Race to Witch Mountain (2009)

A Las Vegas cabbie enlists the help of a UFO expert to protect two siblings with paranormal powers from the clutches of an organization that wants to use the kids for their nefarious plans.

Director:

Andy Fickman

Writers:

Matt Lopez (screenplay), Mark Bomback (screenplay),

Stars:

Dwayne Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, Alexander Ludwig

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dwayne Johnson	...	Jack Bruno
AnnaSophia Robb	...	Sara
Alexander Ludwig	...	Seth
Carla Gugino	...	Dr. Alex Friedman
Ciarán Hinds	...	Burke
Tom Everett Scott	...	Matheson
Chris Marquette	...	Pope
Billy Brown	...	Carson
Garry Marshall	...	Dr. Donald Harlan
Kim Richards	...	Tina
Ike Eisenmann	...	Sheriff Antony
Tom Woodruff Jr.	...	Siphon
John Duff	...	Frank
Bob Koherr	...	Marty
Kevin Christy	...	Matt

Storyline

In Las Vegas, the regenerated ex-con Jack Bruno works as taxi driver. During an UFO Convention at Planet Hollywood, the skeptical Jack picks up Dr. Alex Friedman, who will present a scientific lecture in the event. Then he is pressed by two henchmen of his former boss, the criminal Wolff, that wants to talk to him, but Jack does not want to return to the crime life. Jack fights and gets rid of them; out of the blue, he finds two teenagers on the backseat of his cab. They tell that they are siblings, Sara and Seth, and they need to travel to a location outside Las Vegas in the middle of nowhere. Meanwhile the government finds a spacecraft that crashed nearby Las Vegas and is chasing the two aliens; after the investigation of the men of Major Henry Burke, they discover that the two siblings are the aliens. Jack Bruno, Sara and Seth are chased by Henry Burke's team and by the "Syphon", a killer from outer space that has been sent to kill them by the military of their planet that want to ...

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Plot Keywords:

spacecraft | alien | ufo | convention | mountain | 

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Taglines:

The Race Is On

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for sequences of action and violence, frightening and dangerous situations, and some thematic elements

Details

Official Sites:

Disney Official site [jp]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 March 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Witch Mountain

Filming Locations:

Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino - 3667 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$65,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£581,250 (UK) (10 April 2009)

Gross:

£2,545,316 (UK) (24 July 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures, Gunn Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The main title editing team put in Morse code into the sound mix that says "please turn off your cell phones".

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Goofs

Dr. Alex Friedman said to Jack Bruno that "closed-minded skeptics are always welcome". This was the wrong use of the word. Within the scientific circles from which Dr. Friedman comes, "skeptic" refers to somebody who rigorously uses the scientific method (the opposite would be "pseudoscientist"). Skeptics are, by definition, open-minded and Dr. Friedman herself is actually a skeptic, so that is most likely the word that she meant.

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Quotes

Sara: He require some sort of proof. He thinks we're insulting his intelligence.
Jack Bruno: YOU THINK? You just can't just drop the "we're aliens" bomb, just like that on somebody. Now, I know I've seen some pretty weird things today, but you can't expect me to believe that...
Sara: [using telekinesis to levitate the objects in the car] I have the ability to move objects with my mind.
Jack Bruno: That's impossible...
Sara: No, it's quite possible. On our planet as well as yours. You don't do it, because you haven't learnt to use your ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

In the beginning of the movie the camera view changes from the Walt Disney "Castle" to the stars and the Castle gets dark and changes the silhouette of the "Witch Mountain"

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Connections

References Star Wars (1977)

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Soundtracks

"Fly on the Wall"
Written by Miley Cyrus, Antonina Armato, Devrim Karaoglu and Tim James
Performed by Miley Cyrus
Courtesy of Hollywood Records

User Reviews

A Nutshell Review: Race to Witch Mountain

If aliens exist, and if they have access to the films made from Earth, they would likely make a mental note to remind themselves that should they visit our planet on terms other than a hostile takeover or annihilation, to avoid landing in the USA at all costs. Hollywood has enough dough to continuously churn out effects laden science-fiction movies, and most of them are big budgeted action fests like Independence Day and Men In Black, which don't exactly paint a good picture of the extra-terrestrials. Aliens who have more benign intent, would be frightened by how trigger happy and violence prone the US is toward illegal aliens, even if popular culture meant the landing zone for extra terrestrials is the USA and not other larger countries.

Race to Witch Mountain being Disney fare means the toning down of practically everything to ensure that it is safe for the entire family to experience together. Dwayne Johnson seems right at home in family friendly flicks like The Game Plan (also directed by Andy Fickman), and I guess his action days on screen will be few and far between, especially when he gets to flaunt his dramatic and comedic flair. Woe is the fan boy like me who have grown up with The Rock, but there's no more people's eyebrow, and we should start to get used to seeing our idol in a different light on celluloid.

Johnson plays a Las Vegas cab driver Jack Bruno who has a colourful past that he tries to bury, in order to earn an honest living to buy his dream Mustang featured in the Steve McQueen movie Bullit. In a confluence of the stars he picks up a scientist who specializes in extra terrestrials, before chancing onto two of them when they boarded his cab without his knowledge. The brother and ssister aliens – Sara (AnnaSophia Robb) and Seth (Alenxander Ludwig) – are here on a noble mission, and are in hot pursuit by the shady government agents led by Henry Burke (Ciaran Hinds) as well as something like a Terminator from many light years away.

This naturally gives rise to your standard set action sequences where we get to see the alien twins exercise their rather innocent demeanour ("they're only kids!") to their advantage, behind which hides the immense powers they possess such as Telepathy and Density manipulation, which I thought was a very cool power to have. Imagine being able to pass through walls, yet having tremendous strength in the form of a road block, literally. AnnaSophia Robb whom I felt did a fantastic job in The Bridge to Terabithia, stars as the female child, and because of her character's ability, she brings forth a more trusting, and empathetic character, in direct contrast to the other alien Seth (The Seeker from The Dark is Rising is all grown up now), who's more direct, commanding, aloof and untrusting of humans in general, no doubt their initial experience was in having their space ship confiscated to Witch Mountain, and being chased for the conduct of experiments.

Carla Gugino, last seen as the aged Silk Spectre in Watchmen, got active only in the last third of the show, which was somewhat of a pity because she shared great chemistry with the rest of the cast, and got involved quite late into the thick of things. But of course if there's any consolation, like how the bits during the end credits would suggest, and depending on the box office results, there might be room for more in a sequel, if it comes.

There are references galore in the film given that there's a science-fiction convention event featured in the movie, and you can't help but also think about the potential for theme park rides with the yellow cab being pursued and pretty banged up. In fact I was wondering each time the cab got put through an action sequence, that it would make for a great 4D ride in Disneyland. You can't help it because it was quite in your face, with the sequences designed in that manner, deliberately or otherwise.

Despite some glaring plot loopholes, Race to Witch Mountain has all the ingredients for a great family outing. The story doesn't try to be more intellectual than it can handle, and doesn't let the special effects run wild and take over everything else. For being such a sentimental fool, the ending also got some brownie points from me, as it's tough not to shed a tear or two given the trials and tribulations from which a solid bond is formed amongst all the characters. Recommended for a family outing, but don't go expecting something out of this world (pun not intended), as everything's pretty formula.