Country/Region of ManufactureUnited States of America
ComposerJohn Debney, James Horner
Additional InformationTwo features. Actor-turned-director Jon Favreau (SWINGERS, ELF) delivers another work of intelligent, charming family fare with ZATHURA: A SPACE ADVENTURE, based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg (JUMANJI). Older brother Walter (Josh Hutcherson) and the younger Danny (Jonah Bobo) are constantly at war with one another, bickering over the mediating voice of their long-suffering father (Tim Robbins). When he has to go to the office to replace some papers the boys destroyed in their crossfire, he leaves them in the dubious care of older sister Lisa (Kristen Stewart), who is sleeping upstairs. When Danny discovers an old board game called Zathura stored in the basement, his excitement is lost on Walter, who has no time for such old, boring toys. Soon, however, the game becomes impossible to ignore, as the boys are transported into space, and one of them must win in order to make it home again. Each turn brings a new, often dangerous, surprise, and the boys are faced with a murderous robot, an explosive meteor shower, and lizard-like aliens, while poor Lisa is cryogenically frozen early in the game. The adventure yields some heartwarming, family-friendly life lessons, and Dax Shepard (IDIOCRACY) is unusually subdued in his role as a stranded astronaut. Also includes JUMANJI.
ReviewsNew York Times - In the enchanted limbo between waking and sleeping, ZATHURA feels both real and unreal, like a dream you could shake off at any moment., Entertainment Weekly - ZATHURA is a rarity: a stellar fantasy that faces down childhood anxieties with feet-on-the-ground maturity, Variety - ...The film unleashes an arsenal of special effects that are dazzling to the eye....In addition to Williams' heartfelt, vulnerable performance, Hunt elicits humour and pathos..., Sight And Sound - Favreau and his effects team have fun with the retro-futurist stylings of the game....The relatively restrained use of computer imagery is refreshing...
ScreenwriterJonathan Hensleigh, Jim Strain, David Koepp, John Kamps, Greg Taylor
AuthorChris Van Allsburg