family movie review zathura

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Zathura: a space adventure, common sense media reviewers.

Sci-fi adventure has salty language, peril, violence.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Movie attempts to address sibling rivalry: Despite

The two brothers learn to appreciate and look out

Spaceships are armed with guns and futuristic miss

Teenaged sister wears a tight top in preparation f

Minor language, including kids' use of "d---k," "s

Positive Messages

Movie attempts to address sibling rivalry: Despite how the two brothers are constantly at each other's throats, they learn they should treat each other much better and look out for each other.

Positive Role Models

The two brothers learn to appreciate and look out for each other. The teen girl is a stereotype: She sleeps in and refuses to be woken up by anyone else in her family, is boy-crazy, sullen, and doesn't undergo any significant character development over the course of the movie.

Violence & Scariness

Spaceships are armed with guns and futuristic missiles; lizardish space aliens are menacing; crazed robot attacks boys; meteors and space weapons blow up the boys' house/spaceship. Frequent explosions, peril. Three siblings are constantly fighting -- a teen sister punches her younger brother in the face; two brothers are constantly chasing each other, tackling each other, calling each other names.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Teenaged sister wears a tight top in preparation for her night out; she develops a crush on a character who turns out to be her younger brother at a later age and remarks, "And I wanted to ... " when she discovers the truth.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Minor language, including kids' use of "d---k," "screwed," "ass," and "bee-yatch." An astronaut makes reference to passing through a "time sphincter." A teen girl develops a crush on an older astronaut; when it's revealed that the astronaut comes from the future and is her younger brother, she remarks, "And I wanted to ... " without articulating the clear sexual insinuation.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Zathura; A Space Adventure is a 2005 movie in which an old board game found in the basement of a newly occupied house leads to fierce space battles and extreme peril from lizard-like aliens with a taste for human flesh. The movie begins with typical tensions, resentments, and competitions between two brothers, age 6 and 10. Their father is divorced, and their teenaged sister is distracted by her interest in boys and parties. The film includes scary music, scary sound effects (crashes, explosions, alien-monster growls), and some images of space aliens and a big robot attacking the boys that might be frightening for younger viewers. Boys use some obnoxious language ("d--k," "screwed") and violence against the aliens to save themselves. The teen girl develops a crush on an older astronaut; when he's revealed to be her brother from the future, her first response is, "And I wanted to ... ." The movie does attempt to address sibling rivalries, the self-esteem issues that can develop, and the importance of two brothers learning to look out for each other. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

Parents say (29)
Kids say (54)

Based on 29 parent reviews

Language, inappropriate innuendos, rudeness

Fun adventure movie, what's the story.

Six-year-old Danny ( Jonah Bobo ) is feeling rather shut out by his older brother, Walter ( Josh Hutcherson ), who in turn feels besieged by the demands of a sibling who dotes on him. Older and wiser and increasingly impatient, Walter just wants to be left alone, especially as he's also feeling abandoned by his dad ( Tim Robbins ), who's working overtime to pay for two homes and is recently divorced. The boys find distraction in Zathura, a circa-1950s board game they find in the basement when Dad goes to the office and leaves them in the care of their teenaged sister, Lisa ( Kristen Stewart ). The game essentially turns their house into a spaceship, floating through the starry sky somewhere near Saturn, buffeted by the occasional meteor shower or malevolent alien. Once they begin the game, the rules assert, Danny and Walter are unable to stop until they "finish," meaning that they need to find the reason they're playing, and, of course, reconcile with each other.

Is It Any Good?

ZATHURA: A SPACE ADVENTURE is a movie most likely to appeal to older kids. Like the game in Jumanji , another movie based on a children's book by Chris Van Allsburg (also the literary source for Polar Express ), this one helps the siblings to work out their conflicts "metaphorically," here by encounters with hostile monsters, a deranged robot, and a "stranded astronaut" ( Dax Shepard ).

Their adventures are as episodic as the board game scenario suggests: Each boy takes his turn. But as Jon Favreau 's movie is most interested in the boys' relationship, Lisa is best described as plot device, convenient witness, and occasional instigator for their realizations and efforts. In this, she's aided by the astronaut, who shows up during Danny's turn (he's instructed to rescue this stranger and then is attached to the astronaut, who identifies Danny as the one who "spun me"). This provides the younger boy with an eventual conflict, as the astronaut and Walter make different demands. Danny eventually comes to realize that Walter is his brother, no matter how ugly he's been to Danny in the past, and that makes him, as the astronaut observes, "all you have."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the relationship between the two brothers. How do they learn to appreciate and take care of each other?

What are some of the ways in which sibling rivalry is shown? Does it seem like an accurate reflection of how it is when two brothers are constantly at war?

While some of the violence is sci-fi-related, some of it is rooted in the rivalries between the siblings. How was the violence different, and how did the violence in both serve to either heighten the action or intensify the relationships between the siblings?

Movie Details

In theaters : November 11, 2005
On DVD or streaming : February 14, 2006
Cast : Jonah Bobo , Josh Hutcherson , Tim Robbins
Director : Jon Favreau
Studio : Sony Pictures
Genre : Science Fiction
Topics : Adventures , Book Characters , Robots , Space and Aliens
Run time : 113 minutes
MPAA rating : PG
MPAA explanation : fantasy action and peril, and some language.
Last updated : April 6, 2023

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Zathura Parent Guide

A game that's out of this world..

Danny (Jonah Bobo) has no idea of the consequences when he talks his older brother Walter (Josh Hutcherson) into playing a mysterious board game. Flinging the squabbling siblings into the far reaches of the universe, the two must work together if they hope to navigate their way home.

Release date November 10, 2005

Run Time: 113 minutes

Get Content Details

The guide to our grades, parent movie review by kerry bennett.

Video games might lose their appeal if toy makers could find a way to make all board games as interactive as Zathura . The antique, metal playing surface, outfitted with a windup key and tiny rocket ships, sends the players literally shooting into space.

Unfortunately, Danny (Jonah Bobo) has no idea what the consequences will be when he finds the game hidden beneath the stairs in the family’s basement.

But when the first card pops out of the game board dispenser, warning the constantly bickering boys of an impending meteorite shower, the brothers know this isn’t going to be your average Monopoly game.

Flung into the far reaches of the universe, the siblings have to navigate their way home by taking turns spinning the controls. While hurtling back through the cosmos, they must side step a gravitational field, withstand an attack by heat-seeking Zorgons and gain an appreciation for one another. Luckily they get some help from a stranded astronaut (Dax Shepard) they find drifting through outer space.

The explosive onslaught from the Zorgons makes for some prolonged, intense moments of peril that may leave younger space travelers squirming in their seats. The script includes other scenes of suspense when a defective robot tries to annihilate the boys and meat-eating aliens clamber into the house looking for dinner—meaning anything human. It also results in an auditory assault on the eardrums.

Parents may have concerns with the kids’ rampant name calling, including the use of some sexual slang. Warning children about the real hazards of soaking the couch in lighter fluid or using a blow torch may also be important for impressionable youngsters.

Yet while the film bogs down in a time warp during part of the journey, the director manages to pick up the pace by the end of the film giving Danny, Walter and many audience members a romping, galactic adventure.

About author

Kerry Bennett

Zathura rating & content info.

Why is Zathura rated PG? Zathura is rated PG by the MPAA for fantasy actions and perils, and some language.

Although the film steers clear of any sexual depictions or drug use, Dad and Lisa have a brief discussion about sexual activity before he heads to the office. Left to baby-sit, Lisa’s patience with the boys’ constant bickering begins to wear thin especially when Walter scares his brother by locking him in a tight, dark space. Once in space, the house is bombarded with meteorites and firebombed by aliens while the boys try and play their way back home.

Page last updated September 22, 2015

Zathura Parents' Guide

What is Danny afraid of in his dad’s old house? How does he overcome that fear?

How does the relationship between Danny and Walter change during their adventures? Why is it sometimes difficult for siblings to get along? What things do you appreciate about your brothers or sisters?

The astronaut warns Walter about acting on ideas when he is angry. Why is it easier to make rash or foolish decisions when you are upset? What did the astronaut learn about making impulsive wishes?

