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, the film stars Tim Allen, Courteney Cox, Chevy Chase, Spencer Breslin and Rip Torn. In the film, a former superhero is dragged into training four superpowered youths to become superheroes and combat an approaching threat.
Released theatrically on August 11, 2006 by Columbia Pictures, the film was panned by critics and was a box-office bomb, earning $12.5 million on a $75.6 million budget. 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 (also produced by Colombia Pictures and Revolution Studios). Zoom was released on DVD on February 13, 2007 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Storyline[]
Thirty years prior, Team Zenith, 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. Zoom became faster and stronger, but Concussion suffered a psychotic break and killed his teammates. Zoom seemingly killed Concussion in turn via a vortex, but lost his powers.
In the 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 Zoom 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-strengthrespectively. Over the course of the team's training, Marsha and the recruits become disappointed by Zoom's bitter and sarcastic personality, Dylan mounts failed escape attempts, and Tucker struggles with self-esteem issues and controlling his powers. After the team confront Zoom over his failings, they reconcile and slowly improve their abilities.
Hours before Concussion's return, Zoom 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 Zoom asks Marsha to help him rescue the children and travel to Concussion's location, during which she reveals her ability to produce super-breath. Upon arriving, Zoom 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, Zoom'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, Zoom closes the vortex, with the subsequent energy vacuum draining the Shepards' Gamma-13, restoring their original powers and curing Concussion.
Three months later, Team Zenith have returned to their normal lives while continuing to work with Zoom.
Sound Effects Used[]
- Hollywoodedge, Comedy Body Fall Msx CRT017301
- Hollywoodedge, Elevator Servo Motor PE202201
- Hollywoodedge, Funny Multi Swishes CRT054102 (Heard briefly as Zoom begins to trip in the desert.)
- Hollywoodedge, High Pitched Desk Bel PE191901
- Hollywoodedge, Kick Fly Tumble Wbel CRT033801 (1st hit)
- Hollywoodedge, Lightning 08 CloseG SIG012601
- Hollywoodedge, Spitting Sputterin CRT027404 (Last part only.)
- Hollywoodedge, Twangy Boings 7 Type CRT015901
- Hollywoodedge, Warning Buzzer Indus PE194401
- SKYWALKER, AIRPLANE - STUKA SIREN SCREAM BY, SHORT
- SKYWALKER ALARM BUZZING SOUND
- SKYWALKER, BOING - PANIC'S HORN SPIKES
- SKYWALKER, BULLET - CANNON BLAST AND CANNONBALL WHOOSH, GUN (Blast part only.)
- SKYWALKER, CAR - VARIOUS TIRE SCREECHING
- SKYWALKER, CAR - VEHICLE HORN, 4 TIMES
- SKYWALKER, ELECTRICITY - ARTOO'S ELECTRIC ZAP
- SKYWALKER, ELECTRICITY - HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL ZAP
- SKYWALKER, ELECTRICITY - LIGHTNING BOLT POWER 03
- SKYWALKER, EXPLOSION - EXPLOSIVE RICOCHET, HIGH RICCO, EXPLOSION ACCENT
- SKYWALKER, HISS - MECHANICAL EJECT HISS
- SKYWALKER, HUMAN - BIG BELCH
- SKYWALKER, JET - ARTOO'S ROCKET THRUSTERS
- SKYWALKER, POP - BIG BUBBLE POP, FANTASY
- SKYWALKER, SCI-FI GUN - DREJ BLASTER GUN FIRE
- SKYWALKER, SCI-FI GUN - EVE'S LASER GUN
- SKYWALKER, WATER - SINGLE SPLASH
- SKYWALKER, WHOOSH - POWERFUL SCI-FI WHOOSH
- SKYWALKER, WIND - ASAJJ'S HOME, HOWLING, COLD GUSTS, WEATHER
- SKYWALKER, WIND - HEAVY WIND WHISTLING
- Sound Ideas, ALARM, CAR - SET CAR ALARM, AUTO
- Sound Ideas, BOING, CARTOON - THIN WOOD BOING (cut-off)
- Sound Ideas, FEEDBACK - FEEDBACK BURSTS FROM P.A. SYSTEM (2nd burst only.)
- Sound Ideas, HIT, CARTOON - COCONUT HIT 01
- Sound Ideas, HORN, AIR - INTERIOR: SINGLE BLAST, LONG 01
- Sound Ideas, POP, CARTOON - SQUISH POP
- Sound Ideas, ROBOTICS - ROBOT: SERVO MOVEMENT 03
- Sound Ideas, SCI FI, DOOR - FAST SPACESHIP DOOR
- Sound Ideas, SKID, CARTOON - BROKEN SKID
- Sound Ideas, SLIDE, CARTOON - FIDDLE SLIDE DOWN 01
- Sound Ideas, SPACE, DOOR - SPACE SHIP DOOR 1, SCI FI
- Sound Ideas, SQUEAK, CARTOON - SINGLE RUB SQUEAK 01
- Sound Ideas, SQUEAK, CARTOON - SINGLE RUB SQUEAK 03 (cut-off)
- Sound Ideas, SWISH, CARTOON - FAST TWIRLING SWISH, LONG
- Sound Ideas, TOY - ANIMAL TOY: SINGLE SQUEAK 01
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - BIG WHISTLE ZING OUT