Zathura: A Space Adventure Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
A New Adventure From the World of Jumanji
Adventure Is Waiting
Danny and Walter are two brothers who barely get along even while driving their parents to distraction as their older sister tries to ignore them. Despite their squabbling, the brothers manage cooperate enough to play an old mechanical board game named Zathura. However, after their first move, they find that the game has apparently flung them, their sister and their entire house into outer space. Furthermore, the brothers surmise the only way to return home is to finish the game. However with almost every move, new dangers arise as the siblings find themselves learning to cooperate in ways they never expected as they realize what they mean to each other.
| Jonah Bobo | Danny |
| Josh Hutcherson | Walter |
| Dax Shepard | Astronaut |
| Kristen Stewart | Lisa |
| Tim Robbins | Dad |
| John Alexander | Robot |
| Derek Mears | Lead Zorgon |
| Jeff Wolfe | Zorgon |
| Jon Favreau |
6.30 out of 10 (6346 votes)
Visitor Reviews
jumanji for trekkies
posted on 17 Aug 2009i was expecting this film to merely be a decent way to waste some time like it's predecessor, but zathura is better. it's just as wacky as jumanji, but just seems to make more sense.it's a little bit on the short side and i expected a few more action scenes, but what's there is pretty good.the dialogue is funny, but was a little more edgy than i expected.overall, the film moved along at a brisk pace and had some nice unexpected twists. it was nice to see that it was filmed as a retro "buck rogers type" sci-fi game, but with modern day action levels. it's a nice mix.the film offers enough action to keep your attention and enough surprises to keep you guessing. it was a lot better than i expected it to be. it was fun.
Surprisingly nice. If I was a kid I'd have loved it........
posted on 17 Aug 2009There are quite a few nice things about this film. In particular, Zathura is an aesthetically intelligent film. The makers did a great job of not relying too heavily on CGI; very thoughtful design and effects. The convincing use of miniatures, real sets and chaos/destruction really brought the story to life. True, its a kids movie. But not so much that it annoys, there's a timeless and attractive notion of adventure. Really hearkens back to the glory of 80's kids adventure movies. The film's gadgets and knick-knacks were great. The house and Zathura game-board were both characters in and of themselves, every bit as important as the actors (who did a fine job). Throughout I felt like I was watching a little of "Time Bandits" mixed with some "Goonies" and maybe some "Hitchikers Guide..." or "House".Some folks seem ambivalent to the film. That's unfortunate. Up against a lot of the uninspired sh*t that is released these days, Zathura is very successful in creating a fun and visually convincing escape. Half way through the movie I realized that I was waiting/anticipating the film's failure, that it was going to let me down. Never did. I appreciated the film.
Gakh... oh, some little spoilers
posted on 11 Aug 2009Well now, what should I say about "Zathura"... Well, the thing is IT SUCKED BIG TIME but if you want to waste a precious hour or two of your lifetime, you're always welcome to watch it. The characters were one the most annoying ones I've ever seen. That siblings feud was sooo interesting, especially if you love screaming brats. And what's with the big sister? She'd better stayed frozen, that way she'd be more useful. Oh, that part with the cosmonaut turning out to be the ones who've seen the movie know who/what - that part was so amazing, so smart, so fitting... NO~T. The only hero I liked and that didn't get on my nerves was the father... too bad he was in the movie just for 5 about minutes :/ I can't find words to describe how terrible the acting, directing and plot were. That thing with the zorgons or whatever that meant to be sooo~ scary was sooooo~ laughable... or lamentable. I couldn't believe my eyes that this movie was somewhat new - the effects and everything was like from 10-15 years ago. Do they still make such crappy movies and sell them as "the newest and the freshest" Bah P.S. If anyone's offended by my comment and likes stupid movies, I recommend you to watch "Avalon" - the movie that made me able to watch any kind of crappy movie till the end, including this one Hope you'll like it ^_^
A fun and newer introduction for "Jumanaji"
posted on 09 Aug 2009After so many years, I think some classic films loose their touches and need to be remembered. "Zathura" is a new "Jumanji" for this generation that the whole family can enjoy together once again. I know that if I were a child, I could fall in love with this film. Because I did enjoy this as an adult. It has very cool effects, some fun jokes, and a very touching lesson on how to appreciate the things you have. It did disturb me a little though how the kids have a couple mild dirty words in here, because I think that's how kids act today. Oh, well, we can only hope for a Leave it to Beaver future. :) Just kidding! It's a fun family adventure film that anyone can enjoy. I highly recommend.7/10
Excellent!