The most recent home video release of Zathura movie is September 22, 2015. Here are some details…

Related news about Zathura

Netflix Releases New Movie Line-Up for September

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"I Am My Brother's Keeper"

What You Need To Know:

(BB, Pa, H, L, V, M) Strong moral worldview with strong positive lessons for children and father is a strong role model, though he is a bit distracted by his work, with pagan and humanist elements where game appears able to manipulate reality or create its own fantasy world and the idea of alternate realities is expressed implicitly; three obscenities (one of which is lovingly rebuked by boy’s father), five light exclamatory profanities such as “My God,” man uses the word “sphincter” in referring to traveling through a black hole in outer space, and man burps; light action violence, such as small and medium meteors crash into house and on floor and objects, scary (for younger children) lizard aliens try to get and grab people to eat them, spaceships fire on flying house and demolish much of it, scary robot tries to kill boy, robot smashes through walls and ceilings, robot falls down stairs, and explosions; no sex, but fourth grader says he has a girlfriend and teenage girl is attracted to older young man but nothing comes of it; no alcohol; no smoking; and, brothers often bicker loudly with one another, teenage sister fails to keep an eye on younger brothers despite father's orders and boy cheats at game but is rebuked.

More Detail:

ZATHURA is a delightful space adventure based on the fantasy worlds of author Chris Van Allsburg (THE POLAR EXPRESS and JUMANJI). Despite some ontological problems with its concept of reality and some brief foul language (one instance which is rebuked), ZATHURA is funny, inventive and otherwise positive.

The movie opens with two brothers, six-year-old Danny and 10-year-old Walter, fighting one another outside their dad’s house. Walter treats Danny terribly, and Danny calls Walter a very bad name. Their father rebukes Danny for saying the bad word and tries to cheer him up, but he and Walter keep fighting.

Their father leaves for work, leaving them in the care of their older sister, Lisa, who ignores her father’s instructions after he leaves and goes back to sleep. Danny and Walter keep bickering until Walter lowers Danny into the dark, scary basement from the dumbwaiter.

In the basement, Danny discovers an old tattered metal board game, “Zathura.” After trying unsuccessfully to get his brother to play, Danny starts to play on his own. A spaceship marker moves by itself, lands on a space, and a card is ejected. “Meteor shower, take evasive action,” it reads. Suddenly, a shower of hot, molten meteors pummels the house. When it’s over, Walter and Danny discover that the house is flying in outer space near Saturn!

So begins an exhilarating, scary, unpredictable adventure with a rampaging robot, monstrous lizard aliens and other dangerous obstacles. Walter and Danny realize they must keep playing the game in order to get home.

The bad news with ZATHURA is that the game manipulates reality and the movie suggests a belief in alternate realities in a science fiction manner, complete with a black hole in outer space. These elements have aspects of paganism and humanism in them, but most people or children probably won’t consciously notice these ideas because they mostly just set up the main story and provide resolutions to a couple plot problems. Furthermore, although the father rebukes one obscenity, he is not there to rebuke two other obscenities.

The good news is that not only is ZATHURA a very entertaining, energetic movie that will enchant many, it also makes a few strong moral points. First, both Danny and Walter learn to stop arguing and take care of one another. Walter also learns to share with other people and sacrifice his desires for the good of others. Finally, Tim Robbins plays a positive, caring father figure who tries to help his sons, even though he is somewhat distracted by a project he is doing for work.

Jonah Bobo and Josh Hutcherson are a hoot as the two bickering brothers, Danny and Walter, respectively. Director Jon Favreau displays a deft hand directing the young boys and the rest of the cast, which also includes Dax Shepard as a mysterious, no-non astronaut and Kristen Stewart as the sister. The actors do a great job of making this well-written, fun script come alive. The special effects are state-of the-art, including Stan Winston’s creation of the lizard aliens, but they are also done in a fun retro style that reflects the 1950s milieu of the mysterious game that Danny discovers.

The good outweighs the bad in ZATHURA, which is surely one of the more entertaining, funny and original family movies of the year. MOVIEGUIDE® suggests a caution for older children, however. Parents who decide to allow their children to see ZATHURA will need a dose of media wisdom to navigate the problem areas, but the positive aspects of the movie will help them concentrate on the good.

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Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, battling ennui in outer space.

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The opening credits of "Zathura" are closeups of an old science-fiction board game, a game that should have existed in real life and specifically in my childhood, but which was created for this movie. In these days of high-tech video games, it's remarkable that kids once got incredibly thrilled while pushing little metal racing cars around a cardboard track: The toy car was yours, and you invested it with importance and enhanced it with fantasy and pitied it because it was small, like you were.

Such games were weapons against the ennui of endless Saturdays. In "Zathura," time hangs heavily on the hands of Walter and Danny Budwing, two brothers, one 10, one 6, whose father has left them alone in the house for a few hours. Not quite alone: Their teenage sister Lisa is allegedly baby-sitting, from her vantage point under the covers of her bed with her iPod. Walter and Danny fight, as brothers do; Danny hides in the dumbwaiter (a device that will come as news to many of the kids watching this movie), and Walter lowers him into the basement, which for every 6-year-old is a place filled with ominous noises and alarming, unseen menaces.

There Danny ( Jonah Bobo ) discovers the Zathura board game and tries to get Walter ( Josh Hutcherson ) to play it with him. Walter would rather watch sports on TV. Danny plays by himself. The game is an ingenious metal contraption; you wind it up and push a button, and your little car moves around a track, and the game emits a card for you to read. Danny has Walter help him read it: Meteor Shower. Take Evasive Action. Just about then the meteors start showering, sizzling through the living room ceiling and drilling through the floor, pulverizing coffee tables and floor lamps.

The game is a portal to an alternative universe of startling adventures; the movie wisely attempts no rational explanation. It resembles the game in " Jumanji " (1995), which ported its players into a world of fearsome beasts and harrowing dangers, and indeed is based on a book by the same author, Chris Van Allsburg , who also wrote the book that inspired " The Polar Express " (2004). The differences between the three movies are fundamental: "The Polar Express" is a visionary fable, "Jumanji" is an uneasy thrill ride whose young heroes endure dangers too real to be funny, and Zathura is the only board game in history that lives up to the picture on its box.

A key to the film's charm comes during that meteor shower: The living room is pulverized, but Danny and Walter are untouched. They run around as if evading meteors, but actually the meteors evade them. Incredible things will happen while they play Zathura, but they will survive. That helps explain why they can still breathe when they open the front door and discover that their house is now in orbit.

"Zathura" is the third film directed by Jon Favreau , an actor who, like Ron Howard , was possibly born to be a director. His first film was " Made " (2001), his second was " Elf " (2003) and his next will be inspired by Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars, a series I have always assumed was unfilmable, but on the basis of these three films, maybe not. Favreau brings a muscular solidity to his special effects; they look not like abstract digital perfection but as if hammered together from plywood, aluminum and concept cars. By that I don't mean they look cheap, I mean they have the kind of earnest sincerity you can find on the covers of Thrilling Wonder Stories. Since you may not know of this publication, I urge you to Google "Thrilling Wonder Stories magazine" and click on "images." You'll find the same kind of breathless pulp absurdity that "Zathura" brings to a boil.

The brothers take turns. The game is inexhaustible. Another card reads, Shipmate Enters Cryonic Sleep Chamber. This means that their sister Lisa, who likes to sleep past noon, has been frozen into immobility in the upstairs bathroom. Other cards produce (a) a fearsome but badly coordinated robot, whose designers spent more time on its evil glowing red eyes than on its memory chips, (b) giant alien lizards who are directly from the pulp sci-fi tradition of bug-eyed monsters, (c) assault fire from spaceships that look like junkyard porpoises, and (d) a descent into a black hole. As the two kids hang on for dear life and lizards get sucked into the black hole, I was reminded of the kind of hubris celebrated by such Thrilling Wonder Stories titles as "Two Against Neptune."

What makes this fun is that Danny and Walter are obviously not going to get hurt. Alien fire blasts away whole chunks of their house, but never the chunks they're in, and the giant lizards seem more preoccupied with overacting than with eating little boys. The young actors, Hutcherson and Bobo, bring an unaffected enthusiasm to their roles, fighting with each other like brothers even when threatened with broasting by a solar furnace. Their father, I should have mentioned, is played by Tim Robbins , although his role consists primarily of being absent. Kristen Stewart makes the most of the sister Lisa's non-cryonic scenes. And then there is the character of the Astronaut ( Dax Shepard ), who materializes at a crucial point and helps shield the kids from intergalactic hazards. Lisa's crush on the Astronaut becomes cringy after all is known.

