SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: CLOCKSTOPPERS

"CLOCKSTOPPERS"
(2002) (Jesse Bradford, Paula Garces) (PG)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Minor	Minor	Heavy	*Mild	Minor

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	None	Moderate	Minor	Minor

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Mild	None	Mild	Moderate	Moderate

QUICK TAKE:: Sci-fi/Adventure: A teenager tries to avoid various villains who want a special watch sent to his father that can essentially freeze time and thus anyone and everything around its wearer.

PLOT:

Zak Gibbs (JESSE BRADFORD) is a normal teenager who lives with his dad, George (ROBIN THOMAS), mom, Jenny (JULIA SWEENEY), and younger sister, Kelly (LINDZE LETHERMAN). When not hanging out with his best friend, Danny Meeker (GARIKAYI MUTAMBIRWA), or being upset that his father, a college science professor, pays more attention to his work and students than his kids, Zak constantly thinks about getting his dream car, a convertible Mustang.

There's also Francesca (PAULA GARCES), the attractive new student from Venezuela at his school with whom he's instantly smitten, although the feelings aren't initially mutual. Yet, he eventually wins her over and goes to visit her at her home where she puts him to work. It's there that he accidentally activates a watch he found at home that one of George's former students, Dr. Earl Dopler (FRENCH STEWART), had sent him to research.

It seems that the watch accelerates its wearer and anyone they're touching to such an accelerated rate that everyone and everything else around them appears to come to a near frozen standstill. Dopler had been working with Henry Gates (MICHAEL BIEHN) at QT Laboratories in conjunction with the NSA, but now wants out, particularly since his and Gates' experiments have left him prematurely aged.

Not knowing this, Zak and Francesca pull several pranks on various people by physically moving them or altering their surroundings while "frozen." They then call it a day, but upon returning home, Zak discovers Gates' minions in his house, snooping around. After a close call with them, he then escapes, meets Dopler and then gets help from Francesca as he sets out to find his father who he hopes will be able to help them.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Although really young kids and older teens probably will not, many of those between those ages might, particularly if they're interested in sci-fi type stories.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG: For action violence and mild language.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: JESSE BRADFORD plays a typical teenager who's only real concerns are about getting his dream car and his father not paying enough attention or spending enough time with him. That is, until he discovers he can essentially freeze time and must then attempt to avoid Gates and/or rescue his father.
PAULA GARCES plays the new, foreign student at his school who helps and falls for him.
GARIKAYI MUTAMBIRWA plays Zak's best friend who wants to be a club deejay, but isn't every good at it.
ROBIN THOMAS plays Zak's father, a college professor who spends more time and energies on his work and students than he does his own kids.
FRENCH STEWART plays one of his former students who's invented the hypertime device, has aged much faster than usual, and tries to avoid Gates.
MICHAEL BIEHN plays a laboratory executive who's been working with the NSA on the hypertime project but then balks at them taking it away from him. He then goes to various illegal measures to keep it for himself.
JULIA SWEENEY plays Zak's mom who's a bit concerned about the strained relationship between Zak and his father.
LINDZE LETHERMAN plays Zak's typical, younger teenage sister.; PAULA GARCES plays the new, foreign student at his school who helps and falls for him.
GARIKAYI MUTAMBIRWA plays Zak's best friend who wants to be a club deejay, but isn't every good at it.
ROBIN THOMAS plays Zak's father, a college professor who spends more time and energies on his work and students than he does his own kids.
FRENCH STEWART plays one of his former students who's invented the hypertime device, has aged much faster than usual, and tries to avoid Gates.
MICHAEL BIEHN plays a laboratory executive who's been working with the NSA on the hypertime project but then balks at them taking it away from him. He then goes to various illegal measures to keep it for himself.
JULIA SWEENEY plays Zak's mom who's a bit concerned about the strained relationship between Zak and his father.
LINDZE LETHERMAN plays Zak's typical, younger teenage sister.; GARIKAYI MUTAMBIRWA plays Zak's best friend who wants to be a club deejay, but isn't every good at it.
ROBIN THOMAS plays Zak's father, a college professor who spends more time and energies on his work and students than he does his own kids.
FRENCH STEWART plays one of his former students who's invented the hypertime device, has aged much faster than usual, and tries to avoid Gates.
MICHAEL BIEHN plays a laboratory executive who's been working with the NSA on the hypertime project but then balks at them taking it away from him. He then goes to various illegal measures to keep it for himself.
JULIA SWEENEY plays Zak's mom who's a bit concerned about the strained relationship between Zak and his father.
LINDZE LETHERMAN plays Zak's typical, younger teenage sister.; ROBIN THOMAS plays Zak's father, a college professor who spends more time and energies on his work and students than he does his own kids.
FRENCH STEWART plays one of his former students who's invented the hypertime device, has aged much faster than usual, and tries to avoid Gates.
MICHAEL BIEHN plays a laboratory executive who's been working with the NSA on the hypertime project but then balks at them taking it away from him. He then goes to various illegal measures to keep it for himself.
JULIA SWEENEY plays Zak's mom who's a bit concerned about the strained relationship between Zak and his father.
LINDZE LETHERMAN plays Zak's typical, younger teenage sister.; FRENCH STEWART plays one of his former students who's invented the hypertime device, has aged much faster than usual, and tries to avoid Gates.
MICHAEL BIEHN plays a laboratory executive who's been working with the NSA on the hypertime project but then balks at them taking it away from him. He then goes to various illegal measures to keep it for himself.
JULIA SWEENEY plays Zak's mom who's a bit concerned about the strained relationship between Zak and his father.
LINDZE LETHERMAN plays Zak's typical, younger teenage sister.; MICHAEL BIEHN plays a laboratory executive who's been working with the NSA on the hypertime project but then balks at them taking it away from him. He then goes to various illegal measures to keep it for himself.
JULIA SWEENEY plays Zak's mom who's a bit concerned about the strained relationship between Zak and his father.
LINDZE LETHERMAN plays Zak's typical, younger teenage sister.; JULIA SWEENEY plays Zak's mom who's a bit concerned about the strained relationship between Zak and his father.
LINDZE LETHERMAN plays Zak's typical, younger teenage sister.; LINDZE LETHERMAN plays Zak's typical, younger teenage sister.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a quick look at the content found in this sci-fi adventure film that's been rated PG. Profanity consists of a handful of minor expletives, while some colorful phrases are also used. Various instances of imitative behavior are present, while various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes and some tense family material is present (a teenage son not being happy that his father spends more time with his work than him).

