ZOOM

US, 2006, 83 minutes, Colour.
Tim Allen, Courtney Cox, Chevy Chase, Spencer Breslin, Kevin Zegers, Kate Mara, Michael Cassidy, Ryan Newman, Rip Torn.
Directed by Peter Hewitt.

Another comic book hero. This film is for younger audiences, a kind of blend of Spy Kids with the powers of the X Men and their heroes. It is played for some laughs and for some action.

It is also a Tim Allen film. This time he is having a rest from playing Santa Claus. He is Jack Shephard who thirty years earlier had been trained to be a hero, Zoom. However, his brother Connor had gone over to the dark side, so to speak, and was lost in another dimension. Now he is coming back. A martinet general (Rip Torn) and the head scientist (Chevy Chase) are devising way to capture him. What else to do but to re-recruit Jack/Zoom and get him to train some young heroes for combat?

So, that’s what happens. A group of children with super powers are auditioned and four chosen and trained with some tongue-in-cheek action and with the help of the resident accident prone psychologist (Courtney Cox).

This is a short-running and cheerful film, undemanding and following in the footsteps of this very popular genre of adventure and special effects shows.

1. The audience for this kind of film about superheroes? The background of comic books? The X-Men? and their powers? Spy Kids? An entertaining combination for young audiences?

2. The credits, the presentation of the comic strips, their characters and their names, action? The transition to the realism of the story? The comic book gone wrong? The mission to capture Concussion? The preparation for the training of the special kids?

3. The locations, the ordinary kids in their ordinary situations – and then their special powers manifested? Jack and his apartment? The contrast with the laboratories, the military headquarters? The special effects, the machines? The special powers – with their comic touches? The blend of realism and fantasy? The songs? The musical score?

4. Jack Shepherd, Captain Zoom? Thirty years away from the comics? His control by Doctor Grant, General Larabee? Marsha Holloway and her accidents, getting his attention? The dart? His being taken to headquarters? The mission, his brother and the Dark Side? His absence for thirty years? The use of G13 and its contamination on Connor and the members of the previous team? Jack and his auditioning the kids with powers, the mishaps? The choice of the four? The instructions from General Larabee, the advice from Doctor Grant? Marsha and her helping? The program, the exercises, the skills – and the humorous aspects of the training? The effect on Jack? His not wanting to escape? Liking the kids? Attracted to Marsha?

5. Marsha Holloway, bespectacled, accident-prone? The auditions? The friendship with Jack, admiration for him, the comics she had as a child? With the kids, the training? With the authorities? The final revelation of her own powers, helping the children escape? The attraction towards Jack?

6. Chevy Chase as Doctor Grant, befuddled, the past, the thirty years? With General Larabee? The experiments and his being the victim of pratfalls and accidents? His being party to the plan?

7. General Larabee, rasping out orders, merciless? His demands on Doctor Grant, on Jack? His attack on the kids, not wanting to enjoy themselves? His plan to get Connor? His relentlessness?

8. The four special kids: Tucker, Megaboy, his size, his ability to inflate his head and limbs? Awkward but skilful? Summer Jones, her ability to imagine and move things around? Her name of Wonder? Dylan, the James Dean rebel, his ability to disappear, doing the formula in class? Cindy, six-year-old, her ability with weights and furniture? Princess? Their doing their auditions – the contrast with those who failed, the awkward types, breaking wind, nostrils …? Their work together, Cindy wanting names? The attraction between Summer and Dylan? Their life, the exercises, developing their skills?

9. Connor, his history, in the team, the G13, going over to the Dark Side, alone for thirty years, his return, people wanting him captured?

10. The build-up to the mission? The celebration the night before, Summer in her dress, Dylan’s attraction? Cindy dancing? Their being woken up by Jack, his helping them to escape, Marsha and her help? Jack and his being taken by the authorities and put in the cell? Their getting him out? All using their powers to get them out of the compound? The comical touches?

11. The general and Doctor Grant, the plan with the net? The glasses, watching Connor breaking through the barriers? Jack and his discovering his speed power? Meeting with Connor, the discussions, Connor’s resentment? The pleas with him? The confrontations, each of the children able to use their powers? The breaking of the net? Finally overcoming Connor – and his returning to normal?

12. The happy ending, the finale with Tucker as goalkeeper with soccer, Summer and Dylan together, Cindy and her domination of the prince in the performance of Rapunzel? A happy ending for Jack and Marsha?