posted on 30 Jul 2009Wow, where do I begin?? Great acting, great graphics...great plot! The kids in Zathura are very true to today's standards. I recommend this movie to everyone who wants to see a family film filled with action, to remember for a very long time. Go see Zathura! It isn't exactly a "kid's" movie, as it may seem like one; it's a family movie for all ages. An Excellent choice; I'm glad I went to the theater and saw it. 10/10 with two thumbs way up!To those who think it's a takeoff of "Jumanji", well you might change your mind after seeing "Zathura". Sure, there may be some similarities (the board game theme), but the actual plot is original.
Space Adventure or Therapy Session?
posted on 14 Jun 2009From the previews I thought "Zathura" would be a kid-friendly, fun space adventure. What I got was two foul mouthed kids and the feeling that someone was trying to provide a cheap therapy session for adults whose parents divorced when they were children. I think divorce is terrible and certainly at an alarming rate in this country, but this movie is not marketed as that and the subject matter seemed to come way out of left field.I deduced that this must be the intention of the production staff because the children in attendance at my showing didn't laugh or seem to enjoy the film at all. Adults were annoyed by all the screaming, yelling, bickering, and fighting that the three children in the film engage in.
Brotherhood meets its challenges in a cool space board game
posted on 25 May 20092005 has brought ups and downs to the movie industry. Lots of Rs and Pg-13s but not enough family films. Unless your talking about Fantastic Four, Robots or Chicken Little. Zathura is starting to get the family films rolling.Comparing Zathura to its sister film Jumanji. Of course its about 10 years later but the story makes more sense. Your a lot more mysterious about whats going on. The way they add different space properties to the game as it takes over the house is amazing. Computer technology is definitely put to work but it looks great.The perfect cast too. Especially Danny(Jonah Bobo), Walter(Josh Hutcherson), Lisa(Kristen Steward), and Astronaunt(Dax Shepard. They were amazing.This turned out to be one of my favorite movies of 2005.
A fun trip through space thanks to a board game
posted on 19 Apr 2009If you're interested in films about magical board games, flying houses, sibling rivalry, mysterious astronauts and ugly Aliens, then Zathura will interest you.I'm sure you remember that movie many years ago called "Jumanji". It starred Robin Williams and was about a magical board game called Jumanji that brought the jungle into the home of this family.Zathura is quite similar to Jumanji, seeing as it was written by Jumanji's writer. It started off as a Jumanji sequel but soon it began to take on a life of its own.The adventure in this board game takes place in space. It starts off with two brothers aged 10 and 6, who are continually at each other's throats and competing with each other for their father's attention. They alternate between their mother's home and their father's ever since their divorce.They have a sister named Lisa who is your typical teenage girl, going out with boys and worrying about her appearance, although she is more of what Avril Lavigne used to be like than what Hilary Duff is now.However, one day when their father is out, one of the boys finds a mysterious board game called Zathura in the basement of his father's house. He takes it up to his brother and begs him to play it. While playing, a meteor shower hits their house and their house somehow lands up in space. The two brothers embark on a dangerous space adventure one turn at a time, meeting various obstacles along the way including a defective murderous robot, despicably ugly aliens called Zorgons, the sun, a mysterious astronaut and a search for a vitally important object gone missing.Despite its rather predictive conclusion, Zathura is quite an enjoyable film. You may find yourself questioning the fact that when in space a human cannot breathe as well as when in space, you should be floating and not flat on the ground.What makes it even more bizarre is that water and electrical appliances work. After all it is just a movie and I'd say it should be classified as a fantasy and in a fantasy anything can happen.The Zorgons might frighten children under ten but otherwise the whole family will enjoy.