"Zathura" lacks the undercurrents of archetypal menace and genuine emotion that informed "The Polar Express," a true classic that is being re-released again this year. But it works gloriously as space opera. We're going through a period right now in which every video game is being turned into a movie, resulting in cheerless exercises such as " Doom ," which mindlessly consists of aliens popping up and getting creamed. "Zathura" is based on a different kind of game, in which the heroes are not simply shooting at targets, but are actually surrounded by real events that they need to figure out. They are active heroes, not passive marksmen. Nobody even gets killed in "Zathura." Well, depending on what happens to the lizards on the other side of the black hole.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film Credits

Zathura (2005)

Rated PG for fantasy action and peril, and some language

113 minutes

Tim Robbins as Dad

Josh Hutcherson as Walter

Dax Shepard as Astronaut

Frank Oz as Voice of robot

Kristen Stewart as Lisa

Jonah Bobo as Danny

Directed by

Jon Favreau

Based on the book by

Chris Van Allsburg
David Koepp

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DVD & Streaming

Zathura: A Space Adventure

Action/Adventure , Drama , Kids , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

Jonah Bobo as Danny; Josh Hutcherson as Walter; Dax Shepard as the Astronaut; Kristen Stewart as Lisa; Tim Robbins as Dad

Home Release Date

Jon Favreau

Distributor

Columbia Pictures

Movie Review

“What’s Zathura?” asks Danny after finding an old space-adventure board game in the basement. It’s a good question. As far as the game is concerned it’s the place you land on to win. As far as this movie is concerned it’s the happy place kids end up at after they finally stop bickering with their siblings long enough to figure out that it makes a whole lot more sense to be best friends, not worst enemies.

Danny and his older brother, Walter (a fourth-grader), can’t stand each other, you see, and the Zathura game seems to know just what they need to shape up and fly right: a trip into outer space. And so it happens. The second Danny winds up the game’s spring-run gears and pushes the “Go” button, his house is uprooted and tossed into an asteroid field somewhere near Saturn. Along for the ride is Walter, of course, and also their teenage sister, Lisa. (But she’s too busy primping for a big date to notice at first.)

Each boy’s turn yields a new challenge or adventure. Asteroids smash through the roof. Aliens attack. A wandering astronaut appears. Aliens attack again. A rampaging robot tries to kill them. Aliens attack. A comet races by. Aliens attack again. So much for Candy Land. This is one board game guaranteed not to be boring!

Positive Elements

Bobby, stop pestering your brother. Tommy, don’t hit your brother. Debbie, stop pushing your sister. Mia, stop taking your brother’s candy. Alex, stop pinching your sister. Boys, take turns! Girls, sit still! If you’re a parent, you know how it goes. And goes. And goes. The antidote? Gentle yet firm correction. And lots of patience. Zathura might actually help, too, since this film’s primary lesson is that siblings should learn to get along, learn to love each other and learn to take care of each other.

The board game that becomes an adventure teaches Danny and Walter that their bickering and fighting is wrong. And by using out-of-this-world danger to drive home the point, it shows them that the only way they’re going to get through childhood and adolescence in one piece is to team up and cut the criticism. The astronaut comes right out and says it. “Don’t be so quick to sell out your brother, kid,” he says, scolding Walter, “he’s all you got.”

Dad does his best to convince them that an overly competitive spirit isn’t the only thing they share. He tries to build each one of them up in the areas he needs it. He tries to keep them from using him as leverage in their power struggle. He plays baseball with them even though he desperately needs to get some work done. And he tries to be as fair as he can with them. Admitting that his divorce from their mother has put them all in a bad spot, he asks them to make the best of it with him, assuring them they will always have a place with him to call home.

Accompanying the message about getting along is one about facing your fears. Danny is scared to go into the house’s basement. But before their adventure is over, he’s gone into much worse places than a dark, dank rectangle of concrete. Also established is the fact that cheating and lying are wrong. And that anger causes you to say and do things you’ll regret (“No matter how good an idea seems while you’re angry, it never is,” the astronaut tells Walter).

Spiritual Elements

The game is magical. But only in an imagination sort of way, not a spiritual one. No basis for the game’s power to transport them into space is ever explored, leaving you to assume that everything happening is happening inside the kids’ heads. The only thing that’s even close to spiritual here is when Walter is told by the game to wish upon a falling star. He does, and his wishes are granted.

Sexual Content

Lisa informs her dad that she’s going to be hooking up with her boyfriend that evening. And while she gives no indication that she means anything more than “meeting,” Dad rightfully expresses concern over her now-sexualized choice of words. Also, Lisa spends the first half of the film wearing a shirt and small boxers. She shows a little cleavage and her midriff. [ Spoiler Warning ] After Lisa learns that she has been mooning over an adult version of her brother Walter (none of them know a time warp of sorts has brought the man to them, and they don’t recognize him), she gasps and trails off, “And I wanted …!” Later, young Walter teases her, asking if she still thinks he has “gorgeous eyes.”

Violent Content

Remember those attacking aliens I mentioned? Allow me to repeat myself. Aliens attack! Only a few minutes have gone by before the house is a royal wreck. And by the time the credits roll, it’s quite literally destroyed. Alien spaceships fire on it over and over again, blowing holes through it and setting parts of it on fire. Small asteroids also rip holes through ceilings and floors. And a robot-on-the-blink crashes heedlessly through doorways, into a fireplace and through walls while chasing the boys.

Scarier than that, actually, are scenes in which Walter and Lisa get sucked out into space. A heavy gravitational pull rips part of the house apart and threatens to put an end to the three siblings. (Danny slams face-first into a window.) A fiery black hole does the same. Lisa is frozen (for five turns). And in that solid state, she falls over and crashes down a flight of stairs. The robot clamps its iron claws around Walter’s neck.

Lizard-men alien beasties board the house and hunt its occupants in a sequence that drags out a bit and will frighten most younger children half to death. The astronaut squirts lighter fluid on the couch and sets it afire to distract the aliens—hopefully something that’s never tried at your home! Also, the two boys and the astronaut break up furniture and build a fire with it in the kitchen.

Non alien-inspired violence involves some roughhousing. Danny accidentally hits Walter with a baseball. Walter responds by chasing him around the house. Lisa smacks Walter to make him go away.

Crude or Profane Language

The movie opens with one brother calling the other a “d–k.” And later, Walter gleefully includes “b–ch” in one of his sentences. That’s inexcusable in a piece of entertainment such as this that’s obviously trying to become a teaching tool parents can use to help their kids mature. I’ll note here, though, that Dad does give Walter a talking to for his name calling. It’s not a stern rebuke, but it’s more than you usually see at the movies when kids swear onscreen. Also, “a–” and “h—” are said once each, and God’s name is misused as an exclamation a half-dozen times.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Other negative elements.

Beyond their typical boyish bad behavior, Walter terrorizes Danny by lowering him (via dumbwaiter) into the basement, knowing his brother is scared. Lisa’s attitude toward her father is one of disrespect and disdain, and he ultimately leaves her alone about it. Walter accuses Danny of messing up his life (“Nobody wants you around”) and even of making their parents split up. Lisa doesn’t live up to her responsibility of babysitting her brothers. Walter uses hairspray and a lighter to make a flamethrower. An indirect nod is given to the R-rated movie Thirteen .

Based on a children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg (as was 2004’s The Polar Express and 1995’s Jumanji ), Zathura is colorful, clever, compelling, and it teaches valuable lessons that are well-suited to its primary audience. “I have two children now,” says director Jon Favreau. “I watch a lot of movies that are geared towards kids and this one really appealed to my sensibility. As a filmmaker, a big part of your job is to put energy into getting a message out into the world that you believe in. I like stories that offer hope and films that have responsible themes. When you’re making a movie for young people, there should be a little aspirin in the applesauce. There should be a nice message at the core.”

Zathura is violent and a bit intense in spots (and parents should consider that), but because the intensity is used so effectively and toward such a good goal—to teach siblings to stop bickering and start cooperating—it’s not what trips me up. My main quibble with Favreau is that he chose to include a mostly extraneous teenage daughter who derisively disrespects her dad, and he injected a couple of insulting crudities—spoken by kids. Those things aren’t necessary. They don’t move the story along. They don’t assist the point that’s being made. And at least one of the words is bad enough that it’s going to generate a ripple of shocked whispers through theaters full of families every time this movie plays. (It certainly did in the theater I was in.) Next time, how ’bout having the boys call each other “nerds” or “meanies”? Wouldn’t that have worked just as well? Just because kids use bad language these days doesn’t make it right to entertain them with it.

Steven Isaac

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Zathura Reviews

Though many millennials may not have even heard of the film, Zathura is a classic family adventure film that deserves much better than the poor critical reception and box office receipts it received at the time.

Full Review | Apr 1, 2022

A charming small-scale adventure film for kids.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Jan 24, 2022

An engaging, family-friendly, fantasy adventure.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Nov 9, 2020

There are moments in Zathura of pure delight and wonder.

