Ultimate G's: Zac's Flying Dream
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
IMAX movie has nice flight sequences, awful acting.
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What's the Story?
Young Zac (Michael Cera) dreams of one day becoming a pilot. With his best friend Laura, he builds a series of flying machines that don't quite get off the ground. But when his father steps in and shows Zac some basic principles of wings and flying, Zac's dream slowly starts to become a reality. Many years later, Zac is a stunt pilot and Laura is his mechanic. But when Carl, an old rival dating back to childhood, comes back as an Air Force pilot, he wants to prove to Zac that he's the better pilot, and he also wants the chance to win Laura's heart, thus ending the budding romance between Zac and Laura. They agree to a flying contest in and around the Grand Canyon to see, once and for all, who is the better pilot.
Is It Any Good?
While the IMAX flight sequences in and around the Grand Canyon earn five stars, the acting (with the exception of a young Michael Cera) is only worth one star. The story itself feels forced and unnecessary in such a short movie. Everyone would have been better off with nothing but 37 minutes of airplane swoops, spins, and drops against the beautiful backdrop of Arizona.
While there is some kitsch factor in seeing a young Michael Cera pilot a series of doomed-to-fail self-invented flying machines, and while there are some solid lessons about the kind of time and effort it requires to be a successful stunt pilot, these factors don't compensate for the trite and forced storyline. Still, for parents and kids who can look past these issues and focus on the flight sequences, this short movie does offer some enjoyable moments.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about movies about pilots and flying. What did you learn about the skills you need to be a pilot?
How does this film compare with other movies about pilots and flying?
What scenes were the most interesting to you? Why?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: March 20, 2007
- Cast: Emma Campbell, Joel McNichol, Michael Cera
- Director: Keith Melton
- Studio: IMAX
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Great Boy Role Models
- Run time: 37 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 25, 2022
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