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Everybody wins in 'Zathura'

It's inevitable that "Zathura" will be compared to "Jumanji."

Both films are based on stories by popular children's author Chris Van Allsburg (he also wrote the book upon which last year's "The Polar Express" was based). Their plots are identical: boy finds board game; boy plays board game; boy is attacked by elements within board game; boy must survive and finish board game to return things to normal.

Sony Pictures 'Zathura' 3 out of 5 stars The verdict: A funny, frightening and engaging family film light years beyond "Jumanji." Director: Jon Favreau Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Jonah Bobo, Dax Shepard, Kristen Stewart, Tim Robbins Run time: 95 minutes Release date: Nov. 11, 2005 Rating: PG for fantasy action and peril, and some language. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'Zathura'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

Please don't let that scare you off "Zathura," a funny, frightening and engaging family film light years beyond "Jumanji's" artificial, maudlin mess.

The story finds warring children of divorce — 12-year-old Walter and his little brother, Danny — thrust into an intergalactic adventure when they begin playing a dusty board game Danny finds in the basement.

Where "Jumanji" unleashed characters and creatures (and a scenery-chewing Robin Williams) from its safari-esque board game upon the real world, "Zathura" wisely reverses the mechanics, transposing elements from reality to the game. This frees director Jon Favreau ("Elf") and production designer J. Michael Riva to create an amazing outer-spacescape with meteors, swirling black holes, gleaming robots, dino-aliens, a wayward astronaut and retro spaceships that look like those on "Zathura's" clickety-clack, metal gameboard — that is, life-size versions of those tiny tin spaceships you can buy at Toy Joy. And hurtling through it all is Walter and Danny's broken home, a three-story, suburban fixer-upper.

Favreau coaxes spot-on performances from Josh Hutcherson as Walter and Jonah Bobo as Danny. Having grown up alongside four brothers, I know authentic brotherly love/hate when I see it, and "Zathura's" intense family dynamics ring true, sometimes painfully so. The film is served well by the anonymity of its cast: Aside from voice work by Frank Oz and a subdued, book-end performance by Tim Robbins, you'll be hard-pressed to recognize the actors, making their characters all the more real.

In less capable hands, the movie's video-game structure (a new challenge to conquer with each turn played in the game) could have gotten old fast, and, truth be told, the film loses a little focus during the extended alien battle. "Zathura" spectacularly regains its footing, though, with a completely unexpected and touching twist that hurtles the tale back to its emotional core.

There is some mild language in the film, a result of boys being boys. And younger children might be frightened by some of the battle sequences. Probably not as frightened, though, as they would be if Danny had picked up a Ouija board. Now there's a twist.