Full Review | Sep 29, 2020

Zathura is a kids movie that doesn't demean its target audience... This is a solid A-grade experience for young viewers and kids at heart.

Full Review | Apr 29, 2020

Fun for the whole family, Zathura is an adventure ride you'll find yourself wanting to take again and again.

Full Review | Nov 3, 2019

It doesn't talk down its audience, it doesn't paint clichés, it doesn't insult our intelligence, and its entertainment is enjoyable for both adults and children. That's rare.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 29, 2009

At times it seemed like events were occurring just so the kids, or the kids in the audience, could learn their lesson a little bit more.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 8, 2007

A lively, imaginative tall tale that should thrill young audiences and engage their parents.

Full Review | Feb 22, 2007

A practically-perfect family flick which delivers a big lesson about the true meaning of brotherly love.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Jan 5, 2007

Charming children's adventure with some superb performances from the young cast.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 30, 2006

For those who love the majesty of the solar system, the thrill of space battles, and the adventure of finding secret passageways in old houses, this movie should be just the ticket.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Nov 17, 2006

full review in Greek

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Oct 3, 2006

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 23, 2006

Favreau gratifyingly prevents the film from becoming a mere maelstrom of CG effects by pushing the brothers' amusing bickering to the fore...

Full Review | Jun 24, 2006

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | May 12, 2006

Despite its peculiar name and the fact it bears a strong resemblance to Jumanji -- another film inspired by a book by children's author Van Allsburg -- it's hard not to like Zathura.

Full Review | Mar 31, 2006

Any game is more fun to play than to watch others play, even if it involves death-defying stunts and harrowing alien encounters that would frighten even the heartiest souls.

Full Review | Feb 21, 2006

...rarely dull...

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Feb 18, 2006

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 18, 2006

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Zathura: A Space Adventure

Dove review.

Travel the galaxy with two young un-expecting space pilots in this board game come to life. Zathura may be their destination, but the trip is where the action is at. Like in “Jumanji,” the only way to end the adventure is to finish the game.

This film has plenty of action and suspense as well as some very humorous parts. The language isn’t as bad as it could be, and the violence is mild except for the house being demolished. All in all, this is a fun family adventure that most will enjoy. It may be a little too scary for very young viewers, but your older children will have a blast.

Dove Rating Details

Many things get blown up.

OG/OMG-7; H-1; A-1; “Bee-atch;” Scr*wed; Bug nuts; Space sphincter; slang for male genitalia.

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Danny (Jonah Bobo), Walter (Josh Hutcherson) and Lisa (Kristen Stewart) have parents who are divorced. They spend part of the time with their father (Tim Robbins) and part with their mother. Danny is nearly seven and feels that Walter is better than him at everything. Walter is 10 and constantly accuses Danny of cheating and refusing to play with him. The two fight all the time.

The boys are left in the care of their older teenage sister for a short while. In the middle of yet another argument, Walter lowers Danny into the basement, which is dark and scary, via the dumb waiter. While Danny is trying to get out of it, he finds the game Zathura: A Space Adventure . All three start to play the game, and they are transported into outer space where they experience all sorts of exciting things. They are hit by a meteor shower, Lisa is cryogenically frozen, Walter is chased by an angry robot, and the house is attacked by Zorgons. Along the way, they rescue an astronaut (Dax Shepard) who helps them fight the Zorgons. To get home they must finish the game.

None of concern

There are a couple of violent scenes in this movie. For example:

A big aggressive-looking robot chases Walter and tries to attack him with the intention of killing him.
When the house goes into outer space, Zorgons shoot at it.

Sexual references

The only mild sexual reference is a small interplay between father and daughter about the term ‘hook-up’. Only young pre-adolescents over 12 would understand this reference.

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

Nudity and sexual activity, product placement.

The astronaut drinks Coke.

Coarse language

This movie contains infrequent, very mild coarse language.

Ideas to discuss with your children

Zathura: A Space Adventure will be enjoyed by both older children and adults. Although it is not aimed at teenagers, they will probably be able to watch it with some interest and not get bored. The acting is good, the special effects are impressive, and the idea of a game coming to life is an exciting one.

The main message in the movie is about positive sibling relationships and being proud of your individual strengths. The movie also presents values of teamwork and cooperation, tolerance, loyalty and trust, and caring for others.

You could talk with your child about these messages and also about how potentially disastrous it can be to blame others, to say or do things before really thinking about the consequences, and to make decisions when angry.

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Zathura: A Space Adventure

This week's films

Reviews in chronological order (Total 3 reviews)

Unknownusers, submitted on 19/03/2006 17:30.

19 March 2006 5:30PM

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Submitted by Rita on 19/03/2006 23:02

19 March 2006 11:02PM

Submitted by Krittick on 10/02/2006 14:26

2 October 2006 2:26PM

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Zathura (United States, 2005)

Calling Zathura the "space version of Jumanji " wouldn't be far off. Like the 1995 film, this movie is based on a children's book by celebrated author Chris Van Allsburg in which a group of people plays an amazing board game. (Van Allsburg doesn't always write about games - he also penned The Polar Express .) In Jumanji , each turn brought a new herd of stampeding wild animals into a quiet suburban neighborhood. In Zathura , the participants are blasted into outer space and can only return to terra firma once a winner has been declared.

Admittedly, as was the case with Jumanji , the material is a little thin for a full-length feature. Yet director Jon Favreau and screenwriters David Koepp and John Kamps do a better job making the conversion than the creative team behind Jumanji . There's a lot more energy and excitement here and, although the premise is essentially the same, developments seem less forced. A lot of that has to do with character development. In Jumanji , the players were two-dimensional pawns. In Zathura , they're real people. The dialogue in the film is perfect - this is exactly how brothers interact at a certain age.

Walter Budwing (Josh Hutcherson) and his younger brother, Danny (Jonah Bobo), are typical siblings - rivals in almost everything, including capturing the attention of their father (Tim Robbins), who splits his time between playing catch with the boys and working overtime. One Saturday, Dad goes to the office, leaving Walter and Danny behind under the less-than-watchful-eye of their older sister, Lisa (Kristen Stewart). Her cardinal rule: don't wake me unless the house is burning down. While poking around in the basement, Danny finds an old board game called "Zarutha." He wants to play; Walter wants to watch ESPN. But when Danny starts tinkering with the game, strange things happen. A meteor shower devastates the living room. Lisa ends up in cryogenic sleep. An astronaut appears out of nowhere. And the house is in orbit around Saturn. It's a killer view, but it puts the Budwings in danger from the lizard-like Zorgons. The only way back to normalcy is to win the game… provided the board isn't destroyed in one of numerous freak occurrences.

Zathura will work better for younger viewers than older ones. There's not much plot to absorb and there's plenty of action, so this is the kind of spectacle that will appeal to those without long attention spans. For adults, there are moments of genuine suspense, and a nice twist or two (nothing too fancy). The action is standard-order science fiction stuff, but it's handled well by Favreau, so it never feels too derivative. The visuals are eye-popping - lots of pretty scenery and there's never an instance when the CGI comes across as cheap or silly.

There's also a nostalgia element to Zathura . This is a movie for everyone who remembers playing this sort of old, clunky board game. It's vintage '50s, when "high tech" represented a wind-up gadget. Watching the kids play, I was reminded of some of the "treasures" I found in the recesses of a closet in my grandparents' house. The only difference is that when I started tinkering with one of those games, I did not end up in the middle of an intergalactic war.

At the heart of Zathura is the relationship that deepens between the brothers as the movie develops. For Walter, Danny starts out as a pest, always following him around and cramping his style. On more than one occasion, he wishes Danny hadn't been born. Then, sometime during their intergalactic journey, he discovers things he never suspected about his brother. Lisa's presence (curtailed for a while by her cryogenic nap) adds another element to the sibling interaction.

Unlike Jumanji , Zathura is a complete movie-going experience. And it's suitable for the entire family (although young children may be frightened by the Zorgons, who are scary-looking). The simplicity of the plot is a strength and weakness, but Favreau's sure-handed direction does a good job of obscuring how little meat exists on the bones of the story. Zathura is welcome late-year fun for all ages - a pleasant contrast to the nauseating dreck that normally masquerades as family-friendly science fiction. ( Clockstoppers, Thunderbirds … need I go on?)

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(There are no more better movies of this genre)
Race to Witch Mountain (2009)
Maze Runner, The (2014)
Bridge to Terabithia, A (2007)
Kids Are All Right, The (2010)
Hunger Games, The: Catching Fire (2013)
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Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)
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(There are no more better movies of Jonah Bobo)
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The Inventory

15 Years Later, Zathura: A Space Adventure Is a Movie Lost in Time

My wife had never heard of Zathura . This is not a normal thing.

