Race to Witch Mountain

Race to Witch Mountain – 2009

*** Out of ****

If someone had told me 7 years ago that a professional wrestler would become one of the most recognizable, bankable and beloved actors around I would have called them a plumber for their pipe dreams.  But surprise surprise, because Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnston is just that; a hugely charismatic, extremely endearing actor who can flawlessly drift between bloody action and good natured kids fare and in both worlds, the Disney reboot Race to Witch Mountain features some of his best work yet in some of the most fun I’ve had this year at the movies. 

Race to Witch Mountain is a film I like to call a time capsule movie.  And what that denotes is a kid-oriented flick that I enjoyed more as an adult then I think I ever would have as a youngster.  The Rock's latest now joins the ranks of the Bad New Bears remake with Billy Bob Thorton, all the Pixar offerings, a handful of Dreamworks animation films, Bridge to Terabithia, among others.  I was not for a second bored with Witch Mountain and while it has some shortcomings with pace, a few supporting performances and a slower start this is a true family film in every way I would define the term. 

I constantly shift between this film and The Rundown with regards to which has the better performance from The Rock, and I guess I would have to give a slight edge to the latter, but only by a hair.  He just oozes charisma and charm and he carries the movie in its entirety.  Johnston stars as jack Bruno a former mob driver turned cabbie who in addition to having some minor Mafioso issues also picks up some odd passengers who of course turn out to be aliens.  The 'kids' are played by AnnaSophia Robb as Sara and Alexander Ludwig as Seth and they are also excellent in their quasi-deadpan roles and the dynamic they share with Jack is the core pleasure of this film.  Sara and Seth need jack to take them to Witch Mountain which is where their spaceship is being held.  Along the trip they are relentlessly pursued by a government organization headed by Major Henry Burke (Ciaran Hinds who sleepwalks a bit, but naturally oozes malice) who want the whole package; aliens, spaceship and all. 

There are a few exciting special effects sequences but the main attention is on the interactions between jack and the stranded ET's.  Character-centric films always hold up between when compared to junkie CGI laden flicks even if the kids may grow more restless; but they will appreciate it more as the years go by.  I would like to see The Rock forte back into action again, not that he is not good in family friendly roles but simply that he is far too talented to constrain himself to one genre.