A fourth-grade dreamer helps to save the dayBad visuals spoil tale of a dreamer

The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D is a case of a yummy yarn spoiled by cheesy visuals.

This Robert Rodriguez (Spy Kids, Sin City) movie is inspired by a story from his son, Racer, age 8. While its by-kids/for-kids authenticity is the movie's principal appeal, shouldn't the imagery be more sophisticated than that on a Candyland game board? And why gimmick it up with that 1950s not-so-special effect, 3-D?

Shark Boy and Lava Girl are the imaginary heroes of Max (Cayden Boyd), a fourth-grade dreamer who, his teacher and parents protest, lives too much in his head and not enough in his classroom. Timid Max dreams of being Shark Boy, the guy with the lethal bite, and Lava Girl, the fuchsia-tressed gal unashamed by eruptions of anger and fire.

In class, Max has two problems, a bully boy (Jacob Davich) and a demanding teacher (George Lopez). At home, Max also has two problems, a mother (Kristin Davis) and a father (David Arquette) planning to divorce. Little wonder that Max retreats to his dreamworld, the Planet Drool.

Although it looks it, Planet Drool is not made of cheese, but of other materials, edible and otherwise.

It is a place where Max rides a literal Train of Thought across milk rivers and through cookie mountains.

It is a place where when someone has a brainstorm, brains literally rain from the skies.

It is a place where Max swims in a literal Stream of Consciousness (try explaining that one to your 9-year-old) that carries him from one unappetizing computer-generated set piece to the next.

Alas, Max finds that the conflicts of his waking life haunt his dreams. Drool is ruled by a tyrant (Lopez) and a bully boy (Davich). Instead of Shark Boy (Taylor Lautner) and Lava Girl (Taylor Dooley) coming to the aid of Max on Drool, Max's superheroes need aid from him.

Thus Max begins the movie by using his imagination as an escape from his problems and ends the movie by using it as a means to solve them. Great moral; not-so-good movie.

Contact movie critic Carrie Rickey

at 215-854-5402 or crickey@phillynews.com.

Read her recent work at http://go.philly.com/carrierickey.

The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D

** (out of four stars)

Produced by Elizabeth Avellan and Robert Rodriguez, directed by Robert Rodriguez, written by Racer Rodriguez and Robert Rodriguez, photography by Robert Rodriguez, music by John Debney and Graeme Revell, distributed by Dimension Films.

Running time: 1 hour, 34 mins.

Max. . . Cayden Boyd

Minus. . . Jacob Davich

Lava Girl. . . Taylor Dooley

Shark Boy. . . Taylor Lautner

Mr. E. . . George Lopez

Parent's guide: PG (action sequences intense for kids under 6)

Playing at: area theaters