Race to Witch Mountain
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | Release Date: March 13, 2009 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
52
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 28 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
16
Negative:
3
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
It's entertaining with a crafty mixture of action, humor and drama. Read full review
75
Seattle Post-IntelligencerAndy Spletzer
After an excellent setup, the movie becomes bogged down in chase scene after chase scene on its way to its inevitable ending. Read full review
75
Baltimore SunMichael Sragow
May not make adults feel as if they're 10 again, but it will awaken their memories of Saturday matinees that upped children's adrenaline without blinding them with Day-Glo colors or insulting their intelligence. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyClark Collis
The planet-hopping children have special talents -- telekinesis, telepathy etc. -- although it is the high-wattage lovability of Mr Rock that's the real superpower on display here. Read full review
75
TV Guide MagazinePerry Seibert
Race to Witch Mountain isn't some kind of action watershed, or science-fiction milestone, but it most certainly is a finely crafted reboot of a franchise that was ripe for an updating. Read full review
70
VarietyJoe Leydon
Strikes a deft balance of chase-movie suspense and wisecracking humor, with a few slam-bang action setpieces that would shame the makers of more allegedly grown-up genre fare. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesBetsy Sharkey
A fast and furious (yes "fast and furious" in that way) wild ride of a movie in which the good guys are good (some of them really, really good), the bad guys are good (very scary good) and the car chases (around a thousand of them by my count, though it was hard to keep track with all the screeching tires and twisted metal) are pretty spectacular. Read full review
63
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
I think Dwayne Johnson has a likable screen presence and is a good choice for an innocuous family entertainment like this. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMichael Phillips
The action beats are so relentless, no sooner does one chase end than another begins. Read full review
60
L.A. WeeklyErnest Hardy
A calculated bid to turn the Rock into a more family-friendly commodity. That calculation may be transparent, but it pays off: Cracking one-liners and alternating between world-weariness and growing affection for his charges, Johnson is wonderful -- much better than his material. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
While "Escape" was superior in story, "Race" does commit to an impressive scope. What it is, really, is a big-studio popcorn flick that just happens to be made for tweens. Read full review
60
Washington PostJan Stuart
Race to Witch Mountain has Johnson, who lifts the script above its conventional cat-and-mouse stratagems with his buoyant wiseacre timing. Read full review
60
Chicago ReaderAndrea Gronvall
With its chase scenes, shoot-outs, explosions, and special effects, this looks more like Jerry Bruckheimer product than a traditional Disney feature. But there are also some light-hearted moments, the best occurring at a UFO convention where the aliens seem more normal than the earthlings. Read full review
60
EmpireChris Hewitt (1)
An unexpectedly entertaining mixture of good, clean Disney fun with some rather more modern action scenes, lent charm by Johnson’s natural swagger. One of the better family films in a while. Read full review
50
Philadelphia InquirerDavid Hiltbrand
Curiously, despite Johnson's imposing physique, it's the kids who do most of the smashing and grabbing, right up until the climax, when it's all-hands-on-neck. Read full review
50
PremierePatrick Parker
Parents might like the film, but will be too busy explaining the complicated plot to their children to really enjoy it. Read full review
50
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
Modest and diverting, rough and bland, with some good (if not quite Bette Davis caliber) actors and so-so special effects. Read full review
50
USA TodayStaff [Not Credited]
Mediocre family fare that's simply not that much fun. Read full review
50
Portland OregonianM. E. Russell
The Rock charms you through the worst of it, but the effects are cheap, the dialogue is about as challenging as a "Hannah Montana" episode, and the pace manages to be both brisk and numbing. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Stephen Cole
Young male earthlings should like everything about Race to Witch Mountain. Just make sure you race your caffeinated charges to the washrooms right after the movie to defuel so there won't be any accidents on the space shuttle home. Read full review
50
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
This is not a story that cries out to be remade every 15-20 years. And, while the special effects and acting are getting better, the story isn't. Read full review
50
The A.V. ClubScott Tobias
Director Andy Fickman, who previously blanded Johnson up in "The Game Plan," has fashioned the film into a one-size-fits-all, action-packed special-effects extravaganza for the whole family. Read full review
50
Film ThreatMatthew Sorrento
Race can satisfy with a steady pace. Read full review
50
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
Fans of the original films will dig Richards and Eisenmann's cameo appearances. Read full review
40
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
This is filmmaking by the numbers meant to succeed by the numbers. Read full review
38
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
This is not a movie. It's a coming attraction for a theme park. Read full review
25
New York PostKyle Smith
Bears all the signs of having been composed by an inferior race of alien screenwriters from the Hackulon System. Read full review
25
San Francisco ChronicleJustin Berton
Wow, when Disney misses the "reimagining" mark, it really misses. Read full review
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