With the 15th anniversary of the film approaching, and it now streaming on Netflix , I figured it was time for a rewatch. I told my wife, Jayne, “We have to rewatch Zathura soon.” She said, “What’s that?” I replied,“Oh, it’s this awesome little movie that’s kind of Jumanji in space. Jon Favreau directed it .” Then a day would go by, I’d remind her about Zathura again, and she’d already forgotten us talking about it. This went on and on until we finally pressed play.

REVIEW: Zathura (2005)

I think there is a crossover point between the two Favreaus, and that is his 2005 science fiction film Zathura. I do not think it is his best film – for me that remains his 2014 comedy-drama Chef , as both actor and director. I do think Zathura deserves more attention than it got at the time. It’s a breezy family adventure of a style and scale you really do not see that often any more.

Walter and Danny are young brothers who can’t get along. When they’re left alone in the house one afternoon, they find an old board game named Zathura in the basement. When they start to play, however, the events of the game start to happen in the real world. Before long they’re trapped in deep space, threatened by alien lizards and with only a mysterious astronaut to help them.

The resemblance to Jumanji (1995) is understandable, as the book which Favreau’s film adapts is the sequel to the book upon which Jumanji based. While the same film studio produced the adaptations of both books they elected to separate them completely on screen, which no narrative links between them. As a result Zathura feels like a weird duplicate of Jumanji: some kids play a mysterious board game that sends them on a thrilling adventure, even though they’re completely different kids and the games work in different genres. That in mind, it is still a better follow-up to Jumanji than either of its official sequels.

Zathura is a crossover project for Favreau because it allows him to demonstrate an ability to work on a studio project, and to successfully produce a genre film with numerous visual effects. This is his third feature as director; Iron Man (2008) was his fourth. Admittedly Zathura was a box office failure; I suspect that was less to do with the film’s quality and more to do with Columbia Pictures releasing it into American cinemas one week ahead of a Harry Potter movie .

It is a pretty slight work. It’s low on plot, and pretty low of tension as well. It does take what small story it has been given, however, and tells it with humour and integrity. The performances are solid given their constraints, but admittedly pretty unremarkable. There’s more entertainment in watching future movie stars like Kristen Stewart and Josh Hutcherson ( The Hunger Games ) when they were young, than in actually enjoying them on their own merits. Tim Robbins has a brief role as Walter and Danny’s father; he’s collecting a pay cheque. Dax Shepherd is actually pretty good as the anonymous Astronaut summoned to the house by the game, and he helps lift the film’s second half considerably.

The real attraction of the film is its visual aesthetic and effects. The whole film has a nice retro style to it, drawing from both the 1950s and 1980s. There are a lot more practical effects used than digital ones, which help to make the various alien and robot characters feel more charming than they would in a lot of other similar films. The reptilian Zorgons in particular are nicely realised and visually effective, and show off an approach to physical effects in his later series The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett . Tonally the film wouldn’t feel out of place among Amblin Entertainment’s numerous 1980s family movies.

Zathura is a charming small-scale adventure film for kids. It’s certainly significantly better than Jumanji , which always struck me as highly overrated, but at the same time it’s probably not sufficiently enjoyable to break out too far from its target market. It’s a solid Sunday afternoon family movie – and there’s always a place for that.

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Reviewed by: Bob Rossiter CONTRIBUTOR

A new adventure from the world of “Jumanji”

O k, I have to admit it. I wasn’t a big fan of “Jumanji”. “Zathura”, on the other hand, is a different story. I disliked the spiritism of “Jumanji”, but that element is gone from the sequel. This is one of the best movie adaptations of a children’s book I’ve seen.

The movie starts off with two brothers, Walter ( Josh Hutcherson ) and Danny (Jonah Bobo), fighting for dad’s attention (played by Tim Robbins ). Both are dealing with security and personal-worth issues because of the divorce of their parents. Walter, the older one, inwardly blames his brother for the divorce, and feels Danny gets more attention. He copes by battling for attention and constantly making “put-down” remarks about, and to, his brother. Danny looks up to his big brother and wants to enjoy time with him, but also feels worthless compared to him. The only way Danny can think of to feel important is to cheat at games with Walter, so he does it regularly.

One of Walter’s acts of meanness is what leads to the discovery of the game. Danny hides from him in a dumbwaiter, but when Walter finds him there, he forcibly lowers Danny to the basement. Danny finds the game and brings it upstairs, wanting Walter to play Zathura with him. Danny starts the game board moving, which places them in space and forces them to work together to get back home. After the game first starts, they realize they are in over their heads, so they wake their sister, Lisa ( Kristen Stewart ). While trying to show her the game, however, she gets placed in cryogenic sleep. They are on their own to find a solution to their predicament.

Walter and Danny don’t know how to work together, so the game places them in deeper and deeper trouble. They rescue a stranded astronaut (Dax Shepard) who seems to have insight into both space and the game. He tries to teach the boys they must love each other and learn to work together if they are to ever win the game and get home.

There are a lot of family pressures revealed in the movie, but due to the important topics being dealt with, I did not feel this overdone. Some discussion with young viewers is recommended, however, on what sibling relationships should be like.

There is a lot of intense action violence as Walter and Danny learn what it really takes to win at the game—and at life. At one point, Danny cheats, so the game ejects Walter from the game (and into space). There is also a scene with lizard-like aliens that some younger children could have a hard time with, but the music is probably more dramatic at that point than the action.

There are about a half-dozen light obscenities and an equal number of times that God’s name is misused. There are also two times when Lisa is shown getting out of bed wearing just short shorts and a tank top. There is no sexual activity or comments other than a statement from Lisa that the astronaut has beautiful eyes. Walter later teases her about liking his eyes.

“Zathura” successfully deals with several difficult topics. One theme is that bad attitudes can crop up between siblings when a tragedy like divorce occurs in a family. The movie then teaches that the poor choices we make effect others. It also shows how important unity is when dealing with a crisis. Because these themes are the primary focus of this movie, I think “Zathura” is acceptable, as long as children are old enough to handle the action. The acting is good and the special effects excellent.

Violence: Heavy / Profanity: Minor / Sex/Nudity: Minor

Movie Reviews Simbasible

FILM DECADES
MOVIE REVIEWS
Science Fiction

Zathura (2005)

…………………………………………………

Zathura Movie Review

Zathura is a 2005 family sci-fi fantasy film directed by Jon Favreau and starring Josh Hutcherson and Jonah Bobo . It is a pretty good, endearing flick.

………………………………………………….

“ You guys actually set the house on fire? “

Two brothers do not get along and once they set off on a space adventure through a board game, they must win it in order to get back home and in the process they become closer together and learn some brotherhood lessons. So this is a message film for sure, but it isn’t too preachy and it gets the message across while still making it a fun experience. That is why the film is most definitely a wonderful, highly recommended adventure for kids.

But it is also pretty good for adults, at least it was to this adult. I liked the mix of sci-fi and fantasy elements and the film is mostly wonderfully childlike, much more so than purely childish which I liked. The sense of wonder and adventure is quite evident here. The plot isn’t original for sure, but the setting is and it left a lot of room for imaginative and entertaining storytelling.

Josh Hutcherson is very good in the main role. Jonah Bobo is not as good, but is okay. Josh was definitely a child star back in the mid 2000s as evidenced also by his turn in ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ . It is great that he managed to stay in the business as an adult as well, but as a kid he was more than competent enough to carry an entire film which is exactly what he did here.

Certainly Kristen Stewart’s character got better near the end, but at first she was an overly stereotypical teen girl who really annoyed me. But Stewart is definitely good in this role. I liked Tim Robbins as their dad quite a bit, but Dax Shepard is also solid in his role, though not as memorable as he should have been.

Zathura is best when it centers on the relationship between two brothers. It portrays a very realistic brotherly relationship and bond with a lot of bickering, but evident care too. I really enjoyed it and it should prove terrific for anyone who has a brother. Very relatable.

I did not like the Zorgons at all. Their design was just unappealing to me and not creepy enough. Lisa should have had a bigger role in my opinion and the astronaut should have had a smaller one. I liked the twist quite a bit and it made sense and was really well hinted previously. But the overall third act was just not as entertaining as the film was previously as it was so much fun.

Zathura features a stylized, somewhat less realistic depiction of space which suits its kids’ format quite a bit. I liked the effects for the most part and the imagery was memorable. The interiors of the house are also quite well realized. The acting is good and the direction from Jon Favreau is quite good and he has always had a good eye for fine, old-fashioned family fun which this movie certainly is. It isn’t original or particularly inspired, but it does what it set out to do really well and I ended up enjoying it a lot.

