The Adventures of Shark Boy & Lava Girl

Herald rating: * * * *

Racer, seven-year-old son of Spy Kids director Robert Rodriguez, told his father a story about a boy who grew gills and a fin and became half-shark and a girl who was part-volcano. Spotting a good script, dad told lad to keep working on it.

Dad expanded the story of day-dreaming Max (Cayden Boyd), who writes a dream journal about the adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl. Max is tormented by Linus (Jacob Davich), the school bully, over his book. Until one day when a tornado blows in, bringing Shark Boy and Lava Girl to ask for Max's help.

Charming, off-beat kids' movie that's better at home than in cinemas, where it was presented in a user-unfriendly 3-D format. * DVD, rental video today