A decade after "Jumanji" introduced rhinoceroses to America's living rooms comes "Zathura," also about a board game that
becomes real, and also based on a book by Chris Van Allsburg. Van Allsburg didn't wander far from "Jumanji" when he wrote "Zathura," which has been directed by Jon Favreau (his family-friendly follow-up to 2003's "Elf" ). Two squabbling brothers, 10-year-old Walter (Josh Hutcherson) and 6-year-old Danny (Jonah Bobo), are left home under the supervision of their older sister Lisa (Kristen Stewart), a surly, sleeping teenager. The boys find an old board game in the basement and commence playing it. Like its cousin Jumanji, the game of Zathura is literal. It's set in outer
space, and before you know it, the boys' house is orbiting Saturn, basement and all. When they draw a card that reads, "You are visited by Zorgons," sure enough, Zorgons come a-knockin'. (Hint: They are not friendly.) The only way to get home -- or, rather, to get their home back to Earth -- is to keep playing. The game presents a variety of adventurous challenges, all of which are embarked upon from the confines of the boys' echoey old house. (It's not like they can ride their bikes down the street, now that "the street" is an asteroid belt.) A giant killer robot shows up, as do the aforementioned Zorgons, and so does a lost but helpful astronaut (Dax Shepard), who tries to stop the boys from fighting and keep them focused on the task at hand.
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