Zoom (2006 film)

Zoom
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Peter Hewitt
Produced by
Screenplay by
Story by Adam Rifkin
Based on Amazing Adventures from Zoom's Academy
by Jason Lethcoe
Starring
Narrated by Courteney Cox
Music by Christophe Beck
Cinematography David Tattersall
Edited by Lawrence Jordan
Production
company
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date
  • August 11, 2006 (2006-08-11)
Running time
 88 minutes[1]
Country United States
Language English
Budget $75.6 million[2]
Box office $12.5 million[3]

Zoom is a 2006 American family superhero adventure comedy film based upon the children's book Amazing Adventures from Zoom's Academy by Jason Lethcoe.[4] Directed by Peter Hewitt, the film stars Tim Allen, Courteney Cox, Chevy Chase, Ryan Newman, Kate Mara, Spencer Breslin, Michael Cassidy, Kevin Zegers, and Rip Torn. It was written by Adam Rifkin and David Berenbaum. It was theatrically released on August 8, 2006 by Columbia Pictures. The film received negative reviews from critics, earned $12.5 million on a $75 million budget and was a box office bomb. Zoom was nominated for one Razzie Award, Worst Actor for Tim Allen (also nominated for The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause and The Shaggy Dog), but he lost to Marlon and Shawn Wayans for Little Man. Zoom was released on DVD on February 13, 2007 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Plot

Decades prior to the start of the film, the Zenith team are five young superheroes who fought to protect the world from evil, led by Jack Shepard, a.k.a. "Captain Zoom", who possessed super-speed, and his older brother, Connor Shepard, a.k.a. "Concussion", who could project sonic blasts. The American military sought to enhance the team's powers using an experimental form of radiation called "Gamma-13". This made Zoom faster and stronger, but it also turned Concussion evil. Thinking Zoom and the team betrayed him, Concussion went insane and killed his teammates Marksman, Ace, and Daravia. Concussion was believed to have been destroyed by Zoom at the cost of his powers, but was sent into another dimension instead.

Thirty years later, Dr. Ed Grant, the scientist behind the original Zenith Project, discovers that Concussion is making his way back into their dimension. General Larraby, the military officer in charge of the Project, decides to form a new Zenith Team to fight him. Jack finds himself dragged back into the Project, this time as an instructor. He is told that a new team is needed to battle a great menace but is not told what it is. He is also told that if natural training does not prepare the new team in time, they will be exposed to Gamma-13. In their secret base, Area 52 (a reference to Area 51), he meets Marsha Holloway, who is a beautiful but clumsy psychologist, a big fan of Zoom's, and knows of him only through the comic book adaptations of the team's adventures.

The project holds an audition of would-be members, most of whom possess useless or disgusting powers. In the end, four are selected: Dylan West, a seventeen-year-old boy possessing invisibility, Summer Jones, a sixteen-year-old girl with telekinetic powers and empathic senses, Tucker Williams, a twelve-year-old boy who can enlarge and inflate himself at will and Cindy Collins, a six-year-old girl with super strength. All of them are shown as having problems adapting to normal life because of their powers. At first things do not go well, with Jack being bitter about the past, and his sarcastic attitude disappoints Marsha. Dylan keeps trying to escape, Tucker has self-esteem problems and trouble controlling his powers, and the kids are annoyed by Jack's attitude. The team eventually forces Jack to face the fact that he's not really putting his heart into their training. Slowly things begin to come together, as the new team's abilities improve, they adopt superhero identities.

Eventually, just as Concussion is about to arrive on Earth, it is discovered that Dylan also possesses a kind of clairsentience, also known as mind sight, a rare power exhibited by a team leader that allows him to discover Concussion's location and the project's true purpose. The team is meant merely as a distraction from the military's plans to capture Concussion in a special net that will cause his concussive blasts to reflect on himself, neutralizing him. Marsha also reveals that she secretly possesses a form of super breath, which appears as sparkly, rainbow-colored wind. She uses this to aid the team in their escape, when the military is about to transfer them to the Gamma-13 chamber for artificial power enhancement. Using the malfunctioning flying saucer stored in the base, which they repair on the way, Jack escapes with the team, including Marsha. He is dropped off at a point in a desert where Concussion will arrive, planning to try to talk to him. Jack tells the team to avoid, but they refuse.

When Concussion arrives, he refuses to listen to reason and attacks his brother with concussive blasts, while the rest of the team takes him on. Larraby orders the net to be fired, but Concussion blasts it away, and it almost lands on Cindy. This causes Jack to regain his powers, and he saves her. He then runs back to the base, puts on a new costume, and returns. Working together, the team (plus Marsha) guide Concussion into a vortex that Zoom creates by running around in a circle at super-speed in the opposite direction as before. Dr. Grant yells to Zoom that if he closes the vortex, they can save Concussion. The vortex ultimately removes the Gamma-13 from Connor and restores his powers to normal, thus turning him good again. Zoom and Concussion are reunited.

