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Race to Witch Mountain (2009)

tomatometer

43

Average Rating: 5.1/10
Reviews Counted: 148
Fresh: 63 | Rotten: 85

Despite the best efforts of a talented cast, Race to Witch Mountain is a tepid reboot that lacks the magic of the original.

48

Average Rating: 5.4/10
Critic Reviews: 31
Fresh: 15 | Rotten: 16

Despite the best efforts of a talented cast, Race to Witch Mountain is a tepid reboot that lacks the magic of the original.

audience

50

liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 337,889

My Rating

Movie Info

Walt Disney Pictures resurrects one of their time-honored franchises with Race to Witch Mountain, a family-oriented sci-fi adventure that tells the story of two alien visitors (AnnaSophia Robb and Alexander Ludwig) whose search for their spacecraft gets them caught up in an adventure with a cab driver (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) and a UFO specialist (Carla Gugino). As the group races toward the mysterious mountain in the Nevada desert that has mystified scientists and paranormal researchers for

Aug 4, 2009

$67.1M

Walt Disney Pictures

Cast

All Critics (150) | Top Critics (32) | Fresh (64) | Rotten (88) | DVD (13)

Race to Witch Mountain is the first kids' film in ages to have action beats that measure up to Hollywood's grownup action fare.

May 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Orlando Sentinel | Comment
Orlando Sentinel
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The planet-hopping children have special talents -- telekinesis, telepathy etc. -- although it is the high-wattage lovability of Mr. Rock that's the real superpower on display here.

March 18, 2009 Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | Comment
Entertainment Weekly
Top Critic IconTop Critic

There is so much in this film that needed to be tweaked and enhanced to really make it special.

March 16, 2009 Full Review Source: At the Movies | Comment
At the Movies
Top Critic IconTop Critic

I think most kids and certainly most adults are going to find themselves bored.

March 16, 2009 Full Review Source: At the Movies | Comment (1)
At the Movies
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The movie has Johnson, who lifts the script above its conventional cat-and-mouse stratagems with his buoyant wiseacre timing.

March 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment
Washington Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Wow, when Disney misses the 'reimagining' mark, it really misses.

March 13, 2009 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | Comments (2)
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Everything about this "Race" comes off as a cheap also-ran, with little of that ol' Disney magic anywhere to be found.

September 29, 2011 Full Review Source: American Profile | Comment

While the shootouts and sprinting manage to entertain in a decidedly PG fashion, Fickman's little touches stuffed into the corners of the frame lend Race the personality it dearly needs.

June 2, 2010 Full Review Source: BrianOrndorf.com | Comment
BrianOrndorf.com

Race to Witch Mountain is pretty standard kiddie fare: Cute, precocious children are protected by a world-weary, wisecracking father figure and one-liners abound.

August 30, 2009 Full Review Source: Washington Times | Comment

Boring and unoriginal, this new version might have some fancy visuals and a loud soundtrack but they're just a smokescreen for how boring and lifeless the film is.

August 15, 2009 Full Review Source: Movie Views | Comments (2)

A reasonably satisfying family film that updates things while staying true to the adventurous, sci-fi spirit of the originals.

August 14, 2009 Full Review Source: Times-Picayune | Comment
Times-Picayune

If it's possible for a movie to be agressively bland, Race to Witch Mountain is that movie. [Blu-ray]

August 12, 2009 Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews | Comment

...suffers from a pervasively stagnant atmosphere that effectively drains the energy right out of its high-octane moments...

August 7, 2009 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | Comment
Reel Film Reviews

Race with your kids to see it.

August 3, 2009 Full Review Source: 3BlackChicks Review | Comment
3BlackChicks Review

Two brainiac outer space superteens who can translate dog barks into English, save the universe if not the world with help from The Rock and Watchman's Silk Spectre Gugino, stuck at a UFO expo for true believers. Kid friendly but this trip needed more gas

August 1, 2009 Full Review Source: NewsBlaze | Comment
NewsBlaze

Give me Speed Racer instead--hell, even Wicked Stepmother.

July 31, 2009 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | Comment
Slant Magazine

Compared to the original Escape to Witch Mountain, this one is heavy on the action and light on the emotion. But it still beats the campy/clunky Return to Witch Mountain.

July 23, 2009 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comment
Movie Metropolis

There are no sustained characters of any kind, despite some capable acting talent. There is no believable relationship between the characters. There is no attempt to develop any of the political issues the film touches upon.

June 4, 2009 Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | Comment
Laramie Movie Scope

In 35 years, people probably will have forgotten 'Race to Witch Mountain' the way my generation has amnesia when it comes to its 1975 predecessor 'Escape to Witch Mountain.'

May 1, 2009 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | Comment
eFilmCritic.com

Johnson holds his own against the cute wunderkinder, but nobody's a match for the f/x onslaught of the noisy climax.

April 23, 2009 Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | Comment
Boston Phoenix
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Race to Witch Mountain

Was fun and the kids enjoyed it. I think i expected more considering the cast. The kids in this are both going to be good actors at the rate they are going and well it had the Rock.

August 11, 2009
jmanard52

Super Reviewer

This sci-fi adventure aims mostly at a young audience and maybe they would even have fun with this. As an adult, there is very little of interest here. The Rock has been more charismatic in films, it feels as if he didn't really want to be there. The plot is rather predictable and far from being a "race". Sure, the

March 14, 2009
ironclad1609

Super Reviewer

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Latest News for Race to Witch Mountain

August 3, 2009:
RT on DVD: Race to Witch Mountain, The Soloist, Delgo
We know it's shaping up to be quite a disappointing week for DVD, but we promise at least a little...

March 24, 2009:
Fickman Answers Paramount's Call
Andy Fickman's dance card continues to fill up: the "Race to Witch Mountain" director just signed on...

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Foreign Titles

  • La montaña embrujada (ES)
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