Kids, when your Uncle Mike was growing up, we had movies like “Explorers,” “The Goonies” and “The Last Starfighter.” They didn’t have any of that fancy-schmancy computer-generated imaging, just a lot of tiny models and a big imagination.

“Zathura,” which came out last week, has a lot in common with those movies. It’s not as sleek as a “Star Wars” movie, but it is a lot of fun.

“Zathura” follows the adventures of two brothers, Walter and Danny, as they play an old game in their Dad’s new house. Dad (Tim Robbins) has to go to a bsuiness meeting and older sister Lisa, a snarling teenager, is sleeping the Saturday away. When Danny finds Zathura, he convinces Walter to play and soon the two are embrolied in a space adventure that has come to life. Their house has been whisked away into outer space and the brothers must face a dysfunctional robot, a meteor shower and alien invasions, while also combatting sibling rivalry.

The film was directed by Jon Favreau (“Elf”) and, by not focusing on all sorts of new technology, he is able to find the heart of the film and keep his finger on it for much of the film. The performances by Josh Hutcherson and Jonah Bobo as Walter and Danny feel very authentic, not snarky and self-aware as in some recent movies for kids. An appearance by Dax Shepard as a stranded astronaut, who played Zathura in his past, is also very good.

For those of you out there who saw the trailer and said, “It looks like ‘Jumanji’ in space,” well, you’re right. The movie is based on a book written by Chris Van Allsburg, who also penned “Jumanji.” In my opinion, “Zathura” is better than “Jumanji.” Though it sounds funny to say about a movie set in space, it feels more grounded than “Jumanji” and the use of lighting and smaller special effects, gives it a nice feel. Kudos to Favreau for making two solid films in a row that give shout-outs to the past and also place the importance of family at their core.

***1/2

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