With a story that involves a trip to Planet Drool, a voyage through the Land of Milk and Cookies, and a literal brain storm (as in brains falling from the sky), The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D isn't targeting 20-year-old film critics like me who would rather be at home watching Fargo for the five-hundredth time. This is a kids-only affair, so regardless of what my schlubby self has to say, little Timmy will probably want to see the movie anyway. Nevertheless, I'd like to give a heads-up to the parents concerning whether or not this is the sort of movie they'd want to sit in on with their little ones. In that respect, you might as well pop in that Shrek 2 DVD again, because although the kiddies will eat up Sharkboy and Lavagirl like a birthday cake, adults might feel sick to their stomach with just one lick of the frosting.

Max (Cayden Boyd) is a bright fourth-grader whose knack for daydreaming of his two imaginary best friends, the half-kid/half-Jaws Sharkboy (Taylor Lautner) and the literally fiery Lavagirl  (Taylor Dooley), has made him an easy target for classroom bullies. Even his bickering parents (David Arquette and Kristin Davis) and his teacher, Mr. Electricidad (George Lopez), want Max to cease his childhood fantasies and grow up. But on one fateful day, fantasy becomes reality when Sharkboy and Lavagirl apparently break out into the real world, calling upon Max to help solve a crisis on Planet Drool. It seems the dreams that help keep the planet going are being overwhelmed by a cloud of darkness, with the maniacal Mr. Electric (also Lopez) bent on destroying Planet Drool completely.

Sharkboy and Lavagirl use their special powers as they help Max embark on the quest to save the planet's dreams from being erased, but as they start to weaken, it's up to Max to look inside himself, realize his own dreams, and bring his imagination to life in order to save the planet from a grim fate.

Perhaps it's only fair that Robert Rodriguez did  Sharkboy  and Lavagirl after co-directing the graphic novel adaptation Sin City earlier this year. The latter was an obviously adults-only picture, whereas Sharkboy and Lavagirl, based on the ideas and dreams of Rodriguez' own son Racer, is aimed squarely at the children of everyone who went to see Sin City. Rodriguez has achieved success with family films before, having done a terrific job with the inventive Spy Kids trilogy, but this time, he overloads the kiddie material and leaves the parents in the audience rolling their eyes for most of the show.

The acting here seems terribly flat, especially by Boyd and Jacob Davich as Max's nemesis on both Earth and Planet Drool; the script is a mishmash of colors, action set pieces, and thin subplots that never gestate or pull together to form something cohesive; and the 3-D effect makes the images look dark and washed-out while the glasses themselves do a number on your ears and nose. 

However, despite not having a great time watching The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D myself, I still recommend it for youngsters. It's a big, colorful, and imaginative film that encourages kids to think big and go for their dreams, and I gotta give Rodriguez credit for sending this sweet message in such a loud and clear way. Personally, though, I can't help wondering how Rodriguez went from doing Sin City, one of the most visually stunning films ever made, to creating one of the clunkiest.

MY RATING: * 1/2 (out of ****)

(Released by Dimension Films and rated "PG" for mild action and some rude humor.)

Review also posted at www.ajhakari.com.