Race to Witch Mountain

Dir: Andy Fickman

2009

*

Race to Witch Mountain is neither a misspelt question nor a film about Witches and the mountain in question is more like a big hill. Race to Witch Mountain is actually a remake/reboot/continuation (whatever you want to call it) of a short-lived series of films from the 1970s. The original 1975 film Escape to Witch Mountain was based on Alexander H. Key's children's sci-fi novel of the same name. It was a fun and colourful kids film, typical of the sort of thing Disney were making in the 70's that has somewhat of a cult following. Indeed it was Disney's most successful live-action film at the time and two sequels followed; Return From Witch Mountain and the made for TV special Beyond Witch Mountain. Andy Fickman's 2009 version is an adaptation of the 1975 film which was quite different from the novel. In short, the 2009 version is fairly bastardized. What I always loved about the 1975 version was that the two children in the story didn't know who or what they were, it was a mystery. In 2009 they know. Another reason the 75 film was loved was because of the late great Eddie Albert. Albert plays Jason, a crotchety widower who is eventually won over and who helps the children get to Witch Mountain in his Winnebago. He's a lovable character from many people's childhoods. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's ex-mob getaway driver turned cabbie isn't quite as charming. There is no character development, no intrigue, mystery or suspense. The action is substandard and the script is moronic. The original's sequels weren't great but they're masterpieces compared. Everything that was intended wasn't achieved, it was a case of seen it before and didn't like it then either. It's as cheap as the movies get.