Zathura manages to elevate its unoriginal premise and a couple of uninspired, overly action oriented scenes with a very good performance from Josh Hutcherson and a great brotherly relationship at its core which is sweet but also quite realistic. It is a good message film but also a lot of fun to watch thanks to evident sense of childlike wonder and a couple of very interesting plot points.

My Rating – 4

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Zathura Review

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If you’re not too long in the tooth or have kids of your own, you’ll probably be pretty familiar with Jumanji. It’s the movie where Robin Williams gets trapped inside a board game and is released years later. Zathura, while not sharing the jungle setting, has many similarities. Some kids find a board game which happens to be more than it seems, and moments later they find their house has been sent into space and they’re battling monsters. It’s a fairly solid premise for a family movie and could have made for an entertaining video game. It didn’t.

Released to coincide with the movie, Zathura the video game has all the hallmarks of a cheap and nasty licensed product. The controls are cumbersome, the visuals are simplistic, the level design is dull and the game is short. Games for kids should obviously be designed with the emphasis on simple entertainment, but Zathura goes past simple and well into the ‘might put kids off playing games for life’ category. Eight year-olds might not appreciate the complexity of the more sophisticated video games available, but they still know a poor game when they play one.

Playing as Danny, Walt or a Robot, you make your way through a fairly monotonous 3D world, filled with cookie cutter rooms. Danny carries a slingshot that can be used to fire various types of ammo, Walt carries a melee weapon and can also throw numerous objects, and the Robot uses his cannon to fire and can also bash stuff up with his fists. It’s simple stuff, with each room usually requiring a button to be pushed or a haphazardly laid out trap to be traversed. Walt can do a little more than Danny, so you’ll occasionally do things like swing on monkey bars, but it’s basically some platform hopping and simple combat from start to finish.

Enemies aren’t all that smart, making for a game that can be breezed through for the most part and the plentiful supply of health pick-ups that come from smashed crates mean that you’ll rarely be in too much bother. It’s only really the bosses (of which there aren’t too many) that show any sign of creativity. Levels are the usual sci-fi fare, with an industrial area, a lava area and a section that puts you on an asteroid. While the designers were obviously limited somewhat by the source matter, it wouldn’t have taken much to spice the environments up a little.

Despite the game’s ridiculously easy difficultly level, actually dispatching of enemies is harder than it should be. Dual-analogue control is obviously a no no when it comes to designing games for kids, so you’re forced to use the game’s auto targeting to aim with any accuracy. This is rather hit-and-miss, with the targeting often simply failing to lock on to an enemy. The inability to customize controls doesn’t help either, meaning you can’t alter the default camera controls. Things go from bad to worse when the camera becomes stuck or decides to give you the view from behind a crate rather than the character.

Dieing isn’t really a problem as the game throws you back into the section you were just trying to get past, with full health and no penalty at all. You can die as many times as you like, which given the insane difficulty of a few jumping sections, is rather a relief. In all, even the most novice player will be able to breeze through in under five hours, if you can be bothered to stick with it. The game’s menu promises extras, but upon completing the campaign you’re treated with a few movie trailers. Hardly enough reward

Visually Zathura is nothing remarkable, with basic character and enemy models and simple boxy environments. It’s all nice and child friendly, but those used to the production values seen in EA’s Harry Potter titles might be a little disappointed. A smooth frame seems to be the last concern for many developers working on kids’ games, and it’s pretty awful here, particularly in the PlayStation 2 version. In the larger areas it really bogs down, making an already awkward experience even worse.

The music is perfectly pleasant and voice acting is solid, but more often than not it fails to move the story along as it should. You’ll find yourself listening to the main characters talking, and moments later you’ll be somewhere that seems to have no relation to what just happened. While the game’s main audience will be kids who have seen the movie, if you happen pick this up on a whim with no prior knowledge of what happens, certain sections will be quite baffling.

Zathura is a game almost completely devoid of likeable features. It’s awkward to play, the gameplay is dull and lacking in ideas, the presentation is lacklustre… I could go on and on. The nature of the movie-licensed title means this will sell in decent numbers despite being poor, and this review will do little to stop that, but if you’re a parent taking an interest in what your children play, make sure it’s something a lot better than this.

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Movie Reviews

A dying father looks for the perfect family to adopt his son in 'nowhere special'.

Bob Mondello

A young single dad is on a mission in the film Nowhere Special . With a terminal illness and no family to turn to, he's searching for the perfect adoptive family for his four-year-old son.

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

British actor James Norton stars in the BBC crime series "Happy Valley," and he's also on many a shortlist to be the next James Bond. But critic Bob Mondello says Norton's new father-son film, "Nowhere Special," finds him in a gentler, more vulnerable place.

BOB MONDELLO, BYLINE: John is a window washer in Belfast, going about his trade so unobtrusively you'd never notice him if the camera weren't turned his way. But there's a reason it's turned his way.

(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "NOWHERE SPECIAL")

JAMES NORTON: (As John) This is the biggest decision of my life. Don't they understand? Don't you?

MONDELLO: John has just a few months to live, which is made doubly challenging because John has a 4-year-old son, Michael. His decision, in tandem with the social services folks he's talking to, is about what happens next.

NORTON: (As John) It's not about me wanting to be right. It's...

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character) I do understand. That's why I'm here.

MONDELLO: Michael's mother abandoned them shortly after he was born, and with no other family members, John must now find his toddler a new family. And he's full of doubts.

NORTON: (As John) It's Michael. I always thought that I knew him. I mean, I do, I do. You know, he's my son. But do I know him, really know him, you know, enough for this?

MONDELLO: The social services team has lists of folks who are eager to adopt, among them a postman and his wife who have adopted before...

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character) Your child will be part of a big family.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #3: (As character) Real people that respect you. Not people who talk down to you, know what I mean, John?

MONDELLO: ...A chilly transactional household that feels all wrong...

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #4: (As character) Doesn't really look like his photo, does he? - or you. Does he look like the mother?

MONDELLO: ...A wealthy couple who could offer Michael things John couldn't...

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #5: (As character) Does he like nature? We're very outdoorsy people. We like to go for long walks, as you can see.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #6: (As character) And of course we can afford the best education for our son. I mean, your son.

MONDELLO: ...All while James Norton's quietly devastated John is trying to figure out what he can possibly say to Michael as every moment grows more precious.

NORTON: (As John) Would you like to live somewhere else, in a different time, different home?

DANIEL LAMONT: (As Michael) I like home.

MONDELLO: Played by a doe-eyed Daniel Lamont, Michael seems to sense that something's amiss, and, heartbreakingly, his instinct is to reassure and comfort, using his own blanket to cover daddy when he's resting on the couch and turning pages at story time.

NORTON: (As John) He gave his dad a little wave. Page. And when he reached the other side, his father's heart was full of pride.

MONDELLO: Writer-director Uberto Pasolini lets all of this play out without grandstanding. The filmmaker doesn't embellish. We don't even hear what illness afflicts John. We just see things through his eyes, a window washer's eyes. He's used to catching glimpses through glass of worlds he'll never enter. But to have his son's future be like that? The ache is enormous, even as he finds the words Michael needs and a safe harbor just as his window for decision-making starts to close.

I'm Bob Mondello.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Screen Rant

Spy x family code: white's most disgusting joke works for one big reason.

Spy x Family CODE: White features one of the most disgusting jokes in the franchise, but a genius twist subverts it to make it work for a big reason.

Warning: The following contains spoilers for Spy x Family CODE: White!

Spy x Family CODE: White 's clever animation style change turns a crude joke into comic gold.
The film's humor builds on past crude jokes from the series, showcasing a smart twist on lowbrow humor.
Spy x Family 's ability to subvert expectations with its humor shines in the Poop God sequence.

Spy x Family 's first feature film, CODE: White , managed to make the franchise's most disgusting joke work for one big reason. While the premise for Spy x Family lends itself to some pretty thrilling scenes for action fans, Spy x Family is, at its heart, a comedy. The way each member of the Forger family plays off each other can be absolutely hysterical, with their funniest moments being the highlight of the show. However, when the series made it to the big screen, one extended joke sequence surprisingly was more disgusting than expected.

In Spy x Family CODE: White 's finale, Anya is held captive by Snidel and his men to retrieve an important microfilm from her. However, since she accidentally ate the chocolate it was hiding in, Snidel orders two of his men to watch her and get the information when Anya, for lack of a better term, passes it out. This leads to Anya struggling to hold it in to prevent them from getting the microfilm in an extended joke that's surprisingly lowbrow for the series. However, it all pays off when Anya can't bear to hold it in anymore and begins to hallucinate.

