Race to Witch Mountain is an American science fiction adventure film that was released in 2009. It is a remake of the original 1975 film Escape to Witch Mountain. The film was directed by Andy Fickman and produced by Andrew Gunn and starred Dwayne Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, Alexander Ludwig, Carla Gugino, Ciarán Hinds, and Tom Everett Scott. The story follows a Las Vegas cab driver named Jack Bruno, played by Dwayne Johnson, who gets caught up in a race against time to protect two siblings, Sara and Seth, who have supernatural powers. The siblings are from another planet and are trying to get back to their home planet, Witch Mountain, before it is destroyed. The original film, Escape to Witch Mountain, was based on a novel of the same name by Alexander Key.
There be witches in those bottles.
Maybe it s my newfangled mores which make me a little queasy watching a man who just looks that much older kissing a young woman who could easily be his daughter, but I bet it ain t. After she has several unsuccessful attempts at making Wallace fall in love with her, she conjures up a love potion because, well, that s just what witches do.
The original film, Escape to Witch Mountain, was based on a novel of the same name by Alexander Key. It was a popular film in the 1970s and gained a cult following. The remake, Race to Witch Mountain, aimed to introduce the story to a new generation and bring it up to date with modern special effects and storytelling techniques.
I Married a Witch (1942)
It’s very cliché to say that a film is “ahead of its time,” but I can’t think of a better way to describe René Clair’s comedy, I Married a Witch. For a film that debuted in the early 1940s, it’s got a very different style of humor when compared to other comedies that came about during that era. When I think of films of the 1940s, I think of Casablanca, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Meet Me in St. Louis, so watching a film that is about a resurrected witch that preys on a soon-to-be-married man just feels so scandalous!
The film begins with a good old fashioned witch burning in Salem, Massachusetts. Jennifer (Veronica Lake) and her father are outed as witches by Jonathan Wooley (Fredric March), causing them both to be burned at the stake. Jennifer doesn’t let Jonathan’s crime go unpunished as she places a curse on his family that will cause all the Wooley men to have unsuccessful marriages. After a hilarious montage showing generations of Wooley men suffering from the curse, the film flips to a present day scene (1942). One of the descendants of Jonathan Wooley, Wallace Wooley (Fredric March…again) is having a party to celebrate his upcoming marriage to his fiancé, Estelle (Susan Hayward), as well as his candidacy for governor. During the grand event, lighting strikes a nearby tree where the ashes of Jennifer and her father were buried centuries ago. The lightning strike causes both witches to be resurrected in the form of clouds of smoke. As they’re floating around outside of the party, Jennifer realizes that Wallace is a descendant of Jonathan, and she decides to torment him by making him fall in love with her. She eventually gets a body, and the shenanigans begin. After she has several unsuccessful attempts at making Wallace fall in love with her, she conjures up a love potion because, well, that’s just what witches do. Her plan completely backfires when she accidentally drinks the potion, causing her to fall head over heels for Wallace. Needless to say, everything still works out as planned because Wallace does eventually fall in love with Jennifer. This movie isn’t called I Married a Witch for nothing.
Lake is absolutely hilarious in her role as Jennifer. She’s totally a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, but in the best way possible. Wallace is a stereotypical vanilla politician, and Jennifer is possibly the bubbliest witch in the history of cinema. Watching the two interact is so comical that after seeing this film numerous times, I still catch myself laughing out loud. But it’s Jennifer’s father, Daniel (portrayed by the hilarious Cecil Kellaway), that reigns supreme as the funniest character in the movie. He too eventually gets a body, but he spends a good part of the film as a cloud of smoke that finds himself trapped in various bottles of liquor. There are also several scenes where he is too drunk to perform spells, and he eventually loses his body and gets trapped in a liquor bottle for all eternity. This is why I will forever refer to him as the funniest, drunkest witch dad to ever grace the silver screen.
I Married a Witch is entertaining from beginning to end, and what I love most about this movie is that it is completely re-watchable. I’ve seen the film numerous times and it has yet to lose its charm.
Things I kinda sorta did not like:
The lore surrounding the witches: DO NOT think too hard about the witches in this movie’s universe. First Daniel has been around since Pompeii and Jennifer has been alive for 290 years so are they immortal or can they die? Obviously fire can’t kill them as well as bullets nor lack of food. Also if Daniel has been around that long surely he has other offspring. Is Jennifer’s mother a witch as well or was she just a mortal? If they needed fire to get their human bodies, did it just manifest or did they need to kill someone in that fire? How was Daniel able to take Jennifer’s magic and if he took her magic and made her mortal why did she have to go back to the tree? No one saw any of the times the brooms were flying in the air? Nor did anyone hear the two bottle talking to each other? It is these little things like this that gnaw at the back of your mind. They don’t ruin the movie but the witches are not very fleshed out.
Overall, Race to Witch Mountain was a box office success, grossing over $106 million worldwide. It received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising the action and special effects, while others felt it lacked the charm of the original film. The film has since spawned a direct-to-video sequel, Return from Witch Mountain, which was released in 2011. In conclusion, Race to Witch Mountain is an entertaining and action-packed remake of the original film. While it may not have captured the magic of the original, it still managed to attract a new generation of viewers and continue the story of the siblings' adventures on Witch Mountain..
Reviews for "Analyzing the Performance of the Cast in Race to Witch Mountain: Memorable Moments and Standout Performances"
1. Jennifer - 2 stars
I found "Race to Witch Mountain Original" to be quite disappointing. The plot was incredibly predictable, with no surprises or twists to keep me engaged. The characters were extremely one-dimensional, lacking any depth or development. The performances felt wooden and lacked chemistry, making it difficult to care about the fate of the protagonists. Overall, I found the movie to be bland and unmemorable.
2. Mark - 1 star
"Race to Witch Mountain Original" was a complete waste of time. The special effects were incredibly cheesy and looked outdated. The dialogue was cringe-worthy, filled with clichés and poorly written lines. The pacing was all over the place, with unnecessary scenes dragging on while important moments were rushed. The story was illogical and lacked coherence, making it hard to follow. I would not recommend this movie to anyone seeking quality entertainment.
3. Sarah - 2 stars
I was hoping for an exciting and thrilling adventure in "Race to Witch Mountain Original," but unfortunately, it fell flat. The action sequences were poorly choreographed, lacking any real tension or excitement. The plot was formulaic and felt like a rehash of other, better films. The performances were forgettable, with the actors lacking chemistry. Overall, the movie failed to capture my interest and left me feeling underwhelmed. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating experience.