Review Rewind: Race To Witch Mountain (2009)

(As The Rock prepared to lay the smackdown, the others were blissfully unaware)

Cast: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Annasophia Robb, Carla Gugino, Ciaran Hinds & Alexander Ludwig

Directed by: Andy Fickman

Screenplay by: Matt Lopez & Mark Bomback

Plot:

A Las Vegas cabbie enlists the help of a paranormal expert to help protect two Alien siblings who have arrived on earth and are being hunted by the government.

Verdict:

It would appear that with Race To Witch Mountain, last year's The Game Plan and the forthcoming Tooth Fairy, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has become Disney's new golden boy. In, Race To Witch Mountain, Johnson neatly combines some good comic timing with his action chops to create a likable, unwilling hero. His performance sums up the film, this is a harmless, charming action adventure picture for the whole family to sit back and enjoy.

As you might expect though it's far from perfect. The flaws are obvious. Amongst the action set-pieces there are snippets of unconvincing CGI. You have seen the plot plenty of times before and there are moments of pure cheese.

One of the villains of the piece comes in the form of a game Ciaran Hinds, convincingly smarmy as a shady government agent. Another, of an alien kind, appears to be a nice throwback to the sci-fi films of the 50's. Something the filmmakers have a lot of fun with in general, referencing several sci-fi pictures.

Race To Witch Mountain is thankfully, one of Disney's more convincing adventure movies of late, a much better effort than the likes of National Treasure.

DDD