Movie Review: The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D

They aren't the Cortez kids but Spy Kids fans should take a liking to this young duo of superheroes cooked up by the dreams of Max, a regular kid who gets told by everyone (the 'rents, the teacher, etc.) that he's too much of a dreamer. Of course, his dreams help save a planet. Hey, "everything that is or was began with a dream"...Lavagirl

Young Max (Cayden Boyd) is a creative dreamer who keeps an illustrated dream journal, is picked on at school by bullies and told by everybody (his 'rents, his teacher, etc.) to get real. But Max has realized that getting lost in his daydream fantasy world blots out his bickering parents (David Arquette and Kristin Davis) and his teacher (George Lopez) who think the kid should come down to earth.

Suddenly, the creations of Max's dreams come to visit him as Lavagirl (Taylor Dooley), a volcanic chick who can throw lava and flames from her hands and Sharkboy (Taylor Lautner), a kid lost at sea and raised by sharks. They tell him he's needed on a mission to Planet Drool where the evil Mr. Electric (also George Lopez) wants to do away with all dreams forever; thus dooming Max's own dream creations.

Since Max created the whole planet in his dreams, only he can create things to battle Electric. Through his adventures, Max learns to value his dreams (he's a daydreamer, the most powerful dreamer of all!) and vanquish his foes, including a bully who is that way because his own dreams were squelched.

From the imaginations of versatile director Robert Rodriquez and his young son Racer Max, comes this family-oriented tale with the cool message that, hey dreams of the night or day variety can help you create and grow. Nobody should stop dreaming.

Most imaginative is Planet Drool with its Land of Milk and Cookies, all giant sweet munchies with marshmallows for pillows and flowing milk streams. Mr. Electric is a sizzlin' villain which is actually just George Lopez's huge, expressive face inside a fishbowl-looking robot with skinny arms and legs. Sharkboy and Lavagirl are both winning. 13-year-old Taylor Lautner does some pretty frisky martial arts and she well, kicks butt and looks like Natalie Portman with pink hair.

3-D is the classic type that requires glasses with one blue and one red lens. It looks pretty cool but tends to be washed out as far as color is concerned and for me, not enough things popped out directly in my face. The Rodriguez tech wizards do a worthy job of making the kids interact with their virtual reality environment so you really do believe they are floating on a giant cookie down a river of milk. Reminded me a bit of The Neverending Story, a film a few years ago about a quest in a fantasy world where The Darkness (don't mean the band) was creeping over the land.

Final verdict: Slight plot but harmless fun. This is the one you take your younger siblings to. I mean with a setting called "Planet Drool", you figure this isn't going to be a rough language, sexy actioner. It looks neat and the message of keeping our sense of wonder and creativity as we grow is good for everybody.

For slight family fun with a message, 3 out of 5 stars

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.