By Drew Dietsch | Updated
Controversial statement: science fiction shouldn’t be just for adults. Kids love science fiction and should watch plenty of movies and TV shows that explore and celebrate the genre without belittling it due to the age of the intended audience. In the 2000s, a film attempted to do just that, but failed at the box office and still hasn’t received the appreciation it deserves today. We hope to change that.
Zathura: a space adventure was pretty much doomed from the start. Based on a book by Jumanji author Chris Van Allsburg and director Jon Favreau’s sci-fi take on the “board game come to life” concept worked heavily against him. It was never going to get a fair shake, it was quickly buried at the box office and all but forgotten.
Twenty years later, it’s time to admire this intelligent children’s film for what it is: a fantastic adventure story that is not only the best entry in the genre Jumanji franchise but as a stellar film in its own right.
How Zathura: A Space Adventure Was Created
Jon Favreau was coming off the success of the Christmas family comedy Elf. He had shown how elegant and sharp he could be with a film aimed at all audiences. His decision to take Zathura was an attempt to show how he could once again handle all-ages material with his wit and charm. This time, it would take special effects and genre storytelling to an even higher level.
Zathura excels in these elements. Favreau insisted on using as many practical effects as possible. He employs Stan Winston Studios – who will also work on Favreau’s next little film, Iron Man – to create the lizard-like antagonists, the Zorgons. These creatures are simply awesome.
As CG became the standard for creature creation, Favreau committed to creating real effects that actors could interact and react with. Bless him and the many artists who brought the Zorgons to life. They are a huge highlight of the film.
This mentality extends to the entire production side of Zathura. The story mainly takes place in one location (a house), and Favreau has to make it into a sort of floating spaceship. It’s bludgeoned and dismantled as the film progresses, and the design behind these aesthetic decisions adds real character to the structure. Favreau photographed real models of the house for use in the film.
Add to all this artistry the wonderful ’50s sci-fi style that informs the film’s design decisions, and you have a film with a very specific visual attitude. Favreau knows how to fine-tune effects and make everything tactile. It’s a masterful touch.
Zathura’s screenplay and score are so good
Zathura is not simply a technical delight. The screenplay by David Koepp and John Kamps is so good. It reduces the story to a much simpler structure than the original Jumanji by minimizing the number of characters needed. It also allows for a better focus on the young protagonists and their relationships. The drama may be simple, but it is extremely effective. And when we learn more about the mysterious astronaut character (Dax Shepard) who appears later, it all pays off thanks to a very clever first act setup.
Zathura also features a truly underrated score by composer John Debney. The opening credits and main theme capture the mood and intention of the film from the first seconds. There is 100% commitment to the grandiose adventure tone in Debney’s score.
It takes what could be perceived as a small film (due to the location of a single house) and makes it epic. “Underrated” is far too common, but it might actually apply to the work Debney does. Zathura.
Zathura’s Perfect Cast Includes Kristen Stewart
Zathura knows it has to be an intimate film because of its scale. While Lisa’s (Kristen Stewart) attraction to the astronaut involves a zany little romance, the film’s real emotional drama is a relationship between two brothers (Josh Hutcherson and Jonah Bobo). Their conflict is simplistic but treated seriously.
It helps that the entire cast plays everything to perfection. There is no weak link in the whole chain.
Zathura is a children’s film that does not demean its target audience, neither in the story, nor in the characters, nor in the film production. This is a solid A-grade experience for young viewers and kids at heart.
Why one group didn’t support Jon Favreau’s family sci-fi film
When we talk about a film’s failure, we’re often referring to its overall reception, in one way or another. When it comes to critical reception, Zathura didn’t fail at all. As of this recording, it is tied on Rotten Tomatoes with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle for the highest rated entry in the entire Jumanji franchise, and Zathura certainly holds up better than this film.
It wasn’t the critics who hated or ignored the film. It was the audience.
Zathura opened in second place in its opening weekend, beaten by Disney’s Little Chicken in its second weekend at No. 1. Yes, Zack Braff, as a CG-freaked chicken in a low-level Disney effort, beat out a film from one of the main architects behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe and The Mandalorian.
Add more fuel to the burning fire Zathura at the box office, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire released the following weekend and Zathura fell almost 62% to fifth place. This wizard took any potential target audience Zathura could have hoped.
Creative Conflict Leads to Bad Marketing
It didn’t help that there was a creative conflict over how to market the film. Allsburg and Favreau stated that although the general principle was similar, Zathura it wasn’t the same kind of film as Jumanji.
Unfortunately, the studio wanted to use the Jumanji name to help market this film. This made people confused or resistant to what seemed to be the case. »Jumanji in space. » Even today, this article helps to link Zathura in another film, his story actually has nothing to do with it.
It’s unfair. Zathura doesn’t deserve to be suffocated by Jumanjithe shadow. This film has a lot of generational nostalgia due to the inclusion of Robin Williams, and this attachment might obscure how fans of the Jumanji see Favreau’s autonomous triumph. This certainly affected Zathura at the time when the public saw the Jumanji name attached but without the on-screen involvement of Robin Williams, leading to a disconnect and disinterest in the film.
Zathura should not be left to collect dust in the basement. It must be taken out and played. Yes, some things may seem familiar, but they’re exciting and dangerous in a whole new way. Soar into the unknown, space cadet. There is peril, glory and majesty in the depths of space. Zathura wait.
Zathura: a space adventure is currently available to stream via rental or purchase on Amazon Prime Video.