Get into Outer Space without leaving the house.
posted on 17 Apr 2009Things can get quite tough at home when your parents have just divorced, your older sister doesn't know you exist and your older brother wishes you didn't. But no matter how bad it gets, Zathura confirms that things are much, much worse in outer space.Left alone on a Saturday afternoon, two highly competitive brothers ricochet towards trouble when the younger one, Danny, is tormented into the basement and unearths an old space adventure game called Zathura. By the time Danny realizes that they "shouldn't play that game", a meteor shower has decimated the living room and the house is uprooted and floating above the rings of Saturn. Though with every turn they take bad things happen, there is no going back and the boys must play on.Zathura is unashamedly nostalgic – the game is reminiscent of 1950's comics and faded tin toys, Dad's house is from a similar era, with a dumb waiter just waiting to lower a small boy into danger, and even the story is comfortably familiar. By the same author as Jumanji, where the game took us into the perilous jungle, now Zathura transports us off this planet. And though this is science fiction, whether it is the skittling, malfunctioning robot, the floating astronaut or the circling Zorgon battleships, it still all seems vintage.But most impressively, the way this movie was made is old school. There is some CGI to create the vastness of the galaxy, but otherwise all the explosions, monster lizards, robots and even the frozen sister are there for real.And in the midst of the unceasing explosions and imminent ingestion by carnivorous inter-galactic lizard pirates, Zathura has some important messages - about family responsibility, how to be a good brother, wishing on a star and the error of making decisions when angry.Parents may find the constant bickering between the boys a bit nerve-wracking and the stress of Dad juggling work and his sons' rivaling demands for his attention uncomfortably realistic. Not to mention the horror of watching a home being systematically obliterated. But we are sure the kids will love it.DVD Extras: It was so much fun watching the house being destroyed and now you can see how they built it, rocked it and ripped through it. From the meteors, to the Zorgon missiles and the jettisoned couch, all those flames are real. Stacks of extras that cover the making of just about everything in the movie.
A fun follow-up to a great film
posted on 11 Apr 2009I avoided this in the theatre because I was sure it wold be bad in comparison to Jumanji, but I was quite pleasantly surprised. If you liked Jumanji, I highly recommend it.-- spoilers past here -- Absolutely favorite part? The very first turn, the younger brother gets "Meteor Shower," and the two boys are sitting in the living room at the time, watching TV. Once the meteor shower seems to end, the boys come out from their hiding place, then a huge meteor comes and smashes the TV to smithereens. Love it.The boys' relationship to each other is the centre of the movie, and it does an excellent job of exploring it. The sister seems rather unnecessary in the story, really, and is mostly there for a one-shot joke that seems a bit off for a Family movie.I definitely think it's fun for a watch if you liked Jumanji and if you're a fan of soft sci-fi.
