults and kids. The movie has lots of special effects, some good suspense towards the ending, and a message about the importance of family. It is not as great as Jumanji and the ending is a bit weak, but the movie more than makes up for its faults.
Zathura is like watching the book’s art on the screen
Favreau does good job directing the film, and making sure it has a little something for all audiences. It never feels too much like a children’s movie, but doesn’t go overboard with some of the scarier moments. I would highly recommend the movie to anyone wanting a film they can watch with the kids and enjoy with a bowl of popcorn.
Zathura is available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD’s database for more information.
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