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"THE ADVENTURES OF SHARKBOY AND LAVAGIRL 3-D" (2005) (Cayden Boyd, Taylor Dooley) (PG) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons None Mild Heavy *Moderate *None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate Minor Heavy None None Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Minor None Moderate Moderate Moderate QUICK TAKE: Action/Adventure: A boy is transported to another world where he and his young superhero friends must defeat a villain who's determined to rid the planet of all dreams. PLOT: Things could be better for Max (CAYDEN BOYD), an imaginative fourth grader. Not only are his parents (DAVID ARQUETTE AND KRISTIN DAVIS) always fighting and his teacher, Mr. Electricidad (GEORGE LOPEZ), complaining that he spends too much of his time dreaming, but the class bully Linus (JACOB DAVICH) has just stolen and defiled his dream journal. That's where he keeps notes about various characters such as Sharkboy -- a kid raised by sharks -- and Lavagirl -- who can control her namesake material and wield it as a weapon -- who he believes are real but only get him grief from Linus and the other kids. Everyone else, however, becomes believers when a tornado strikes the school and Sharkboy (TAYLOR LAUTNER) and Lavagirl (TAYLOR DOOLEY) suddenly show up, stating they need Max to return with them to Planet Drool. It seems that villain Mr. Electric (GEORGE LOPEZ) and his sidekick Minus (JACOB DAVICH) have set out to gain control of the cerebral planet by destroying all dreams, including Sharkboy and Lavagirl. From that point on, Max rediscovers his forgotten and discarded dreams as he joins forces with his two new friends in battling Mr. Electric and his minions to save Planet Drool. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Fans of the "Spy Kids" films may think this one looks similar in nature and thus might want to see it, while the 3-D element might entice others. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG For mild action and some rude humor. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: CAYDEN BOYD plays a picked-on but imaginative fourth grader who gets to save the day when he accompanies Sharkboy and Lavagirl to their planet and sets out to thwart Mr. Electric's plans. TAYLOR LAUTNER plays a half-boy, half shark with features of both species and somewhat of an angry temperament. He battles Mr. Electric and his minions to try to save the planet. TAYLOR DOOLEY plays his super-heroic partner who can control lava and similarly fights to save the planet, but questions who and what she really is. GEORGE LOPEZ plays both Max's elementary school teacher who thinks he dreams too much as well as the main villain on Planet Drool who wants to destroy all dreams there. JACOB DAVICH plays both the school bully who picks on Max as well as another villain on Planet Drool who's in cahoots with Mr. Electric. DAVID ARQUETTE AND KRISTIN DAVIS play Max's parents who are constantly fighting and appeared headed toward a separation or divorce, but finally make amends by the time the story ends. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this action/adventure flick aimed at kids that's rated PG. Various colorful phrases are present, while a boy comments on Lavagirl being "hot." The kids battle various villains and animated electrical plugs and other such oversized items on an imaginary planet (with punches, kicks and more, while some of the kids receive electrical jolts) while a villain is destroyed by being frozen and then shattering into many small pieces of debris. Some of that material, some of the visuals (especially as presented in 3-D), and other moments of peril may be unsettling, suspenseful or maybe even scary to very young viewers, but probably not to others. The various bits of action and stunts might be enticing for some kids to imitate, as might some of the other behavior. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, including some kids who bully and otherwise pick on and belittle a fellow student. Some tense family material is present in a brief scene of parents arguing and a boy being separated from his father, while some crude humor is present. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE None. BLOOD/GORE A kid makes a comment, "We all blew chunks" (vomited). A kid mocks Max's characters and calls them "Barf boy and vomit girl." Mr. Electricidad states that there are more "boogers" on his daughter's homework than actual homework. Some of the topography on Planet Drool consists of huge brains as the landscape (that might be gross looking to some kids). Sharkboy offers a several-weeks old, rotten fish to Max to eat when the latter is hungry (Max turns it down). Mr. Electric tells others to "stand back" and then lets out an electric fart, sheepishly then stating, "That was me." As Lavagirl steps forward, her leg (sans the foot) comes out of her boot, but she puts it back in and is no worse for the wear (there was a glowing stump -- briefly seen -- but no blood or other gore). There's a brain storm where various human brains rain down on the characters. Minus then throws one (that lands on the camera in 3-D), slowly sliding off the lens and leaving a gooey, slime trail on it. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Other students throw balled up paper at Max after he tells them his "what happened to me over the summer" story of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in class. Linus purposefully bumps into Max at school, knocking him to the floor. A kid mocks Max and says half-dork, half-boy equals "dorkboy." When Max walks up, Linus meanly states (in front of others) that they'll pretend Max doesn't exist. Linus and other kids chase Max through a playground, trying to grab and take away his dream journal. They eventually succeed and we later see that Linus marked all over Max's pages. A kid mocks Max's characters and calls them "Barf boy and vomit girl." Mr. Electric and his minions are determined to destroy all dreams on Planet Drool. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed here and under "Violence" may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger viewers (with the 3-D potentially exacerbating that effect), but probably not to anyone else. Some of the film's imaginative visuals (the look of Mr. Electric, etc.) may be a little unsettling or even possibly scary to very young kids (but not at all to older ones). We see a flashback to how Sharkboy became who he is, with a tornado striking and destroying the sea station he, his dad and others are on. We then see the boy and his father as they're separated in rafts during the storm. A bunch of sharks then arrive around the kid, but since he fed them in the past, they take him in and raise him (they speak English to him). Linus and other kids chase Max through a playground, trying to grab and take away his dream journal. They eventually succeed and we later see that Linus marked all over Max's pages. A bad storm approaches the school, with the sudden high winds blowing all of the windows open. Papers are flying everywhere and we see a funnel cloud approaching the building (as suspenseful music plays on the soundtrack), with Sharkboy and Lavagirl suddenly blasting through the windows. A dark cloud approaches on Planet Drool and Max, Sharkboy and Lavagirl run away. Various kids on Planet Drool are stuck in a non-stop rollercoaster to keep them from sleeping and thus dreaming (the thought might be unsettling for some younger kids who are scared of or anxious about such rides). Mr. Electric is a large being, with a huge video projected head of Max's schoolteacher and arms and legs made out of electricity with large metal claws as hands. Various large electrical cord plugs come at our group, with Sharkboy battling many of them, punching some and flipping over another one. One, however, wraps around and throws him aside. Meanwhile, Lavagirl keeps shooting lava blasts at Mr. Electric, but an electrical charge from him then zaps her backwards. A large, electrical plug comes after Max. Sharkboy, however, lands on and smashes that plug. Mr. Electric picks up Max, Sharkboy and Lavagirl to take them to the dream graveyard and drops them over the edge, but they're okay. We hear that all dreams are being destroyed on Planet Drool. Some kids may be unsettled by the notion of forgotten dreams being stuck in a dream graveyard. Sharkboy, Lavagirl and Max all jump from a fast-moving train on Planet Drool that then crashes into a "hillside" (all are okay). They land on an enormous cookie, but then hear thunderous footsteps as giant versions of Max's parents arrive and grab the cookie from its river of milk. The three jump off it just in time and land in some frosting. "Plug hounds" (electrical plugs with somewhat of a canine appearance) arrive with Mr. Electric and he sends them after Max and his friends. An adventure-filled fight then breaks out between the two groups, with Sharkboy hitting and kicking many plug hounds and hitting others with a pole. Lavagirl battles others with hot lava, with one grabbing her, while two knock down Sharkboy and then shock him. Max also hits a few, but ends up being shocked as well (but all are okay). As Lavagirl steps forward, her leg (sans the foot) comes out of her boot, but she puts it back in and is no worse for the wear (there was a glowing stump -- briefly seen -- but no blood or other gore). Max, Sharkboy and Lavagirl attempt to cross a very long and very high bridge made of ice. Lavagirl's sneeze blows Sharkboy back and he dangles from the edge of the bridge and then Lavagirl's heat ends up causing it to melt and collapse and they race across it. We see the kids' POV of Mr. Electric and his mechanical claws coming right at them as he states, "Lights out." We next see them imprisoned in a large cage. Some enormous, blocky ice guards come to life. We see Lavagirl become frozen from the powers of a powerful crystal. Some electric "eels" race after Sharkboy and then shock him underwater. He loses consciousness and sinks, but Lavagirl rescues him. A last gasp of air is let out and both then seem dead (but are later okay, although younger kids may be worried about them). Sharkboy races Lavagirl to a volcano to resuscitate her. A bridge breaks and Minus falls a long way, but Max rescues him. We return from the dream world of Planet Drool to the classroom where the tornado is still in full progress. We then see that Mr. Electric has returned with Max and the others and is menacingly approaching the school. During this, Max's mom tries to hold onto his dad to avoid being sucked into the tornado, with the latter telling the former not to leave. The mom says she thought that's what he wanted (based on the earlier comment), but he says it's not true. The mom is then sucked into the spinning funnel cloud, but Lavagirl rescues her, while Max's dad is then sucked into it and Sharkboy rescues him. GUNS/WEAPONS None of the traditional sort, although Lavagirl can shoot fire/lava at others from her hands and Mr. Electric can do the same with jolts of electricity. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Dork," "Dork boy," "We all blew chunks," "Loser world," "Barf boy and vomit girl," "Showtime," "Fool," "Hot-head," "You little bleep" (said just like that), "How about a knuckle sandwich?" "I'm fire, she's ice," "This place inflames me," "Lights out," "Blah, blah, blah," "He's a cold fish," "Cool it, Lavagirl," "You snooze, you lose," "Watt's up?" (for "what's up"), "Let's blow the roof off this place," "Brain fart" and "Hertz" (for "hurts"). All of the action, fighting and other stunts and related behavior might be enticing for some kids to imitate. Various kids bully and pick on Max. A kid blows a raspberry. A kid mocks Max and says half-dork, half-boy equals "dorkboy." A male student spots Lavagirl and states, "She's hot." Sharkboy scrapes his long claws down the chalkboard. Sharkboy wants to punch Max to make him sleep (and thus dream and get them out of their predicament), but doesn't. Mr. Electric tells others to "stand back" and then lets out an electric fart, sheepishly then stating, "That was me." Lavagirl has pink hair. JUMP SCENES Some of the various 3-D effects that pop out of the screen might startle some younger viewers. