Zathura – Ein Abenteuer im Weltraum (2005)

Zathura – Ein Abenteuer im Weltraum: Directed by Jon Favreau. With Jonah Bobo, Josh Hutcherson, Dax Shepard, Kristen Stewart. Two young brothers are drawn into an intergalactic adventure when their house is hurled through the depths of space by the magical board game they are playing.

“Those who criticize u0026quot;Zathurau0026quot; for being a copycat u0026quot;Jumanjiu0026quot; are apparently clueless about the Van Allsburgu0026#39;s books. u0026quot;Zathurau0026quot; is a sequel to u0026quot;Jumanjiu0026quot;, it is about what happened when the Budwing brothers opened the game box that Peter and Judy discarded at the end of u0026quot;Jumanjiu0026quot;. Early board games were often designed with two-sided boards so that the game pieces could be used to play two different games-usually of the same type. u0026quot;Zathurau0026quot; was the flip side of the u0026quot;Jumanjiu0026quot; game board and the ones the brothers chose to play (because Walter did not like jungle games). So it is u0026quot;supposedu0026quot; to be like another u0026quot;Jumanjiu0026quot;.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHaving grown up with this same sibling age dynamic (six and ten) I was not surprised at the amount of yelling, anger, and resentment that goes on between the two brothers. I was however surprised that anyone would find this sort of thing entertaining. While their divorced father (Tim Robbins playing the only sympathetic character in the film) is away at a meeting, the younger brother (Danny) finds an old Zathura game in the basement. Based on those old 1950u0026#39;s tin toys it involves two tin spaceships on a track racing around space. Each spin of the dial determines the distance the ship will move on that turn and a card is ejected detailing what happens to the ship at that point of space. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAs Danny and Walter face the challenges of space they discover that they can work as a team and they even develop some affection for each other (a more unrealistic idea than anything they actually encounter in space). u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eLike the source book, the movie adaptation of u0026quot;Zathurau0026quot; targets kindergarten to Grade 5 children. Like u0026quot;Sharkboy and Lavagirlu0026quot;, older viewers will find very little of interest other than a fun production design and nice effects. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eUnfortunately u0026quot;Zathurau0026quot; it is not as pure as u0026quot;Sharkboy and Lavagirlu0026quot;, which uniquely refused to compromise its u0026quot;for kids onlyu0026quot; story. u0026quot;Zathurau0026quot; does compromise, as the producers attempt to expand their audience by creating an older sister (Lisa played by Kristen Stewart) who was not a character in the book. While Stewart is fine in this role and even provides some comic relief, it is rather disturbing that the producers chose to turn her into a pubescent sex object, blustering around the house in her underwear for most of the film. Van Allsburgu0026#39;s illustrations are the best part of his books but a u0026quot;hot teenage sisteru0026quot; is not an image he has ever published. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThen again, what do I know? Iu0026#39;m only a child.”