Has any free-thinking, semi-normal movie-goer ever thought to him or herself, "Self, what would 'Jumanji' be like in space?"
No, of course not.
But despite this lack of thought, Chris Van Allsburg decided a film based on his novel "Zathura" would be an incredible idea. And because of his unwavering genius, the movie is opening this Friday.
The most repeated fact in the movie is that brothers Walter (Josh Hutcherson) and Danny (Jonah Bobo) argue like crazy. Walter is 10 years old and Danny is six and three-quarters, as he so adamantly informs their divorced father (Tim Robbins), yet the actors who portray the boys seem at least two years older than their characters. Walter is more sports-oriented and seems to succeed in everything, while Danny is more imaginative and feels overshadowed by his brother. As such, conflict ensues between the two throughout the movie.
During an argument, Danny accidentally spills juice on his nameless father's design for an upcoming meeting. As a result, Dad needs to go into the office to make a new copy, leaving in charge their older sister Lisa (Kristen Stewart), who prefers to sleep most of the day. While Dad is gone, Walter angrily lowers the Danny-occupied dumbwaiter down in the basement, where the younger brother finds an old game: Zathura. He brings it upstairs and coerces Walter to play the game with him.
Then, surprise, surprise, the game's dictations begin to come true as the pieces move themselves across the board. Danny's first turn brings on a meteor shower that destroys the living room and somehow transports the family house into outer space. From here, the game brings a crazed robot, a cryogenically frozen Lisa, an alien race called Zorgons and a stranded, equally nameless astronaut (Dax Shepard).
For anyone who has seen "Jumanji," it is not hard to stay one step ahead of the movie. The twist at the end of "Zathura," especially in hindsight, is quite obvious in context of the first movie. The publicity for "Zathura" just billed it as a movie from the same people who brought "Jumanji." In reality, it seems to be a movie that took the formula of the first and transported it into space.
As the astronaut, Shepard is one of the redeeming qualities of the film. His character has the best lines and he delivers them with the right mix of amusement and exasperation. Also, director Jon Favreau successfully uses suspense to capture his audience, especially when the Zorgons "board" the house. The two boys gave substantial performances for their ages and for what they were working with, as did Stewart, the most underrated actor in the film.
The movie drags somewhat at the beginning while Favreau makes sure the audience knows - and won't forget - that the boys fight. However, the film's pace quickens once the game begins.
In the end, "Zathura" is just a rehashing of "Jumanji." As much promise as the very small cast has, they are no Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt and Kirsten Dunst, all of whom gave standout performances in the first film. "Zathura" is redundant and unnecessary.
