FamilyFans Movies

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RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN (PG)

Plot Summary: Cab driver Jack Bruno picks up a pair of kids--who just happen to be aliens--and helps them to dodge assassins and the Department of Defense in order to save Earth from invasion.

Reason for the Rating: Sequences of action and violence, frightening and dangerous situations, and some thematic elements.

Jack Bruno is an ex-con who has gone straight, Now he's just trying to stay out of trouble.

Driving a cab in Vegas, he’s used to odd passengers, like the many sci-fi freaks he shuttles to the UFO convention, including Dr. Alex Friedman, whose pet obsession is convincing others that alien life exists. His next odd passengers are a pair of tweens, Seth and Sara who have a huge wad of cash and want to be driven deep into the Nevada desert.

On the way, they are chased by the US Department of Defense and an alien assassin to boot. Thanks to their out-of-this-world talents (like making Jack’s CDs float and also stopping an SUV with nothing but Seth’s chest), they convince Jack that they are indeed aliens and need help. They eventually also enlist the help of Dr. Friedman, and together they all race to Witch Mountain, where their space ship has been appropriated by the US government. The aliens hold evidence that will convince their own planet not to invade Earth, and they must get back before their army attacks.

This is definitely a race movie, complete with car chases, train crashes, and UFO chases, while still being tame enough to be a Disney family movie. The plot is somewhat predictable and plain, but Dwayne Johnson is winning enough to make it enjoyable to watch. Ciarán Hinds, as the head of the “special” department that deals with aliens, also makes a villain you can savor.

This movie isn’t excellent, not a movie you’ll watch over and over. But it’s a pleasantly diverting action flick that you can watch with most of the family…those who aren’t scared of tense chases an alien assassins.

FAMILYFANS RECOMMENDS:

This is a fun, fast-paced movie for most of the family. Enjoy!

AFTER THE SHOW: 

Use these questions to spark discussion among family members who are interested in this movie:

• If you were Jack, would you have helped the kids or gotten away from them as fast as you could?

• Do you think you’re more like Seth, who had a hard time trusting people, or Sara, who trusted Jack was good?

AV

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