Skip over navigation

Help

Zathura on DVD (2005)

Zathura cover art
Play Zathura trailer
Average rating: 59%
2326720101113
3.0
from 5,728 members
 
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Jonah Bobo, Dax Shepard, Kristen Stewart, Tim Robbins, Peter Billingsley
Director: Jon Favreau
Studio: SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time: 101 mins
Certificate: PG
Collections: 100 Big Adventures
User collections: Best kids films ever, Dvds that have been censored/shortened in the U.K
Genres: Action/Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Languages: English
Hearing-impaired: English
Subtitles: Hindi, English
Released: 26/06/2006
Also Available on: Also Available on: DIGITAL Also Available on: PS2 Also Available on: XBOX

Brief synopsis of Zathura

Older brother Walter (Josh Hutcherson) and the younger Danny (Jonah Bobo) are constantly at war with one another, bickering over the mediating voice of their long-suffering father (Tim Robbins). When he has to go to the office to replace some papers the boys destroyed in their crossfire, he leaves them in the dubious care of older sister Lisa (Kristen Stewart), who is sleeping upstairs. When Danny discovers an old board game called Zathura stored in the basement, his excitement is lost on Walter, who has no time for such old, boring toys. Soon, however, the game becomes impossible to ignore, as the boys are transported into space, and one of them must win in order to make it home again...

Related

Critics Reviews

Sight and Sound

Favreau and his effects team have fun with the retro-futurist stylings of the game....The relatively restrained use of computer imagery is refreshing...

New York Times

In the enchanted limbo between waking and sleeping, ZATHURA feels both real and unreal, like a dream you could shake off at any moment.

Time Out

Jumanji in space, anyone? Bewildering though it may seem, Zathura is just that. Two young brothers chance... Read more on www.timeout.com

See all 4 Critics Reviews »

Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 3 starsA good children's film

A customer from England , 01/02/2006

A similar idea of a film as Jumanji: adventuros and entertaining. However, Jumanji works better as Robin Williams gives a funny approach to the film. Zathura is more of a boys film as it is a space adventure. Different from Harry Potter and Narnia, which appeal to several age groups, this film will probably work for up to 16 year olds. It contains beautiful shots and special effects and it was quite funny at times. At one point there is a twist with a good moral, which many of us can relate to. Other than that, quite predictable. Works once, but it is not a film I would watch a second time.

  18 out of 19 people found this review helpful
Report offending content.

Read all reviews

Rated - 5 starsExcellent

Dreamer3 from Norfolk , 31/01/2006

Brilliant film. Very much on the lines of Jumanji but with a space setting. Kept the audience captivates - young & old! Excellent twist at the end. Highly recommended.

  12 out of 17 people found this review helpful
Report offending content.

Read all reviews

Rated - 3 starsJust like Jumanji

Alastaxios from Swansea [Highly rated reviewer] , 25/03/2007

The kids loved it and for a 10 year old and an 8 year old there were a couple of moments when they hid behind a cushion. I'm not saying the film is scary, it isn't, but the film does build a couple of tense moments and it can be hard for a youngster to take!!

The film on a whole was generally poor, the plot line was taken straight from Jumanji but it did have its own little twist toward the end.

The only thing that saved the film for me was the FX for when they were in space, the Zorgons looked like they were straight from a Tom Baker version of Dr Who which kind of dulled the visual side of things.

This one is definitely for the kids and its best to let them watch it on their own, in their bedrooms and out of the way :)

  9 out of 13 people found this review helpful
Report offending content.

Read all reviews

Rated - 2 starsJumanji...sorry I meant Zathura!

Brian Whitelaw from Scotland , 04/08/2006

If you've previously watched Jumanji then you've already seen Zathura.

All the special effects lavished on the production cannot compensate for lack of the originality of the first film nor lack of the considerable acting talents of Robin willliams et al.

It's not that it was that bad, it is more like trotting out the exact same idea. The discovery of a 1950's clockwork space game and the playing of it leads to predictable misadventure.

Give it a body swerve!

  5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
Report offending content.

Read all reviews

Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 4 starszathura

sxcjoolz from Grimsby , 21/06/2008

wonderful film set with a jumanji type theme in space my children loved this and i found it enjoyable also great family movie

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Report offending content.

Read all highest rated reviews

Rated - 3 starsGood Film

A customer from Essex , 28/08/2007

This film is superb.

A must see

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Report offending content.

Read all highest rated reviews