In this alternate world, she's greeted by the mighty Poop God as he guides her to a land of toilets that they traverse by farting. It's a remarkably crude joke, but a rapid shift in animation-style subverts it to become comic gold.

Review: Spy x Family CODE: White Offers a Fun Adventure Even New Fans Can Enjoy

Spy x family's poop god joke works with a highly-budgeted shift in animation, directed by takashi katagiri, produced by wit studio & toho animation.

This fantastical sequence involving the Poop God takes the humor of Spy x Family to its most disgusting yet. However, a quick change in animation ultimately transforms it into one of the film's best jokes. The style feels like something fans would expect from Studio Ghibli with a highly-detailed fantasy world bolstered by colors that look fantastic on the big screen.

It's clear that a lot of the animation budget went into this sequence, and it paid off. The fact that fart jokes and toilet humor are being placed against a gorgeous looking environment makes for a brilliant juxtaposition that completely subverts viewers' thoughts on these jokes being considered the lowest form of comedy.

Spy x Family Proved It Can Be Smart with Crude Humor Before the Movie

Yor's unfortunate injury made for some of her funniest moments alongside loid.

What's interesting is the brilliant handling of the Poop God sequence shouldn't come as a major surprise for most Spy x Family fans. While the series doesn't resort to toilet humor often, it has dabbled with some crude jokes in the past. One of the most notable examples comes from the season 2 premiere when Yor gets shot in the butt following one of her missions as the Thorn Princess . The entire story's jokes revolve around her trying to hide her injury from the family. The humor comes from her expressions, doing her best to absorb the pain while Loid looks in confusion during their night out.

Spy x Family 's humor has made it one of anime's best recent comedies because it knows how to play with the audience's expectations. Whether it's Yor's unfortunate injury or the hilarious Poop God sequence, the franchise is capable of taking humor that most usually groan at and making it funny with a small change. In this case, CODE: White succeeded with Spy x Family 's most disgusting joke yet as it subverted an often-maligned type of humor and brought a smart twist to the table with an animation-style swap.

Spy x Family CODE: White is now playing in theaters from Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures, WIT Studio and Toho Animation

Source: Crunchyroll

Spy x Family Code: White (2024)

An additional story set in the Spy X Family universe, Spy x Family Code: White is an action-adventure comedy film directed by Takashi Katagiri. Loid's position in Operation Strix is under threat when his organization looks to replace him in the espionage mission. Creating what seems to be the perfect plan, Loid heads off with Yor, Anya, and Bond, help Anya create the perfect meal to impress her school's headmaster. However, the family accidentally set off a chain events that force them to save the world.

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Unsung Hero

Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold on to theirs. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold on to theirs. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold on to theirs.

Richard L. Ramsey
Joel Smallbone
Richard Ramsey
Daisy Betts
Kirrilee Berger
24 User reviews
16 Critic reviews

Helen Smallbone

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Eddie Degarmo

Jed Albright

Kay Albright

Daniel Smallbone

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Luanne Meece

Art Meriweather

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Church Usher

Southern Wife

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Trivia The last day of shooting after the concert scene for Rebecce; For King and Country put on a full concert for all the extras and crew.

Jed Albright : I wish I had an accent.

Connections Featured in The Michael Knowles Show: God vs Hollywood: For King & Country with Michael Knowles (2024)

User reviews 23

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Apr 27, 2024
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Runtime 1 hour 52 minutes

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‘Nowhere Special’ Review: Old Bonds, New Family

This understated tear-jerker sees a dying single father making future family plans for his toddler son.

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A young boy places candles on a birthday cake while a man smiles and looks at him.

By Glenn Kenny

“Nowhere Special” is an unusual, and unusually understated, parental tear-jerker in which a father prepares for the loss of his young son. The son isn’t going anywhere. But the father, a single dad, is dying, of an unspecified disease, and he’s at first eager, then later a little desperate, to get his boy placed with the right adoptive family.

The picture was written and directed by Uberto Pasolini, the Italian-born filmmaker who was the producer of the 1997 crowd-pleaser “The Full Monty.” Although he shares a surname with the acclaimed director Pier Paolo Pasolini, Uberto is in fact a nephew of the neorealist cinema giant Luchino Visconti. Pasolini doesn’t seem directly influenced by his actual relative or his namesake. But his movie does have a style: slow, quiet, measured. It takes its time before bringing the emotional hammer down.

Set and shot in Northern Ireland, the film focuses on a window cleaner, John (James Norton), the loving father to a very cute but often sulky 4-year-old, Michael (Daniel Lamont). We never see John at a doctor’s office, but we get a look at his packed medicine cabinet and we see him getting more ashen as the picture goes on. One location he does spend a lot of time in is a child placement agency, whose staffers escort him to speak with approved-to-adopt candidates. There are childless couples, intimidatingly big families and single aspiring parents to consider. John resists putting a “memory box” together for his boy. “I don’t want him to understand death,” he says.

After being admonished by a snotty rich client because of slow work, John, taking the adage “you only live once” to heart, eggs the fellow’s house. It’s one of the few moments when the movie deigns to deliver a conventional satisfaction. But the mostly low-key mode of “Nowhere Special” is the right one. Norton is spectacular, but little Lamont delivers one of those uncanny performances that doesn’t seem like acting, and makes you feel for the kid almost as much as his onscreen parent does.

Nowhere Special Not Rated. Running time: 1 hour 36 minutes. In theaters.

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‘Unsung Hero’ Review: The Family That Prays Together, Plays Together in Uplifting Faith-Based Biopic

A father uproots his family, moving them halfway around the world to avoid professional and personal ruin in this heartening weepie.

By Courtney Howard

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Popular on Variety

After David fails to sell out an Amy Grant concert due in part to a devastating nationwide recession, he loses all their savings. His backup plan to bring Eddie DeGarmo (Jonathan Jackson) over from the States also vanishes overnight. With no other career options, and with another baby on the way, he comes up with a risky proposal: move the family to the U.S. in hopes of representing an artist friend of his in Nashville. Their journey is fraught with obstacles, from a stressful customs detention to the psychological toll of David’s struggles as a provider. While the Smallbones suck up their pride to courageously face dire situations, they’re only human and there’s always a breaking point — one they must work together to mend.

The film works best when trafficking in poignant subtleties that provide a cumulative tear-shedding experience rather than the overt schmaltz which occasionally appears. Lovely grace notes are peppered throughout, from some much-needed tension-release humor (not to be confused with the requisite Vegemite and “Crocodile Dundee” jokes) to the heart-in-throat moment that reveals how Rebecca St. James chose her stage name. (Take that, “Solo: A Star Wars Story”!) Eagle-eyed audiences will find fun spotting a few family members making cameo appearances.

Katherine Tucker’s production design reflects the Smallbones’ evolution — as their familial bonds flourish, their environments change for the better. Cinematographer Johnny Derango discreetly shifts lighting cues in concert with narrative overtones. The frequent golden hour glow represents the presence of David’s perpetually perky father (Terry O’Quinn) even when he’s not on screen, culminating in the genuinely emotional finale’s intersection of a trio of character arcs.

All the siblings offer contributions to their familial sustenance, yet a handful aren’t as fleshed out as they should be given their survival was a psychologically taxing team effort — especially for the younger members thrust into adulthood prematurely. The focus is not only on the parents’ problems, but also on their teenage daughter’s struggle with confidence as a performer and songwriter. And of course, young Luke and Joel, who later in life went on to form the duo For King + Country (and who also provide the heartfelt closing credits ballad), get significant attention, delivering a couple of funny, self-aware bits. However, Ben, Daniel and Josh are relegated to characters defined by their jobs and not by their personalities. They’re left aching for greater incorporation within this testimony.

A finer point could’ve been made about the two sides of the charity coin — the family’s Christmas is saved through the kindness of others, but David feels like a charity case when their wealthy neighbors Jed (Lucas Black) and Kay (Candace Cameron Bure) help out with hefty medical bills. Still, the filmmakers espouse reassuring commentary on achieving the American Dream. More films should acknowledge that throwing money at a problem isn’t always the solution. To glean the amount of meaningful insight as Smallbone clearly demonstrates with this feature, placing himself in his father’s shoes to fully understand a psyche in the throes of turmoil, is quite the dynamic feat. That’s especially important for a faith-based audience who need to see that flaws in our design are what make us human.

