Opening

79% Fast & Furious 6 May 24
33% The Hangover Part III May 23
100% Epic May 24
95% Before Midnight May 24
100% We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks May 24
—— Fill the Void May 24
—— A Green Story
—— Alyce Kills May 24

Top Box Office

86% Star Trek Into Darkness $70.2M
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46% Pain & Gain $3.2M
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77% 42 $2.8M
56% Oblivion $2.3M
98% Mud $2.2M
37% Peeples $2.2M
8% The Big Wedding $1.2M

Coming Soon

—— After Earth May 31
—— Now You See Me May 31
88% The East May 31
100% The Kings of Summer May 31

Race to Witch Mountain (2009)

tomatometer

43

Average Rating: 5.1/10
Reviews Counted: 151
Fresh: 65 | Rotten: 86

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

49

Average Rating: 5.3/10
Critic Reviews: 35
Fresh: 17 | Rotten: 18

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 - Official Site External Icon

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All Critics (153) | Top Critics (36) | Fresh (66) | Rotten (89) | 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
Orlando Sentinel
Top Critic IconTop Critic

It's pacy all right, but glib and uninvolving for grown-ups, though perhaps furnished with enough in the way of spaceships, lasers and digital explosions to pacify undemanding little 'uns of an afternoon.

April 9, 2009 Full Review Source: Time Out
Time Out
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
Entertainment Weekly
Top Critic IconTop Critic

These blond space children (Ludwig and Bridge to Terabithia's Robb) are persuasively otherworldly -- and the movie makes room for sympathetic cameos from Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann of the first go-round.

March 18, 2009 Full Review Source: Time Out New York
Time Out New York
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
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

While it's hardly genre-changing, this is a nice dose of fun, family entertainment.

February 21, 2013 Full Review Source: Lyles' Movie Files
Lyles' Movie Files

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
American Profile

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
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
Washington Times

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
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
Groucho Reviews

...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
Reel Film Reviews

Race with your kids to see it.

August 3, 2009 Full Review Source: 3BlackChicks Review
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
NewsBlaze

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

July 31, 2009 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine
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
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
Laramie Movie Scope

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 film is fast enough not to get boring but the editing is rather bumpy and the story so full of stereotypes you feel you've seen it all before and much better. Most chances to have a little fun with geek and sci-fi-cliches, for example at the convention, are completely wasted. At least it's over rather quickly.
March 14, 2009
ironclad1609

Super Reviewer

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Latest News on 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...

March 16, 2009:
Fickman Heads Up Monster Attack Network
"The Game Plan" and "Race to Witch Mountain" director Andy Fickman will continue his family-friendly...

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