Three months later, Dylan is dating Summer, who is on the cheerleading team, using her telekinetic power to help build the pyramid. Tucker is the goalie on the soccer team, and Cindy is in a school play of Rapunzel, using her strength to pull the "prince" up the tower. In addition they still work together with Zoom as the new Zenith Team.

Cast

  • Tim Allen as Jack Shepard / Captain Zoom, the younger brother of Connor and an ex-superhero with super-speed.
  • Courteney Cox as Dr. Marsha Holloway, a psychologist on the Zenith Project who blows rainbow-colored wind.
  • Chevy Chase as Dr. Ed Grant, the scientist on the Zenith Project.
  • Kate Mara as Summer Jones / Wonder, a teenager who possesses telekinesis and empathic senses.
  • Ryan Newman as Cindy Collins / Princess, a little girl with super-strength.
  • Michael Cassidy as Dylan West / Houdini, a teenager with invisibility and clairsentience.
  • Spencer Breslin as Tucker Williams / Mega Boy, a boy who can enlarge and inflate at will.
  • Rip Torn as General Larraby, the head of the Zenith Project.
  • Kevin Zegers as Connor Shepard / Concussion, the older brother of Jack who went insane upon being exposed to Gamma-13.
  • Alexis Bledel (uncredited) as Ace, a former member of Captain Zoom's team.
  • Devon Aoki as Daravia, a former member of Captain Zoom's team.
  • Wilmer Valderrama as Marksman, a former member of Captain Zoom's team.
  • Cornelia Guest as Cindy's mother
  • Ridge Canipe and Danny McCarthy as Bullies

Thomas F. Wilson cameos as Dylan's teacher. David Lander cameos as a Wendy's employee

Production

Zoom was shot in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.[5] Rupert Gregson-Williams was originally attached to compose the film, but dropped out to work on Over the Hedge, and Christophe Beck stepped in.

Music

Christophe Beck scored the music for the film and on its soundtrack.

Christophe Beck scored the music for the film and on its soundtrack. The soundtrack also contains "So Insane" performed by Smash Mouth, "Hang On" performed by Smash Mouth, "Everyday Superhero" performed by Smash Mouth, "Come On Come On" performed by Smash Mouth, "Punk Rock 101" performed by Bowling for Soup, "The World is New" performed by Save Ferris, "Under Pressure" performed by Smash Mouth, "Superman (It's Not Easy)" performed by Five for Fighting, "The Middle" performed by Jimmy Eat World, "Hero" performed by Enrique Iglesias, "Days Like These" performed by Smash Mouth, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" performed by Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, "If She Knew What She Wants" performed by The Bangles, "Big Ups" performed by Triniti Bhaguandas (as Ms. Triniti) and "It's On" performed by Superchick.

Release

Theatrical

Zoom was theatrically released on August 11, 2006 by Columbia Pictures.

Home media

Zoom was released on DVD and Blu-ray on February 13, 2007 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment under the name "Zoom: Academy for Superheroes".

Reception

Box office

Zoom opened in 2,501 theaters on August 11, 2006 and earned $4.5 million in its opening weekend ranking number nine at the domestic box office. At the end of its run, on September 17, the film had grossed $12 million in the United States and Canada and $516,860 overseas for a worldwide total of $12.5 million.[3] Based on its over $75 million budget, the film was a box office bomb.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 3% based on 66 reviews, with an average rating of 3/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Lacking the punch and good cheer of The Incredibles and Sky High, Zoom is a dull and laugh-free affair."[6] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 26 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[7] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B-" on an A+ to F scale.[8]

Zoom was nominated for one Razzie Award, Worst Actor for Tim Allen (also nominated for The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause and The Shaggy Dog), but he lost to Marlon and Shawn Wayans for Little Man.

Awards

List of awards and nominations
Award Category Nominee Result
Daytime Emmy and Razzie Award Outstanding Sound MixingChristopher Allan (production mixer) and Dan Lesiw (re-recording mixer)Nominated
Worst ActorTim Allen for The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause and The Shaggy DogNominated
Young Artist Award Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Actress Age Ten or YoungerRyan NewmanNominated

Soundtrack

Although the movie soundtrack was not released, the following songs were heard throughout the film:

References

  1. ↑ "ZOOM (PG)". British Board of Film Classification. October 10, 2006. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  2. ↑ Lang, Brent (September 1, 2011). "'Inside the Revolution Library: Where Joe Roth Went Wrong". TheWrap.com. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Zoom (2006)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. September 18, 2006. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  4. ↑ Ballantine Books, 2005. ISBN 978-0-345-48355-3
  5. ↑ "Internet Movie Database - List of Films shot in Hamilton, Ontario". Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  6. ↑ "Zoom". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Zoom". Metacritic. CBS Interactive.
  8. ↑ "CinemaScore". cinemascore.com.
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