Non-lethal and non-bloody, action-oriented violence is present, including several people being kicked, hit or knocked around, while others are "shot" with liquid nitrogen gas or pellets (that then "freezes" them). An explosion destroys part of a lab and a car chase results in some damaged vehicles and an unconscious driver. Some of those scenes could be somewhat suspenseful to younger viewers.

Meanwhile, a teenage girl is seen in various midriff-revealing tops as well as just a bath towel, she and a boy briefly kiss, and another boy wishfully runs his finger along the photo of a scantily clad model in a lingerie magazine.

Beyond that, the remaining categories have little or nothing in the way of other major objectionable content. Nevertheless, if you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for anyone in your home, you may to examine our detailed listings more closely for additional information about the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Some people drink wine with dinner.

BLOOD/GORE: We see a dog's urine stream from its body to the ground when its frozen, and then see it flowing after Zak and Francesca place the unfrozen dog inside a meter maid's golf cart.
We hear Zak urinating.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Dopler, dressed in a disguise, cuts in front of various people at an airport.
Although he thinks he's doing the right thing, George pays more attention to his students and work than he does to Zak.
Gates, his two assistants and others have bad attitudes for wanting the watches (and their power) for themselves and putting others in harm's way (or kidnapping them) to achieve that (he even verbally threatens to kill Doppler in one scene).
Some other students have bad attitudes toward Zak and Meeker (one calls Zak Meeker's sister), and also act condescendingly and sexist toward Francesca.
Zak and Francesca pull various pranks on various people when they're "frozen," with some of them being somewhat retaliatory in fashion.
Various people boo Meeker during a deejay competition where he's not very good.
Zak, Francesca and Dopler steal things they need from a science convention so that Dopler can repair the special watch.
Zak rapidly drives off in his car with others and then freezes a police car as it starts to pursue them.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Scenes listed here and under "Violence" could be unsettling or suspenseful to some younger viewers (and probably only them), but that depends on their age, level of maturity and tolerance for and/or past exposure to such material.
Zak sees flashlight beams moving around inside his house at night and slowly proceeds inside to investigate.
During a car chase, the bad guys smack their car into the side of a van that Zak is driving. As the chase continues, Zak and Dopler struggle over control of the special watch that Zak's wearing. The bad guys then smack into the side of the van again, and then bump it several times from behind. During this, an unrelated guy on a motorcycle wipes out and Zak must avoid oncoming traffic. Dopler eventually falls from the van that then goes over the edge of a bridge and lands in a body of water where Zak is knocked out.
Two of Gates' minions freeze everyone and then come looking for Zak and think they've found him in a hospital bathroom, but it's someone else.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Paintball guns: Used by the kids to shoot pellets filled with liquid nitrogen at the bad guys (to freeze them).

