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Lunch » Tags » Movie » Reviews » Zoom - Academy for Superheroes (2006)

Zoom - Academy for Superheroes (2006)

1 rating: 1.0

Comedy movie directed by Peter Hewitt

The bright colors and simple stories of classic superhero comics are the template forZoom--none of that moody, bleakX-Mennonsense here. Retired superhero Captain Zoom (Tim Allen,The Shaggy Dog) gets pulled out of mothballs when the government decides … see full wiki

Tags: Movie

Cast: Tim Allen, Chevy Chase, Spencer Breslin, Kevin Zegers, Courteney Cox

Director: Peter Hewitt

1 review about Zoom - Academy for Superheroes (2006)

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"Zoom" Runs A Little Too Slow

May 15, 2007

by kfontenot
posted in Movie Hype

Rating:

We've all heard the saying, "Shoulda, coulda, woulda." That's exactly what I thought as I viewed "Zoom: Academy for Superheroes." Had a little more time and care been taken with the script and if the director (Peter Hewitt) had cut back on the all-out hokiness of the picture, "Zoom" could have been a decent movie. Instead, Tim Allen (Captain Zoom), Courteney Cox (Marsha Holloway) and an aging Chevy Chase (Dr. Grant) are forced to muddle their way through a seemingly slapped together family flick with a weakly held together plot and second-rate special effects.

**SPOILERS**
The premise of the story is this: Zoom is a washed-up superhero who's called back into duty when his good-turned-evil brother, Concussion (Kevin Zegers), decides to return to Earth to wreak havoc. Four kids aged six to seventeen and have special superpowers are collected for Zoom to turn into a team to fight Concussion. The kids are played by Michael Cassidy (Houdini), Kate Mara (Wonder), Spencer Breslin (Mega Boy) and Ryan Newman (Princess). As the film roles along we are given glimpses at the childrens' training in musical interludes and sometimes funny moments. They pick at Dr. Grant, play throughout the training facility, and a romance even sparks between the two eldest kids. Concussion's arrival is referred to throughout these little vignettes on a handy countdown screen that holds veteran Rip Torn's attention for the bulk of the film. When Concussion finally gets around to exact his vengeance on mankind, everything turns out bland and unnecessarily "nice."
**End spoilers**

The film could use a little Gamma Thirteen radiation to kick it into gear. It never gets moving and the plot is so weak and thin that the film comes across as nothing more than a showcase of weak special effects and music. There is one nice cameo of Thomas F. Wilson (Biff from "Back to the Future," and I also think I spotted Squiggy from "Lavergne and Shirley" as a Wendy's employee in an obvious marketing payoff during the film.

The DVD comes with some modest special features including the obligatory "Making Of" story and an "Academy for Superheroes" kid's guide.

Overall, this flick feels like a cheap knockoff of "Sky High," which is a much better film. If your child enjoys superhero flicks, "Zoom" may be up their alley. There's only some very mild and brief language and the violence in non-bloody and really not that climactic. In other words, this is an okay family film, but I'd still recommend "Sky High" instead. Consider this one a rental. If your kids like it enough, you might want to wait for it to hit the bargain bin before buying it.

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