Film Review: Race To Witch Mountain

For someone who moans on about remakes/reboots/reimaginings as much as I do, I sure watch a lot of them. Most I am right to moan about and are pointless money making tools (although more often that they barely make enough to break even) but there are a few that actually either could do with remaking (if it's a good idea, but poorly executed originally) or while being totally pointless, are actually good.

Race To Witch Mountain falls in the latter category. It's kind of a remake of the 1975 film Escape To Witch Mountain, but doesn't really contain a lot of the plot points.In fact 'Escape' was remade in 1995 and featured Elisabeth Moss (of West Wing and Mad Men fame) as one of the kids! But the main story that two aliens disguised as children have to get to Witch Mountain remain in the 2009 version.

This time round, Dwayne Johnson stars as Jack Bruno, a former getaway driver for the mob turned taxi driver. When two kids (AnnaSophia Robb and Alexander Ludwig) appear in his car asking to be driven to the middle of nowhere, and waving a lot of money around, he accepts. As it turns out the kids are aliens searching for their ship, already taken by a shadowy defense department unit led by Henry Burke (Ciaran Hinds), and now after them. Also after the 'kids' is an alien assassin called a Siphon, and all of them are heading for Witch Mountain.

Overall there's nothing to the film really, it's just a bit of fun. The action is pretty much non-stop, thanks to its trim 98 minute running time (Disney deciding not to do a overlong snoozefest for once) and kids will love it. Adults will dig it to, mainly due to Dwayne Johnson's planet sized charisma, it's impossible not to like the guy, and further cements his status as best wrestler-turned-actor ever (apologies to Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan and...ahem...John Cena.)

It didn't get a great critical response when it came out, but I can't see why. It's just an hour and a half of fun and adventure that doesn't get boring or outstay it's welcome. Exactly what Disney's modus operandi should be. Plonk the kids down in front of it, and switch off for a bit.

***

You won't find anything original or inventive here, but Race To Witch Mountain is a fun bit of fluff while it's on, and will easily amuse kids, both regular and big, alike.