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Sucks," "Freak(s)," "Blows," "Funk-figidity" (or something like that), "Bozo," "Dirt bag" (seen written), "(You) idiot," "Later, jerk wad," "Hola, Chiquita," "Loser," "Freak you out," "You suck," "You twit," "(You are) freaking me out," "I'm officially freaked out," "Hottie" (how Dopler briefly refers to Francesca), "Shut up" and "Don't blow your RAM."
Zak repeatedly does all sorts of stunts on his bike, including bouncing it along the street, balancing or standing on it in unconventional ways, spinning it around and riding up steps, and doing a handstand on it while it's moving.
Francesca wears various midriff-baring outfits.
A student shakes up his soda and then sprays it on Meeker. Moments later, Francesca throws her beverage onto that student in response.
We see a student with a nose ring through his nostril.
We see a student (frozen) who's spray-painting graffiti on a wall.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A moderate amount of suspenseful and ominous music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): A song includes the phrase "Work sucks."

PROFANITY: At least 1 ass, 1 crap and 1 damn are used as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY: Francesca wears various midriff-baring tops, and this causes various guys to stare at her body (as does the camera).
Francesca tells Zak that she's not going to "give her love to the first bozo" who asks her for the time (after he does that).
After Zak says that he and Francesca need to be touching each other to experience Hypertime, she says, "Sooner or later, all guys say that."
After Meeker learns of the "frozen" time abilities, he wants to attend a slumber party and mentions something about the girls getting naked (but that never happens). We then briefly see Meeker in his boxers (after Zak has "frozen" him and pulled his pants down as a gag) after Meeker tells Zak and Francesca to have fun making out (we later briefly see them kiss).
Meeker wishfully runs his finger along the photo of a scantily clad model in a Victoria's secret catalogue.
We briefly see Francesca wrapped in just a towel after she walks out of the bathroom after showering.

SMOKING: None.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: Although he thinks he's doing the right thing, George pays more attention to his students and work than he does to Zak and that creates some friction between them, particularly on the part of Zak.
Zak's parents briefly worry about him when he goes missing (but we know where he is).

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Einstein's theory of relativity, and whether time could be sped up or slowed down.
Although he thinks he's doing the right thing, George pays more attention to his students and work than he does to Zak and that creates some friction between them, particularly on the part of Zak.
Later, after Zak has been captured and put into a chamber with his father, the two argue until Francesca makes them stop.

VIOLENCE: Some of Gates' people, who are invisible to us because they're moving so fast, yank Dopler from the steps leading up to a plane and knock people down or aside as they quickly whisk him away into a van.
Gates' assistants grab Dopler and remove him from a room.
Another student grabs Zak and then pushes him backwards, causing him to fall to the ground and partially crush a trashcan on which he lands.
One of Gates' assistants tries to shoot Zak with some liquid nitrogen (to slow his metabolism in hypertime and thus "freeze" him), but hits one of her associates instead. Zak then throws a baseball bat at her, but she catches it and he runs away.
Dopler yanks Zak into a van where Zak then receives a brief shock after biting into one of its wires (under direction by Dopler) to hotwire the van.
During a car chase, the bad guys smack their car into the side of a van that Zak is driving. As the chase continues, Zak and Dopler struggle over control of the special watch that Zak's wearing. The bad guys then smack into the side of the van again, and then bump it several times from behind. During this, an unrelated guy on a motorcycle wipes out and Zak must avoid oncoming traffic. Dopler eventually falls from the van that then goes over the edge of a bridge and lands in a body of water where Zak is knocked out.
Gates smacks a framed picture down onto something, breaking the glass and frame.
A trash truck's claws grab Zak and Francesca, lift them up and then dump them down inside the back of the truck. When Dopler then shows up at its door, Francesca kicks him in the face, sending him to the ground. Dopler then dumps the two (and trash) from the truck and then acts like he has a gun in his pocket (it's his hand) and Francesca then kicks him in the face again, this time knocking him unconscious. We then see that the two have him tied to a chair.
In hypertime, Zak and Francesca shoot pellet balls filled with liquid nitrogen at various guards who are after them, causing those people to freeze. During this, Zak tries to elude a guard chasing him. He then runs into the man (apparently hitting him in the crotch), spins around on his bike and hits another man, and then hits the first man in the face again with the bike. He then rides through a glass window/panel, breaking the glass.
The bad guys shoot Zak with a spray of liquid nitrogen, freezing him.
A government van blasts through a guardhouse, destroying it (but is frozen before it makes it all of the way through).
Zak repeatedly bangs a stool against some transparent panels of a chamber, but does no damage to them.
After Zak speeds himself up while in an already sped-up world, he finds he can pass through solid walls. He then reaches out through a wall, grabs one of Gates' men, and bangs his head against the wall. Gates' people then try shooting liquid nitrogen at Zak, but he avoids being hit.
An explosion rips through a chamber, sending a fireball out and knocking various people to the ground.
Dopler shoots Gates with liquid nitrogen, freezing him, and then comments that yes, it does hurt.

Reviewed March 23, 2002 / Posted March 29, 2002

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