Zoom (2006 film)

Zoom (also known as Zoom: Academy for Superheroes) is a 2006 American superhero comedy film directed by Peter Hewitt and written by Adam Rifkin and David Berenbaum. Based upon the children's book Amazing Adventures from Zoom's Academy by Jason Lethcoe,^[4] the film stars Tim Allen, Courteney Cox, Chevy Chase, Spencer Breslin, and Rip Torn. It features a former superhero who is dragged into training four superpowered youths to become superheroes and combat an approaching threat.

Zoom
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Peter Hewitt
Screenplay by	Adam Rifkin David Berenbaum
Story by	Adam Rifkin
Based on	Amazing Adventures from Zoom's Academy by Jason Lethcoe
Produced by	Suzanne Todd Jennifer Todd Todd Garner
Starring	Tim Allen Courteney Cox Chevy Chase Spencer Breslin Rip Torn
Cinematography	David Tattersall
Edited by	Lawrence Jordan
Music by	Christophe Beck
Production companies	Columbia Pictures Revolution Studios Team Todd Productions Boxing Cat Films
Distributed by	Sony Pictures Releasing
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]

Released theatrically on August 11, 2006 by Columbia Pictures, the film was panned by critics and it was a box office bomb, earning just $12.5 million on a $75.6 million budget. Zoom was nominated for one Razzie Award, Worst Actor for Tim Allen (who was 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 (also produced by Columbia Pictures and Revolution Studios).

Plot

Thirty years prior, Team Zenith, a government sponsored teenage superhero team led by the Shepard brothers Jack / "Captain Zoom" and Connor / "Concussion", fought to protect the world from various threats until the U.S. military used experimental "Gamma-13" radiation to enhance the Shepards' powers. As a result, Jack became faster and stronger, but Concussion suffered a psychotic break and killed his teammates. Jack seemingly killed Concussion in turn via a vortex but as a consequence lost his powers in the process.

At present, original Zenith Project scientist Dr. Ed Grant discovers Concussion was trapped in a dimensional rift and is returning to Earth. Zenith military officer General Larraby commissions the formation of a new Team Zenith, recruiting a reluctant long retired Jack as an instructor and Marsha Holloway, a clumsy psychologist and a fan of the original Team Zenith's comic books.

Following a round of auditions, the Zenith Project recruits teenagers Dylan West and Summer Jones and children Tucker Williams and Cindy Collins, who possess invisibility, psionic powers, self-inflation, and super-strength respectively. Over the course of the team's training, Marsha and the recruits become disappointed by Jack's bitter and sarcastic personality, Dylan mounts failed escape attempts, and Tucker struggles with self-esteem issues and controlling his powers. After the team confronts Jack over his failings, they reconcile and slowly improve their abilities.

Hours before Concussion's return, Jack helps Dylan unlock a new ability dubbed "mindsight", which he uses to pinpoint where Concussion will emerge and learn the military intends to expose the new Team Zenith to Gamma-13 and use them as a distraction so they can test new weaponry on Concussion. A horrified Jack asks Marsha to help him rescue the children and travel to Concussion's location, during which she reveals her ability to produce a rainbow-colored super-breath. Upon arriving, Jack resolves to face Concussion alone, but Marsha and Team Zenith refuse to abandon him.

When Concussion returns, Larraby fires a neutralizing net at him, but the former blasts it away towards Cindy. Fearing for her safety, Jack's powers return, allowing him to save her before he uses his speed and Gamma-13 to recreate the vortex while Team Zenith and Marsha guide Concussion into it. After Grant reveals he can save Concussion, Jack closes the vortex, with the subsequent energy vacuum draining the Shepards' Gamma-13, curing Concussion.

Three months later, Team Zenith has returned to their normal lives while continuing to work with Jack, having become Zoom once again.

Cast

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

Production

In June 2003, Revolution Studios acquired the rights to Zoom's Academy for the Super Gifted by former Disney/Warner Bros. animator Jason Lethcoe.^[5] Peter Hewitt became attached as director in September 2004.^[6]

Tim Allen helped write the initial script, saying "It was very different in script form, much darker than when it came out, and what the studio and powers that be decided to make it into a family movie; It was a neat idea of what superheroes are really capable of doing."^[7]

Zoom was shot in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.^{[8][better source needed]}

Release

Theatrical

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

Home media

Zoom was released on DVD on February 13, 2007, by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment under the name Zoom: Academy for Superheroes.^{[citation needed]}

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 internationally for a worldwide total of $12.5 million.^[3]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 4% based on 68 reviews and an average rating of 3.2/10. 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."^[9] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 26 out of 100 based on 14 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".^[10] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale.^[11]

Awards

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 the Wayans brothers Marlon and Shawn Wayans for Little Man.^{[citation needed]}

List of awards and nominations

Award	Category	Nominee	Result
Razzie Award	Worst Actor	Tim Allen (Also for The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause and The Shaggy Dog)	Nominated
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards	Worst Picture	Zoom (Sony/Revolution)	Nominated
	Worst Actor	Tim Allen (Also for The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause and The Shaggy Dog)	Won
	Worst Supporting Actor	Chevy Chase (Also for Doogal)	Won
	Worst Supporting Actress	Courteney Cox	Nominated
	Worst Screenplay	Adam Rifkin David Berenbaum	Nominated
	Most Intrusive Musical Score	Christophe Beck	Nominated
	The Spencer Breslin Award (for Worst Performance by a Child in a Feature Role)	Spencer Breslin (Also for The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause and The Shaggy Dog)	Won
	Worst Ensemble	Zoom	Nominated
	Foulest Family Film	Zoom	Won
	Least "Special" Special Effects	Zoom	Nominated
Young Artist Award	Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Actress Age Ten or Younger	Ryan Newman	Nominated

Music

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

Rupert Gregson-Williams was originally attached to compose the film, but dropped out to work on Over the Hedge, and Christophe Beck stepped in.^{[citation needed]} Christophe Beck scored the music for the film and on its soundtrack.

Soundtrack

Although an official movie soundtrack was not released, the following songs were heard during the film:

• "So Insane" – Smash Mouth
• "Hang On" – Smash Mouth
• "Everyday Superhero" – Smash Mouth
• "Come On Come On" – Smash Mouth
• "Punk Rock 101" – Bowling for Soup
• "The World is New" – Save Ferris
• "Under Pressure" – Queen and David Bowie, cover by Smash Mouth
• "Superman (It's Not Easy)" – Five for Fighting
• "The Middle" – Jimmy Eat World
• "Hero" – Enrique Iglesias
• "Days Like These" – Smash Mouth
• "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" – Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
• "If She Knew What She Wants" – The Bangles
• "Big Ups" – Triniti Bhaguandas (as Ms. Triniti)
• "It's On" – Superchick