Jumanji Critics ...Go Take A Nap
posted on 20 Mar 2009Open up your imagination to the world of Zathura. Kids and adults alike will revel in this great story about two young brothers who find an old board-style game called Zathura that literally launches them and their home into outer-space. Danny and Walter are the brothers and when their father leaves them alone with their teenage sister for a few minutes, worlds collide and their home becomes a space-bound asteroid, but not because of any interstellar cataclysm. It's all related to the game Zathura that the younger Danny finds and begins playing.Their father's beautiful arts and crafts style home is magically transported to the nether reaches of space and as the boys play the game — in an attempt to get back to Earth — more and more bizarre occurrences happen. A meteor shower pummels the house. A defective robot tries to kill the elder brother, Walter. Zorgons, weird, space-faring lizard-men, track their home because of the warmth radiating off it. A stranded spaceman joins the duo and has much more vested in the game than we could ever imagine. Walter and Danny's sister goes into cryogenic sleep for "five turns" only to awaken in the midst of this spaceflight odyssey.Can the boys make it home? Will they be able to finish the game? Can they put aside their sibling rivalries and become loving brothers? Why is the stranded astronaut helping them? What will Dad say when he gets home and finds out there is no home?There's been a lot of controversial talk amongst film-o-philes about this movie and JUMANJI. There's no doubt that there's an incredibly strong similarity between the two (a house being overrun by animals versus space creatures; a family in crisis that's forced to come together; a board game that recreates a fantasy; a happy ending that gets fixed-up before adults arrive back in the picture; and so on).Regardless of those striking comparisons, Zathura is a really fun film to watch. The two brothers are believable, and when they fight it reminded me of the great arguments I had with my brothers when I was growing up.The amazingly beautiful arts and crafts home. It was painful watching it get destroyed piece by piece. Sitting on a gimbal, too, it was surprising (watching the special features on the DVD) to learn that director Jon Favreau used minimal digital special effects and built miniatures, etc. in order to get the desired effects for the film.The ridiculous nature of the story allowed me to suspend disbelief and just go with it. We all know that fire doesn't burn in outer-space (they light a sofa on fire and kick it out the door), and that a person could never survive fifteen years floating around in space in a spacesuit (the astronaut), but so what.I was also a tad surprised about the astronaut. I'd surmised quite a bit about the movie as it continued (being able to guess pretty easily what was going to happen next and why) but when the true nature of the stranded astronaut came to light, I felt a bit choked-up (yeah, yeah, I know).So sit back and enjoy the film, and try not to get overly critical about its obvious relation to JUMANJI.
Good (but SCARY) film for the whole family
posted on 04 Mar 2009My daughter and I saw the sneak, and we both loved it. The story was very true to the Chris Van Allsberg book on which it is based (a sequel to his earlier book, Jumanji). Best of all, we liked the realistic bickering, teasing, and cold shoulder treatment between the siblings in the story. It may have been magnified a bit for the screen, but the sibling rivalries really rang true. A lot of kids will see themselves and friends in the petty jealousies and sibling torments that are pictured here, and when the whole story is done, they will see a conclusion that has a gentle moral. There were several young children in the screening audience, and I noticed that they were nervous, clingy, and questioning in a few scary scenes. Nevertheless, the film is generally palatable, even for the young. I would target the film for kids age seven and up. The elementary age and middle school age kids will get the most out of the message of the film, but even younger kids of five and six will enjoy the movie (although they may need a parent's shoulder to hold on to in a couple of places.)
Everyone's a winner, baby, that's the truth.
posted on 16 Feb 2009As far as movies based on Chris Van Alsburg books go, "Zathura: A Space Adventure" is superior to both "Jumanji" and "The Polar Express." (Which means it'll probably make less money than either.) Jon Favreau may not rank with Robert Zemeckis, but he certainly kicks Joe Johnston's butt.The plot may well be "Jumanji In Space," but whereas the previous movie was little more than an extended look at the various ways to destroy a house (and those overly cartoonish monkeys didn't help), this one has more of a plot to go with the shenanigans - the relationship between our young protagonists (played without going for easy sentiment by Josh Hutcherson and Jonah Bobo) has as much screen time as the work from Sony Pictures Imageworks and Stan Winston, and rightly so; it's also great to see a family movie about divorced parents where it's accepted as a fact of life and no attempts to reconcile mum and dad are made - mum never even appears here.Screenwriters David Koepp and John Kamps also deserve credit for adapting a (reportedly) slim book in a manner that never seems bloated, the way "The Polar Express" did; few characters (apart from the two boys and their father, the only other people in the movie are their sister (Kristen Stewart) and an astronaut they pick up after one turn (Dax Shepard)... who, it must be said, is part of one of the movie's few questionable plot points. Since this isn't a "This comment may contain spoilers" review I can't really elaborate, but you'll probably understand what I mean if you see the movie."Zathura: A Space Adventure" doesn't stretch the limits of film-making, and I could do without the Paul Simon song at the end, but it - like the under-appreciated "Sky High" - shows it is possible to make effects-filled comedies that genuinely do work for the whole family, with some amusingly edgy dialogue ("We never should've rented 'Thirteen'!") and a built-in spin off premise for the cartoon that would surely have resulted had this been a bigger hit at the North American box office (two kids caught in a game and having to finish it to get back home). Ironically, it would probably not have been as good as the movie... the way the "Jumanji" cartoon is far superior to the source.
