Who doesn’t love Dwyane (nee “The Rock” Johnson)? Seriously, how can anyone not like the guy? He’s a total babe with a killer smile, great sense of humor and body the gods can only envy. Having left his superstar status in the world of professional wrestling behind him, Johnson has quickly established himself as genuine movie star, and to the delight of audiences, the guy can act. Team this hunk of hulk with appealing and photogenic kids Alexander Ludwig and AnnaSophia Robb, throw in a non-stop action chase story and a couple bad guys in pursuit and you have the next hit Disney movie. Race To Witch Mountain is is one hell of fun ride.

The movie is a reworking of Disney’s two previous “Witch Mountain” from the mid 1970s that starred Bette Davis and Christopher Lee and a couple of psychically gifted kids from another world. In this updated version, though, the special effects are state-of-the-art and action doesn’t stop for a second from the first scene until the end credit roll. And even then, the story continues through the credits as we see where everyone ends up. Director Andy Fickman knows his target audience has the attention span of a hummingbird, so make sure you and the kids all visit the bathrooms before the movie starts; things happen really quickly.

Johnson plays Jack Bruno, a down-on-his-luck Las Vegas cab driver who ends up with two cash-flush ’tweens in his cab, and together, they embark upon a mysterious mission to retrieve a device and save the Earth from an alien invasion. Just what exactly the device is remains a bit of a mystery, but it is of such high value that they have been followed to Earth by a Terminator-style assassin who won’t stop until the kids are dead and the device is returned to wrong hands.

But that’s not enough action for this movie. Add to that chase two other plot lines involving a Las Vegas mobster who wants Jack to work for him on one final job and a UFO-tracking government agency headed by a megalomaniac bad guy (played by Ciaran Hinds) who sees capturing the kids as the culmination of his life’s work.

The action returns again and again to a UFO convention at hotel in Vegas where Johnson and the kids enlist the help of an questionable astrophysicist Dr. Alex Freidman (Carla Gugino). The good doctor joins in the action and works with the kids and Jack to get them all into the secret government base inside Witch Mountain where the kids spaceship is being held.

Lots of stuff explodes, every other scene is a chase, everyone runs around and in the end everything turns out OK. The film’s story is ridiculous, the plot lines trip over each other and most of it doesn’t get explained or make any sense. While you are sitting there questioning a plot point the story has already moved on two steps so you better toss logic out the window and just try to keep up. One could watch the movie nine times and would still want to know what exactly the underground garden from outer space under the cabin is all about. In the end, though, it doesn’t matter because this film is a popcorn-chomping adventure sure to please the kids and keep them riveted to the screen for 90 minutes, which is a rare feat in itself.

Is “Race To Witch Mountain” a good film? Oh hell no, but it sure is fun to watch and for it’s 90 minute run you won’t think about the economy or the stock market once. And that alone is well worth the price of admission. Recommended.

credits: EdgeBoston | Yahoo! Movies Singapore

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Official Movie Poster

Singapore Date: 12th March 2009 Language: English Running Time: 100 mins Rating: PG Genre: Action Tagline: The Race Is On Starring: Alexander Ludwig, Dwayne Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb Directed by: Andy Fickman Company: Walt Disney Pictures Singapore Distributor: Buena Vista International iZone Rating: 7/10 Official Website : Race To Witch Mountain

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Movie Trailer

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