Film Reviews

Zathura

• Rating:
• Director: Jon Favreau.
• Starring: Jonah Bobo, Josh Hutcherson, Dax Shepard, Tim Robbins.
• Details: US, 101mins, PG.

Two battling brothers, younger Danny (Bobo) and older Walter (Hutcherson), are left in the care of their hated older sister for the day. Bored, they wander around the house and find an old board game called Zathura under the stairwell. Once the dice is rolled, Danny and Walter (along with their house) are transported to outer space where everything - or nothing - can happen with on a roll of the dice but they must keep playing to get back home. On their travels they meet an astronaut (Shepard), battle aliens and try to stop their house coming apart at the seams. Director Jon Favreau (who wrote the indie hit Swingers and directed Elf) returns to his childhood and re-creates the old-fashioned Saturday afternoon adventure yarn. Adapted from Chris Van Allsburg's book (the author also saw his Jumanji and The Polar Express make the big screen) by Carlito's Way/Spiderman screenwriter David Koepp, Zathura is more of a series of episodes rather than a straightforward plot. Koepp dispenses with the standard cackling villains, reinventing the boy's space adventure that tapped out after '80s classic/crap Starfighter by putting the emphasis on the warring brothers' chemistry. Favreau, for his part, gives the escapade a loving touch, remembering his own childlike wonder and making a film that kids will want to see. Adults, meanwhile, will enjoy Robbins' performance as a father at the end of his tether.

Review by Gavin Burke