Rodriguez takes another peek at 3-dimensional cinema

By: Lauren McLean

Posted: 6/3/05

From the writer and director of the "Spy Kids" trilogy, Robert Rodriguez, comes another 3-D adventure. This time, our three-dimensional journey is taken by 10-year-old Max, played by Cayden Boyd, who teams up with his two imaginary pals, Shark Boy and Lava Girl, to escape the everyday worries of his no-fun summer in his own little fantasy world, in "The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D".

Last September, I had the privilege of working alongside the acclaimed writer, director, producer Robert Rodriguez while on co-op in Austin, Texas. Since Rodriguez was also working on "Sin City" at the time, it was a wonder what the finished product would look like after seeing him bouncing from one film to the next. Needless to say, working closely on this project, it's easy to see how much there is to making a film. I was anxiously waiting to see the outcome of this film considering Rodriguez was taking on so much at once. Much to my dismay, the turnout was less than exceptional.

The script, written by Rodriguez, is based on the stories of his oldest son, Racer. This imaginary world of a seven-year-old boy comes to life in the form of Planet Drool. Title superheroes Shark Boy and Lava Girl demonstrate the importance of dreams and learning the power of turning them into reality while partnering up with Max to save their homeland.

If viewers are expecting this film to be anything like "Spy Kids", they might be asking for a bit much when it comes to Rodriguez's latest attempt at reinvigorating the once popular form of cinema in his latest 3-D effort. His previous work in the "Spy Kids" trilogy proved his ability to handle this form of film making and its success is enough to generate a loyal audience to see what else he has up his sleeve because, believe it or not, even with all the hype that surrounded the recent release of "Sin City", it's "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over" that holds the record for the biggest opening weekend for a Rodriguez film.

A step down from "Spy Kids" if you will, "The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D" doesn't provide much surprise or suspense for that matter. The plot is very dull and predictable, and the 3-D sequences, which were few and far between, were far from exciting. The movie is shot almost entirely on green screens, so the imagination of the actors involved and the talent of Rodriguez's directing is what could make or break the film. And no, it didn't make the movie.

The idea for "The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl" isn't very extravagant.... It's simple, actually. But how complex does a plot really need to be in order to cater to a child audience? One could overlook that considering that it is a children's movie, but if you really want to pull apart the movie and look at in a technical and distinctly critical standpoint (which I religiously do while reviewing any kind of movie), you'll see that it's not all that impressive. The effects, acting, and cinematography certainly aren't anything to write home about. It's quite a disappointment compared to his previous foray in children's films.

Despite the fact that I was behind the scenes working on this project, I am a bit disappointed with the final piece. The art direction was beautifully done, but the dragging plot line and dialogue mixed with all of the unenthusiastic acting takes away from any potential it may have had. It's a mediocre children's film; nothing more, nothing less.

Rating: 4 Triangles