Pretty Good Movie - but watch out for language and intensity
posted on 23 Jan 2009We (family of four) scored some FREE preview tickets to see Zathura this past Saturday. Overall, the movie was a good family movie. It had adventure, suspense, decent story and good humor. The effects were great. Adults and children will have a good time at this movie.My criticism with the movie has to do with the language and the intensity. A few minutes into the movie, the 6 year old brother calls the 8 year old brother a "DICK" in front of his dad. Having my 6 year old son and 4 year old daughter next to me made me cringe at this use of the word. While I'm all for appropriately placed language to "keep it real," I didn't see any value in having this word used. It would have been just as effective to have him say "you are an idiot" or something else commonly heard on Nick Jr. THe word "biatch" was used as well.Finally, there were a couple intense moments in the movie that will remind you of Jurassic Park. My 4 year old daughter had to leave the theater 30 minutes into it. Thankfully, Chicken Run was playing next door. If your child is sensitive to these things skip the movie for another year or two. Otherwise, have a good time but watch the ears...
One very awesome motion picture!
posted on 05 Jan 2009I went to go see this movie the other day, and I must say that I was blown away. Zathura is an incredible fantasy film for families everywhere. This picture has vast intensity! There are also a lot of heartfelt moments here as well. Zathura is absolutely guaranteed to captivate anyone who views it.From the way that I look at this movie, Zathura is a cross between Jumanji and Explorers. The story contained here follows the elements of a fictional vintage board game and the realm of outer space. Two prepubescent brothers, Walter and Danny, are consistently having arguments about anything and everything. They have an older sister named Lisa, who is very sweet but also lazy. Their parents are split apart in the story. The Zathura board game is discovered by Danny (the youngest child) while he is down in the basement of the house in which they are staying. He starts off the game and he and Walter are soon forced to finish it up so that they can return to Earth again where they will be safe. While playing the vintage game, all three children encounter a wide variety of surprises that come as a result of the words that are printed on the game's cards. In the end, they make it back to their rightful place on Earth and their lives are changed forever.
We loved it- great family fun!
posted on 05 Jan 2009My son (age 10) liked Jumanji and is an avid reader. When he learned "Zathura" would be the next Van Allsburg book to come to the screen, he made me promise we'd see it.We nearly missed our chance (it was at the second-run theater) but I am glad we made it. "Zathura" was excellent- we were riveted the entire time and my son THEN made me promise we'd buy the DVD when it was released! Since one of the main characters was a 10-year old boy like him, naturally I knew he'd like it. But I really liked it too and thought that every actor's performance was exactly right. Not cutesy in that "movie kid" kind of way, but very real. I flinched at some of the older brother's dialogue- it was so mean and angry toward the little brother. But that's how it is!! Kids are so mean. This movie did not shy away from it (OK, that set up the ending, but still).Even the teen sister was great. Tim Robbins, as the harried dad (little screen time) was spot-on. Families of divorce have a whole separate set of behavioral rules to learn and live by, and this movie nailed it.Thumbs-up from all of us!
