... a copycat kids' flick that raises smiles but no laughs.
Zoom (2006)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:56
Fresh:2
Rotten:54
Average Rating:3.1/10
Consensus: Lacking the punch and good cheer of The Incredibles and Sky High, Zoom is a dull and laugh-free affair.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for brief rude humor, language and mild action
Runtime: 88 mins
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:22-12-2006
Synopsis: Four kids (Spencer Breslin, Kate Mara, Ryan Newman and Michael Cassidy) - one big problem. They each possess a unique special power that sets them apart from everybody else their age. They also... Four kids (Spencer Breslin, Kate Mara, Ryan Newman and Michael Cassidy) - one big problem. They each possess a unique special power that sets them apart from everybody else their age. They also have something else in common - they just want to be normal. Now it's up to a down-on-his-luck former superhero once known as Captain Zoom (Tim Allen) to teach them how to harness their extraordinary talents and save the world from certain destruction! If anybody can convince him to do so. A little backstory. Many years ago, there was a colossal battle between the Team Zenith (led by the faster-than-light Captain Zoom) and their arch-nemesis, Concussion. Zoom finally destroyed Concussion, but not before his entire team was slain at the hands of Concussion's sonic blasts. As the dust settled, secret departments within the military were already disseminating an "official" story: The turbulence was caused by an earthquake. When it was discovered that Captain Zoom had sacrificed all his powers to defeat his enemy, the military no longer had any use for him, and he once again became simply Jack Shepard. After many years, the masterminds behind the old Zenith Program, General Larraby (Rip Torn) and Dr. Grant (Chevy Chase), have reunited after detecting alarming patterns of disruption from the dimensions beyond that could threaten the fabric of human life. Their only hope is to reactivate the Zenith Program. A new talent in the studies of latent supernatural abilities, Marsha Holloway (Courteney Cox), finds four youngsters with the potential to be superhero fighters. But the reluctant quartet needs someone to teach them how to save the world - and fast! - and there's only one man for the job. Jack Shepard. --© Sony Pictures [More]
Starring: Tim Allen, Courteney Cox, Michael Cassidy, Rip Torn
Starring: Tim Allen, Courteney Cox, Michael Cassidy, Rip Torn, Ryan Newman, Spencer Breslin, Kate Mara, Kevin Zegers
Director: Peter Hewitt
Director: Peter Hewitt
Screenwriter: Adam Rifkin, David Berenbaum
Producer: Neil A. Machlis, Suzanne Todd, Jennifer Todd
Composer: Christophe Beck
Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Reviews for Zoom
Zoom is a shocking waste of a decent premise - it could have been the Galaxy Quest of superhero movies but instead it's a badly directed, poorly written and desperately unamusing mess.
Santa trapped in a chimney and choking on his own beard would be funnier than this.
The title describes the sound that you should make in your car, or on foot, or on mule, heading away from any cinema showing this film.
... this fizzled action flick lacks the wit, style and substance of so many better efforts ...
If you can overlook the snot and fart material that litters the screenplay, the grotesque product placement, along with the rancid Smash Mouth soundtrack, Zoom actually has a faint ability to please.
It has plenty of energy and visual effects but not a single original idea in its spandex-clad head.
Featuring a bizarrely dated soundtrack fueled by new music from Smash Mouth, Zoom was designed as a film of training montages. I stopped counting after a half-dozen.
Playi[s] like a cross between Galaxy Quest and Sky High but without the wit and cleverness of either film...
There's not a single thing to like in this dump of a movie. But I'm sure your children will enjoy the Kids Meal.
An irritating 83-minute music montage posing as a feature film, Zoom is the worst family release so far this year.
Frankly, this would have been a perfect candidate for the straight-to-DVD shelf. But the young stars are appealing, and at this point in his career, Allen could carry a family film with one hand tied behind his back.
Seeing the once-great Chevy Chase reduced to this bug-eyed buffoonery is sad, like watching an old man crap his pants at the grocery store.
First the good news: This film isn't nearly as awful as some would have you believe. Now the bad: It still sucks.
Nobody involved with Zoom seems to get the appeal of comic books or kid superheroes. It doesn't help that the film was clearly produced on the cheap.
Zoom fails because it’s ultimately bland, cheesy, and never really challenges its own formula seeking to make it one of a kind; it just wants to cash-in on an already exhausting fad.
Infantile, unfocused and dreadfully inept, Zoom is badly conceived...a totally faceless fable that strains for enlightenment but merely ends up as disastrous diversion
Latest News for Zoom
August 09, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: Chan and Tucker Back in Action
Another wide assortment of summer offerings will hit the multiplexes across North America this weekend. The action-comedy sequel Rush Hour 3 leads the way as the main course and... More...
November 02, 2006:
Critical Consensus: "Borat" Best Reviewed Film Of Year: High-Five!; "Flushed Away" Worth A Spin; "Santa Clause 3" Gets Coal
This week at the movies brings us the profound discoveries of a great Kazak journalist ("Borat," starring Sacha Baron Cohen), a battle between Santa and Jack Frost... More...
November 02, 2006:
Box Office Guru Preview: Santa Battles Borat for Weekend Crown
A pair of new family films aimed at kids will duke it out for the top spot this weekend while a bumbling reporter from the former Soviet Union will cause a commotion for a more... More...
August 31, 2006:
Critical Consensus: "Crank" Is Well-Ranked; "Illusionist" Is Magic, "Crossover" Is An Air-Ball, "Wicker Man" Gets Burned
This week at the movies, we've got hoopsters with big dreams ("Crossover," starring Anthony Mackie), scary goings-on on remote islands ("The Wicker Man,"... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

