This seems to be a real love it or hate it movie. To everyone who hasn't weighed in, let me give you a few words of advice. If you're looking for a deep plot, a profound message, or award-winning characterization--don't bother because it's not here. However, if you're looking for a silly, shiny popcorn flick that you can spend a little time laughing at and you're willing to let go of any lurking high standards enough to enjoy it, then you're in the right place. Also, as I believe other reviewers have mentioned, this is a kid-targeted and kid-friendly film. Zoom - Academy for Superheroes
No, this won't win any academy awards. Yes, the special effects like the 6-year-old lifting 2-ton weights are a bit cheesy and you can tell they are made out of plastic. But this movie targets pre-teen kids and isn't supposed to be highly sophisticated. Show it to some kids between the ages of 5 and 13 and see what they think - that's the demographic here. My guess? They'll love it. And if your kids are teens but haven't hit that "everything is stupid" stage, they'll probably like it too.
THE PLOT:
Tim Allen plays a grown-up and burned-out superhero named Zoom who can run real fast (think of "Dash" in the animated movie "The Incredibles"). As a child, Zoom was taken to a special academy (Area 52 in Nevada...more secret than Area 51) where he, his brother, and other kids with superhero powers are supposed to develop themselves. While there, the government irradiates the kids to enhance their powers, something goes wrong, and Zoom's brother (Concussion) turns into an evil arch-nemesis where he is stuck in some kind of time warp. Fast-forward 30 years. Concussion is coming out of his time-warp to wreak havoc. The army is preparing for his return and has recruited a batch of new superhero kids to battle him, and they've forcibly enlisted Allen (Zoom) to train the kids. He's burned out and bitter about the same army that wrecked his life and his brother's life. The movie charts his redemption as he slowly forms the new kids into a team that treats one another like a family, helping Zoom find his calling once again.
My pre-teen son picked this off the Blockbuster shelf because he'd seen a commercial for it. I figured, what the heck, it's rated PG, let's take a chance on it. So, we sat down that night with people from each of three generations: me (I'm 45), my son (he's 11), and his grandmother (she's 69). We all enjoyed it.
THE GOOD:
1) Wholesome message - The kids feel like outcasts because of their powers and gradually learn to support one another. There isn't the usual petty bickering like amongst siblings. They get along and take care of one another.
2) Redemption - Zoom goes from a burned-out cynic to a genuinely caring father figure and role model by the end of the movie. He redeems his long-lost brother (Concussion) as well.
3) Language - There's none of the usual potty mouth jokes and innuendoes. This is a big deal for me. I love many of the newer animated movies, like Shrek, but it as though the producers want to be certain that the adults watching the movie have humor directed at them, so they push the envelope with jokes they hope will go over the kids' heads but hit the adults. Newsflash: if I want adult humor, I'll rent it. The Incredibles was a great example of a movie that appealed to all ages without having to push the envelope. Zoom was another great example.
4) Normal Kids - It didn't feature "perfect" kids as one had a speech impediment, one was overweight, and one was moody and picked on by the cool kids at school. It was nice to see "regular" kids cast in this movie instead of just the popular, beautiful images of perfect hair, perfect teeth, and popularity that the Disney Channel usually gives us with kids like Jamie Lynn Spears and Hillary Duff.
THE BAD:
There really wasn't anything I didn't like about the movie, but we happened to watch it while we were eating pizza and there are a few places where it gets a bit gross: one involving flatulance and one involving mucous. Consider yourself warned - it doesn't mix well with food.
THE UGLY:
Uh, none to speak of. Tim Allen seems a bit obsessed with Courtney Cox's little green dress. No ugliness there, I can assure you.
THE ACTORS:
In addition to Allen, there are some other actors that adults will enjoy here. Courtney Cox (Friends) plays a dweeby and ultra-clumsy scientist who has a crush on Zoom. Chevy Chase of Saturday Night Live fame plays the aging nobel-prize-winning director of Area 52. His makeup is hysterical and he dresses in fashions from the 1970s. Rip Torn plays the gruff army general who views the kids as collateral weapons to be used, not human beings of value. Allen is like a one-man arsenal of funny one-liners and quips and is constantly peppering Torn's and Chase's characters with ascerbic wit. He's a quintessential Smart Alec in this movie.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
But all in all, it was a truly fun movie. Kids will like the special effects and the comic-book plot and won't see the cheesy-ness: they'll think it is cool - the top-secret installation, the superhero costumes, the training, and the unique superpowers each person has. Adults will like the wholesomeness of the message and the absence of violence and language.
Buy it? I dunno. We rented it. My suggestion: rent it first and if you like it, get it for your library. It's the type of movie kids will want to watch several times, while adults will probably find that once is sufficient. - Family - Comedy - Good Family Movie - Family Film'
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