Aliens in the Attic

Hannah (Ashley Boettcher) bonds with friendly alien Sparks. Photo / Supplied

Rating

: * * *

Verdict

:

A fun but underwhelming and forgettable comedy.

New Zealand provides a surprisingly bland location, with West Auckland standing in for Michigan, in this average family comedy.

Aliens in the Attic

doesn't require our epic and dramatic landscapes though; it's a pretty low-key and simple affair intent on entertaining young kids.

And that it does. It's silly, slapstick comedy with plenty of fun action where the kids are the heroes, aliens the baddies, and parents an irritating fact of life. Think Gremlins crossed with a

Home Alone

-inspired DIY attack plan, and while it's pretty average on all counts, it had my eight- year-old nephew in hysterics.

The film is set in a large holiday house where the Pearson kids Tom (Carter Jenkins), Bethany (Ashley Tisdale) and Hannah (Ashley Boettcher), meet up with their cousins for a family holiday weekend. The plan is for Tom, an A-grade student who is suddenly flunking at school, to spend some quality time fishing with his father. But four cheeky, incompetent "Zirkonians" land on their roof with plans to invade using a mind control device. It only works on adults, so it's up to the kids to save the day.

High School Musical's

Ashley Tisdale is underused and yet the most recognisable face, alongside

Everyone Loves Raymond

star Doris Roberts who plays kung-fu fighting Nana Rose. There are a few good one-liners, the acting isn't great, the aliens aren't terribly imaginative, and the story is basic and schmaltzy. That said, it's fun, wholesome, pro-geek entertainment, and, as I mentioned earlier, if you're eight you're going to love it.

Francesca Rudkin

Cast

: Ashley Tisdale, Doris Roberts

Director

: John Schultz

Running time

: 86 mins

Rating

: PG (low level violence)