Reviewed by Alicia Glass

Review Rating: 8

Two alien children who came to Earth to save it from their own invaders are in a race against time to find their ship, hidden out in a government facility in Witch Mountain.

I actually enjoyed this movie a lot more than I thought I would, given that I am a huge fan of the original Disney classic Escape to Witch Mountain, and that it’s another Disney movie starring Dewayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Surprisingly, this wonderful remake manages to stick Johnson in the straight man-protectorate-comedic role and even managed to make him not look the fool doing it. The two alien children, played by Alexander Ludwig and AnnaSophia Robb of Bridge to Terabithia fame, deliver a fine performance of strength and vulnerability. Carla Gugino joins the cast as a scientist from the UFO convention who eventually, convinced, helps Jack Bruno and the children to find their ship and escape!

This movie is after all a re-take on the original story, which means a more modern setting and even a few surprises thrown in. We’re now in Las Vegas and the grudging help given from the strong manly protector is a taxi cab driver, not a curmudgeonly older man on his version of a vacation. An alien assassin come after the children is also thrown into the mix, plus corrupt government agents and a riotously fun UFO convention right in the heart of downtown Las Vegas.

Not everyone has seen the original, but it’s fairly likely that The Rock’s presence in this movie will attract some new blood. Give the new and improved Race to Witch Mountain a chance!