Zathura [DVD] [2006] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

How is "Zathura" different from "Jumanji"? Let me count the ways. First, this one is about a game that takes you to outer space instead of a game that brings the jungle to you. Actually that would be two key differences, so since I have messed this up already let me get to the most significant difference, which is that this one is about a pair of bickering brothers where as the other was another opportunity for Robin Williams to run around crazy (which always has its moments). It might seem strange that the main attraction in a film filled with special effects turns out to be a couple of brothers being mean to each other in a way that only brothers can be, but a fantasy has to be grounded in reality to really touch an audience and that is what happens with these two kids.On a dad weekend Walter (Josh Hutcherson) is being incessantly bugged by his younger brother, Danny (Jonah Bobo). While dad is out of the house and their older sister Lisa (Kristen Stewart) is lost beneath her headphones, Danny finds the Zathura game and gets his brother to play. As the first move is completed a card pops out warning them to take cover from a meteor shower and the next minute that is exactly what they are doing. Then they discover the house is in outer space and the only way to get home is to keep playing the game. Unless, of course, the house is destroyed by Zorgons before they get that far. The one constant as the two brothers continue to play the game is the way that they keep going at each other, and even when an adult (Dax Shepherd) enters the game, Danny and Walter are not going to stop.I was really struck by how different "Zathura" was from "Jumanji" right up tot he moment that I became aware of the most significant thing they have in common. Jon Favreau (who is currently working on "John Carter of Mars," which it looks like will actually come out before we get to the centennial for ERB's pulp fiction adventure) focuses on the story of Chris Van Allsburg's book more than his drawings, which makes perfect sense even though if they figure out a way to animate one of his books so that those exquisite pencil drawings come to life that would blow everybody away. As an object lesson "Zathura:The Space Adventure" might be over the top, but when you have kids who fight like cats and dogs something that metaphorically hits them over the head really hard is sometimes what is needed. Unfortunately, kids who need a lesson like that will be too caught up in the idea of playing the game that getting the message of this 2005 film.

I bought the Zathura dvd for my 3 year old grandson as he saw this film on the television and liked the film. I ordered the dvd, not thinking for a moment that because the Zathura dvd is an American import, the dvd will not play on either a dvd player or laptop in the uk.Needless to say i had a very dissapointed grand child. Save your money as dont find out like i did the dvd is useless in the uk. I think these companies selling these imported region dvd films ought to not stock them as i and may more people are throwing there money away. Not just throwing hard earned mone away , but making the company responsible for selling the unplayable dvd films rich in the process. I would like Amazon uk to ban imported films that you cannot watch in the uk.