Race to Witch Mountain (2009)
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.
Average Rating: 5.4/10
Critic Reviews: 36
Fresh: 18 | 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.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 337,889
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
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Dwayne "The Rock" 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 -
Cheech Marin
Eddie -
Ike Eisenmann
Sheriff Antony -
Tom Woodruff Jr.
Siphon -
Bob Koherr
Marty -
John Duff
Frank -
Kevin Christy
Matt -
Bob Clendenin
Lloyd -
John Kassir
Chuck -
Beth Kennedy
Stenftenagel -
Jonathan Slavin
Gallagher -
Harry Murphy
Analyst D. Pleasence -
Ted Hartley
Four-Star General V. Le... -
Jack Eastland
General E. Albert -
Meredith Salenger
Natalie Gann -
Andrew Shaifer
Casey Taylor -
Suzanne Krull
Gail Ross -
Christine Lakin
Sunday -
Dave Engfer
Iscovich -
Omar J. Dorsey
Police Officer Hough -
Sam Wolfson
Imperial Stormtrooper C... -
Paul Darnell
Siphon Stunt Double -
Bryan Fogel
Imperial Stormtrooper G... -
Robert Torti
Dominick -
Steven Rosenbaum
Oren Bergman
ADVERTISEMENT
Race to Witch Mountain Trailer & Photos
All Critics (153) | Top Critics (37) | Fresh (65) | Rotten (86) | 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.
Top CriticIt'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.
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.
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.
There is so much in this film that needed to be tweaked and enhanced to really make it special.
I think most kids and certainly most adults are going to find themselves bored.
While it's hardly genre-changing, this is a nice dose of fun, family entertainment.
Everything about this "Race" comes off as a cheap also-ran, with little of that ol' Disney magic anywhere to be found.
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.
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.
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.
A reasonably satisfying family film that updates things while staying true to the adventurous, sci-fi spirit of the originals.
If it's possible for a movie to be agressively bland, Race to Witch Mountain is that movie. [Blu-ray]
...suffers from a pervasively stagnant atmosphere that effectively drains the energy right out of its high-octane moments...
Race with your kids to see it.
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.
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.'
Johnson holds his own against the cute wunderkinder, but nobody's a match for the f/x onslaught of the noisy climax.
This kids' adventure from Disney is amiable with nice performances.
The result is a disappointingly unadventurous adventure, with characters and events that never involve us.
There are decent special effects, and Johnson can play it tough while also being a kid-friendly presence.
Cue a not very dazzling chase movie.
Family audiences in search of Easter entertainment will not feel disappointed by what is basically one long chase and the film will make a great theme-park ride.
This surely has to be the last of the series.
The pre-Star Wars Disney sci-fi adventure Escape to Witch Mountain gets a 21st-century reboot here, with beefed-up action, hyperactive editing and even a few shout-outs to George Lucas's blockbuster classic thrown into the mix.
Audience Reviews for Race to Witch Mountain
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Discussion Forum
There are no discussion threads for Race to Witch Mountain yet.
What's Hot On RT
Jack the Giant Slayer and...
War Rages in 300: Rise of an Empire
See the Desolation of Smaug trailer!
Where does This Is the End rank?
Latest News on Race to Witch Mountain
August 3, 2009:
RT on DVD: Race to Witch Mountain, The Soloist, DelgoWe 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 CallAndy 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...
Fresh Links
Featured
Movie: ID: 770685949 Title: Race to Witch Mountain Release Date: 2009-03-13 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 2 Status: 1
The Looks of Johnny Depp
To celebrate the star's birthday, BuzzSugar looks at the many faces of Johnny Depp.
10 Egregious Product Placements
Rolling Stone wonders if The Internship goes too far... then provides 10 examples of movies that did.
Horror Movie Mistakes
Moviefone offers up 8 of the most obvious glaring errors in popular fright flicks.
10 Bad Movies That Look Great
Sometimes even terrible movies can be beautiful; here are 10 of them, from HitFix.
50 Most Classic Movie Moms
In celebration of Mother's Day, TimeOut offers up 50 iconic matriarchs from the big screen.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
Featured on RT
- RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Jack the Giant Slayer and Quartet 9
- Box Office Guru Wrapup: Man of Steel Sets June Record 96
- Weekly Ketchup: Man of Steel Sequel In the Works 162
- Five Favorite Films with Joss Whedon 112
- Bonus Footage of the Cast & Crew of Man of Steel 1
- Critics Consensus: Man of Steel Is Up, Up, and Okay 277
- Total Recall: Superman Movies 143
Top Headlines
-
Sony Sets Dates for Amazing Spider-Man 3 and 4
3
-
Man of Steel 2 Rumored for 2014
3
-
No Loki in The Avengers 2
1
-
Watch Natalie Portman's The Professional Audition
0
-
John C. Reilly's Guardians of the Galaxy Role Revealed
5
-
Arnold Schwarzenegger Confirms His Expendables 3 Return
1
-
The Muppets...Again! Is Now Muppets Most Wanted
0
Foreign Titles
- La montaña embrujada (ES)