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A heavy amount of suspenseful, ominous and action music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY None. SEX/NUDITY A male student spots Lavagirl and states, "She's hot." SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES We see a flashback to how Sharkboy became who he is, with a tornado striking and destroying the sea station he, his dad and others are on. We then see the boy and his father as they're separated in rafts during the storm. A bunch of sharks then arrive around the kid, but since he fed them in the past, they take him in and raise him (they speak English to him). We see Max's parents arguing, with his father telling his mother, "Maybe you should just leave." After Max's dad says that kids need their dreams, Max's mom says that kids need to grow up. Max tells Sharkboy that his (Max's) father is at the bottom of the ocean (making us think he's dead), but Max then says he's in a submarine. We return from the dream world of Planet Drool to the classroom where the tornado is still in full progress. During this, Max's mom tries to hold onto his dad to avoid being sucked into the tornado, with the latter telling the former not to leave. The mom says she thought that's what he wanted (based on the earlier comment), but he says it's not true. The mom is then sucked into the spinning funnel cloud, but Lavagirl rescues her, while Max's dad is then sucked into it and Sharkboy rescues him. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The shark advice given to Sharkboy of always going forward, never go back. We see Max's parents arguing, with his father telling his mother, "Maybe you should just leave." The comment that dreaming keeps you from seeing what's right here in front of you. After Max's dad says that kids need their dreams, Max's mom says that kids need to grow up. The comment that everything that is or was started with a dream. We hear that all dreams are being destroyed on Planet Drool. The notion that you have to make your dreams come true. Lavagirl states that she need to know who she is, and wonders if and sometimes thinks she must be evil due to having such lava-based powers. The notion that daydreams are just dreaming with your eyes open. The comment about not smashing other's dreams. The similarities to "The Wizard of Oz." There's a comment that for every person who dreams up the light bulb, another dreams up the atomic bomb. The notion of dreaming a better dream and then working to make it real. VIOLENCE Other students throw balled up paper at Max after he tells them his "what happened to me over the summer" story of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in class. Linus purposefully bumps into Max at school, knocking him to the floor. Linus and other kids chase Max through a playground, trying to grab and take away his dream journal. They eventually succeed and we later see that Linus marked all over Max's pages. While up on a jungle gym rope pyramid of sorts, Max slips and lands hard on his crotch on one of the ropes. Kids throw paper again at Max. Max throws his journal and it hits Linus on the head. Various large electrical cord plugs come at our group, with Sharkboy battling many of them, punching some and flipping over another one. One, however, wraps around and throws him aside. Meanwhile, Lavagirl keeps shooting lava blasts at Mr. Electric, but an electrical charge from him then zaps her backwards. A large, electrical plug comes after Max. Sharkboy, however, lands on and smashes that plug. Mr. Electric picks up Max, Sharkboy and Lavagirl to take them to the dream graveyard and drops them over the edge, but they're okay. Sharkboy punches the fake bird that thrusts out of a cuckoo clock at him. Sharkboy lands hard on the ground along with Max who lands on Sharkboy, bending his shark fin (but both are okay). Lavagirl uses a flame to Max's butt to wake him up. "Plug hounds" (electrical plugs with somewhat of a canine appearance) arrive with Mr. Electric and he sends them after Max and his friends. An adventure-filled fight then breaks out between the two groups, with Sharkboy hitting and kicking many plug hounds and hitting others with a pole. Lavagirl battles others with hot lava, with one grabbing her, while two knock down Sharkboy and then shock him. Max also hits a few, but ends up being shocked as well (but all are okay). When Sharkboy says that an ice princess is the most beautiful creature, Lavagirl zaps him on the butt with some lava. Sharkboy kicks an electrical "eel." Lavagirl gets Sharkboy into a shark feeding frenzy so that he'll tear apart the cage holding them and they'll be able to escape. Some electric "eels" race after Sharkboy and then shock him underwater. He loses consciousness and sinks, but Lavagirl rescues him. A last gasp of air is let out and both then seem dead (but are later okay, although younger kids may be worried about them). Max and Minus get into a dream battle on the planet. Many sharks bite Mr. Electric in the water. Mr. Electric zaps Linus with an electrical charge, but the kid is okay. Marissa freezes Mr. Electric who then shatters into many small pieces. Reviewed May 25, 2005 / Posted June 10, 2005

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