Reviewed online, April 23, 2024. MPA Rating: PG. Running time: 112 MIN.

Production: A Lionsgate release of a Kingdom Story Company, Candy Rock Entertainment production of a For King + Country Film. Producers: Joshua Walsh, Luke Smallbone, Justin Tolley, Joel Smallbone. Executive producers: Candace Cameron Bure, Andrew Erwin, Tony Young, Kevin Downes, Jon Erwin, Mike Curb, Brian Mitchell, Bill Reeves, Jeffery Brooks, Gerald Webb, Ford Englerth.
Crew: Directors, writers: Joel Smallbone, Richard L. Ramsey. Camera: Johnny Derango. Editor: Parker Adams. Music: Brent McCorkle.
With: Joel Smallbone, Daisy Betts, Kirrilee Berger, Jonathan Jackson, Lucas Black, Candace Cameron Bure, Terry O’Quinn, Paul Luke Bonenfant, Diesel La Torraca, JJ Pantano, Tenz McCall, Angus K. Caldwell.

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COMMENTS

Zathura: A Space Adventure Movie Review
Parents need to know that Zathura; A Space Adventure is a 2005 movie in which an old board game found in the basement of a newly occupied house leads to fierce space battles and extreme peril from lizard-like aliens with a taste for human flesh. The movie begins with typical tensions, resentments, and competitions between two brothers, age 6 and 10. Their father is divorced, and their teenaged ...
Zathura Movie Review for Parents
Parent Movie Review by Kerry Bennett Video games might lose their appeal if toy makers could find a way to make all board games as interactive as Zathura . The antique, metal playing surface, outfitted with a windup key and tiny rocket ships, sends the players literally shooting into space.
Zathura
Rated: 7/10 Jan 24, 2022 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins An engaging, family-friendly, fantasy adventure. Rated: 7/10 Nov 9, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews Movie Info
ZATHURA
ZATHURA is a delightful space adventure geared to families. Two bickering boys, Danny, age 6, and Walter, age 10, uncover an old tattered metal board game. The game pummels their dad's house with a meteor shower and catapults the house into outer space. So begins an exhilarating, scary, unpredictable adventure with a rampaging robot, monstrous ...
Zathura movie review & film summary (2005)
The opening credits of "Zathura" are closeups of an old science-fiction board game, a game that should have existed in real life and specifically in my childhood, but which was created for this movie. In these days of high-tech video games, it's remarkable that kids once got incredibly thrilled while pushing little metal racing cars around a cardboard track: The toy car was yours, and you ...
Zathura: A Space Adventure
Movie Review "What's Zathura?" asks Danny after finding an old space-adventure board game in the basement. It's a good question. ... Elevate family time with our parent-friendly entertainment reviews! The Plugged In Podcast has in-depth conversations on the latest movies, video games, social media and more. ...
Zathura
Charming children's adventure with some superb performances from the young cast. Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 30, 2006. For those who love the majesty of the solar system, the thrill of ...
Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)
Zathura: A Space Adventure: 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.
Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)
About Zathura:A Space Adventure, as a family movie it is truly excellent. True, the role of the sister is rather clichéd, but a lot makes you not worry so much about it. Jon Favreau's direction is excellent, and the sense of childlike wonder featured so prominently here is delightful.
Jon Favreau's 'Zathura' Rewind: A New Review Of Older Movies (With Kids
Read on for the rest of the review. Zathura was a 2005 film based upon a book by the same author who created Jumanji. Zathura. The brothers play this space astronaut game, illustrated by a ...
Zathura: A Space Adventure
Based on the best-selling book by the acclaimed children's writer Chris Van Allsburg ("The Polar Express," "Jumanji"), Zathura is a heart-racing sci-fi adventure about two squabbling brothers who are propelled into deepest, darkest space while playing a mysterious game they discovered in the basement of their old house. (Sony Pictures)
Zathura: A Space Adventure
In this sci-fi adventure based on the best-selling book by children's writer Chris Van Allsburg, Walter and Danny Budwing (Josh Hutcherson and Jonah Bobo) are bickering brothers. When their dad (Tim Robbins) leaves the house on an errand, the sibling rivalry grows more intense until Danny sends Walter into the dark basement. There Walter discovers Zathura, a strange old game about spaceships ...
Zathura: A Space Adventure
Zathura: A Space Adventure (also known simply as Zathura) is a 2005 American science fiction adventure film directed by Jon Favreau.It is an adaptation of the 2002 children's book Zathura by Chris Van Allsburg, author of the 1981 children's book Jumanji.It is a standalone spin-off of the 1995 film Jumanji and the second installment of the Jumanji franchise.
Zathura: A Space Adventure
Danny (Jonah Bobo), Walter (Josh Hutcherson) and Lisa (Kristen Stewart) have parents who are divorced. They spend part of the time with their father (Tim Robbins) and part with their mother. Danny is nearly seven and feels that Walter is better than him at everything. Walter is 10 and constantly accuses Danny of cheating and refusing to play ...
Zathura: A Space Adventure
Submitted on 19/03/2006 17:30. If you liked Jumanji, you'll enjoy this film. I went with 2 seven year olds and they thought it was brilliant. 19 March 2006 5:30PM. Recommend?
Zathura
Unlike Jumanji, Zathura is a complete movie-going experience. And it's suitable for the entire family (although young children may be frightened by the Zorgons, who are scary-looking). The simplicity of the plot is a strength and weakness, but Favreau's sure-handed direction does a good job of obscuring how little meat exists on the bones of ...
Zathura Retro Review: 15 Years Later, It's a Movie Lost to Time
It got buried. The movie itself, however, was well-received, sporting a Fresh 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Very soon after Zathura, most of its participants went on to much bigger things ...
Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)
Summaries. 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. An old and forgotten game develops magical powers in this fantasy for the whole family. Twelve-year-old Walter Budwing (Josh Hutcherson) and his younger brother, Danny (Jonah ...
REVIEW: Zathura (2005)
Tonally the film wouldn't feel out of place among Amblin Entertainment's numerous 1980s family movies. Zathura is a charming small-scale adventure film for kids. It's certainly significantly better than Jumanji , which always struck me as highly overrated, but at the same time it's probably not sufficiently enjoyable to break out too ...
Zathura (2005)
"Zathura" successfully deals with several difficult topics. One theme is that bad attitudes can crop up between siblings when a tragedy like divorce occurs in a family. The movie then teaches that the poor choices we make effect others. It also shows how important unity is when dealing with a crisis.
Zathura (2005)
Zathura Movie Review. Zathura is a 2005 family sci-fi fantasy film directed by Jon Favreau and starring Josh Hutcherson and Jonah Bobo. It is a pretty good, endearing flick. ... old-fashioned family fun which this movie certainly is. It isn't original or particularly inspired, but it does what it set out to do really well and I ended up ...
Zathura Review
Zathura Review. Updated on June 6, 2021 by Tom Orry. Posted in Reviews. ... It's a fairly solid premise for a family movie and could have made for an entertaining video game. It didn't.
A dying father looks for the perfect family to adopt his son in ...
A young single dad is on a mission in the film Nowhere Special. With a terminal illness and no family to turn to, he's searching for the perfect adoptive family for his four-year-old son.
Spy x Family Code: White's Most Disgusting Joke Works For One Big Reason
Spy x Family's first feature film, CODE: White, managed to make the franchise's most disgusting joke work for one big reason.While the premise for Spy x Family lends itself to some pretty thrilling scenes for action fans, Spy x Family is, at its heart, a comedy. The way each member of the Forger family plays off each other can be absolutely hysterical, with their funniest moments being the ...
Family friendly movie review: 'Unsung Hero,' 'The Ministry of
The Smallbone family in "Unsung Hero." Back row (left to right): Paul Luke Bonnenfant as Daniel, Daisy Betts as Helen, Kirrilee Berger as Rebecca, Joel Smallbone as David.
Unsung Hero (2024)
Unsung Hero: Directed by Richard L. Ramsey, Joel Smallbone. With Daisy Betts, Joel Smallbone, Kirrilee Berger, Jonathan Jackson. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold on to theirs.
'Nowhere Special' Review: Old Bonds, New Family
"Nowhere Special" is an unusual, and unusually understated, parental tear-jerker in which a father prepares for the loss of his young son. The son isn't going anywhere.
'Unsung Hero' Review: An Uplifting Faith-Based Biopic
'Unsung Hero' Review: The Family That Prays Together, Plays Together in Uplifting Faith-Based Biopic A father uproots his family, moving them halfway around the world to avoid professional and ...

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Zathura Parents' Guide

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Steven Isaac

Unsung Hero