Gotta give Dwayne Johnson credit. The guy totally ‘gets’ family movie night, putting a lot of his cinematic efforts into kid-friendly movies, even as he could have gone full-blown action star and left a swath of bloody, beat ’em ups behind him. That’s not to say he hasn’t had his fair share of such, but the fact that he commits so often to more accessible titles for younger audiences is worth a nod. So it is that we found ourselves back in 2009 sitting in theaters watching him front a Disney remake (his second at the time after The Game Plan) that puts a modern spin on its original while embracing the old school silliness of that era. It’s Race to Witch Mountain.
Aliens in movies are basically of three minds. A) Make the long journey to Earth to set the place on fire; B) Make the long journey to Earth to say ‘hi’ and warn us we oughta get our act together; or C) Make the long journey to Earth, accidentally leave one behind and have it try to phone home. You get the idea. With Race to Witch Mountain, it’s sort of a mix of all three with the story following two aliens, who take teenage human form and the names Sarah (AnnaSophia Robb) and Seth (Alexander Ludwig). Their planet is dying and its government are sending attacking troops to take over Earth because diplomacy shiplomacy. Most on their home world object to this plan so a couple have come to our pale blue dot to save both species by retrieving work their parents did here long before. Will they be in time? Will The Rock punch an alien?
Into this mix falls burly Las Vegas cab driver Jack Bruno (Johnson), a former getaway driver for the mob who wants out of the bad life, even as his previous employers don’t take his choice all so well. Therein lies the twist in the plot that allows him to take the kids as his passengers as they search for the target while Jack thinks the dangerous Men in Black (not the fun ones) following him are actually mob boys rather than legit, well-armed G-men looking to stop those pesky alien kids. That’s kinda funny and gives Johnson plenty of opportunities to drop a little smackdown in the show without it being too violent.
Directed by Andy Fickman, who previously sat in the big chair for Johnson’s The Game Plan, this remake of sorts is a weird little movie that does a lot right but not without some head-scratching along the way. Taking tips from the 1960s and 70s when Disney was cranking out all kinds of inexpensive odd family movies with youngsters in peril or with peculiar powers, this updated version sticks to that script by being over-the-top and never all that convincing. For instance, government cronies on display here, led by the always terrific Ciarán Hinds (above), are basically cartoon characters, spouting dialogue that keeps things simple and light while chasing what in real life would be the single most important and defining moment in human history. I mean aliens of course. Not capturing The Rock.
Speaking of The Rock, Johnson is the whole show here, once again proving atomic charisma in big packages is a winning bet, his ability to pull us into the goofiness always a good time. It’s really not fair. That cocky flare would repel just about anyone else if not delivered in his trademark ‘in-on-the-joke’ smirk, here putting it to good use as he carries the entire load. That’s not to say the kids aren’t fun. Both Robb and Ludwig are very well cast, bright and believable, fitting right into the Disney mold with aplomb, Robb especially, who has a warm, natural presence.
Storywise, Race to Witch Mountain is running on even ground, the whole thing rather bland with the usual run and chase sequences and kids in danger moments that don’t really push the envelope all that much. Some decent visual effects pepper it with style, but this is padded out for about twenty minutes longer than it really ought to be. The original, named Escape to Witch Mountain debuted in 1975 and was, like this, a box office success, with critics mostly positive on both films.
THE GOOD: For family night, this hits the spot with plenty of not too scary action and plenty of good humor, led by Johnson, who has comic timing down to a molecular science. It’s limited by its budget, but manages to spin an appealing B-movie plot into some genuine fun. Great family night pick. Also, Carla Gugino. Automatic bonus.
THE BAD: A Generic story with more attention to action than plot leaves this with wide gaps. This isn’t about character but rather the situations they find themselves in, leaving it fast-paced but mostly empty.