For kids only
posted on 03 Jan 2009Unlike Jumanji, this is NOT for anyone smarter than a 5th grader. They use typical kid shortcomings instead of writing a clever script. Much of the story didn't make sense or was simply unbelievable. They seem to just make stuff up to fit what they wanted - some things floated in space including the sputum and the astronaut, but the kids were totally unaffected by 0 gravity. The guy stuck in the game, the Zorgons we never see, the robot repairing itself forever, all seemed like lazy writing and directing. The youngest kid screws up constantly and says I'm sorry at least 40 times. I was so sick of this needy, whiny child that I didn't care if they made it home or not. I'm sure there are parents who don't know how to discipline their kids so some will find this believable. Those who feel parents should address rude and co-dependent behavior early, will lose patience with this mess of a movie driven by redundant bad behavior.
Entertaining fantasy from the Jumanji and Polar Express author.
posted on 24 Dec 2008Mom and dad are divorced and they alternate 3-day weeks with 4-day weeks with the 3 kids. Tim Robbins is the dad, barely finding time to parcel among his two sons who always want to play catch, and his artistic job. Then there is the older sister who just wants to sleep until it is time for her date that evening. Dad has to make a quick trip to the office, and the boys discover this old game in the basement of dad's new old house. The game is Zathura! The strange thing about the game is that, as you get your turn and get a card dispensed to you, whatever the card says happens. The first one says "meteor shower" and quickly after a small meteorite blazes down and burns a hole right through the card, then holes all over that room.This continues until the boys find that, as they open the front door, they are no longer in the neighborhood, instead are orbiting the planet Saturn, and the rings are right outside their door. I was amazed that they didn't seem to have any problem breathing! Anyway this continues, with each next event more amazing than the first. Sister eventually is awakened, but she gets herself into quite a pickle also. So the whole movie becomes one of survival in the face of increasing danger. The two kids, about 7 and 11, make the movie. The younger is Jonah Bobo who plays Danny , the older Josh Hutcherson who plays Walter. Sis Lisa is played by Kristen Stewart.SPOILERS. We naturally wonder, withing the context of the fantasy, whether the boys are really in this adventure, or if they imagine it all. So, in the end, after they managed to finish the game, they magically get back home, and all the damage to the house is gone. But when we see the bike drop out of the sky and onto the front lawn, the one previously floating in space next to the house, we know it was real!
Father And Son Bonding Movie
posted on 26 Nov 2008I grabbed this movie at the library, and really didn't know much about it before watching it. I remembered the movie being compared to Jumanji, and figured it might be a good film to watch with my twelve-year-old son. I would like to thank everyone responsible for making this movie for giving me one of the most enjoyable movie watching experiences I've ever had!It turns out my son is at the perfect age to watch this movie. He and I were on the edge of our seats, and he had a smile on his face the entire time. This film will hold the attention of your "tweens" even those with the touch of ADD that is all too common in our video game, microwave meal society. I know I'm not saying much about what happens in the movie, and that's because the movie needs to be seen to be appreciated. It is part science fiction, part morality play with just the right amount of humor and a few twists and turns. The suspense level in some of the scenes is breathtaking, and other than one relatively minor expletive early in the film (nothing my son hasn't heard,) it's very family friendly.Zathura is a DVD I'll definitely be buying. My son actually thanked me for getting this "awesome" DVD for us to watch. Dads (and Moms) put Zthura on your "must see" list.
Just Ripped straight out of jumanji
posted on 19 Aug 2009We watched this film as a "treat" at school before breaking up for the summer holidays, even from the DVD menu I could tell that this was going to be a complete clone of jumanji. The story is devastatingly slow to start and the two kids got really on my nerves right from the word go. The plot is so slow I worked out who the "astronaut" was after five minutes of him arriving, The plot continues to drag on for another nearly 2 hours with lots of unfunny jokes, unoriginal and stupid, doing exactly the same thing as jumanji did but guess what ITS IN SPACE, It really was making a film for the sake of making a film. The acting is rubbish, at lease jumanji had Robin Williams.The only reason this is getting a 2 rather than a one is that one of the jokes i found slightly amusing.