Race to Witch Mountain

Walt Disney’s latest sci-fi flick is a film on environment despite the planet under threat being an alien home somewhe re in the outer space. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson plays Jack Bruno, a Las Vegas taxi driver, who one day has to drive teen siblings Sara (Robb) and Seth (Ludwig) to a strange destination. When Bruno realises that the two had come from outer space on an ecological mission to save their dying planet, it’s already too late for him to turn his back on them.

He needs to help them locate their spaceship and if they failed, not only their planet but the earth would also be destroyed. So, Bruno risks his life and ducks the US Homeland security agents and also the alien villain Siphon. Bruno then takes the help of astrophysicist (Carla Gugino) and the four embark on an almost suicidal mission to Witch Mountain, highly guarded US security base. Director Andy Fickman’s sense of action and humour embedded in this remake version of ‘Escape to Witch Mountain’ (1975)is up to the mark.

Johnson cuts funny faces and delivers solid punches while Gugino (of Spy Kids) is again at her best supplying a balanced amount of oxygen to a somewhat slow second half.  The two teenagers also did their best and they eventually save the day. Sound and special effects are simple but watch out for two or three stunning visual effects during the car chase scenes. It’s a welcome relief to finally have a children-friendly fantasy film. While kids will love to see what science can possibly do, parents can comfortably sit by thanking the director for avoiding any sexist antics and sexual references.