Parents' Guide to The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D

Movie PG 2005 94 minutes
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Common Sense Media By Common Sense Media , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 7+

Kids will love the 3-D aspect of this movie.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 7+?

Any Positive Content?

  • The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D Trailer

Parent and Kid Reviews

See all
age 7+

Based on 19 parent reviews

Parents say that while the movie can be colorful and appealing to younger children, it features inappropriate themes and visuals that may be distressing for sensitive viewers. Critics often mention the simplistic story and subpar CGI, but it does present a positive message about imagination and friendship, appealing primarily to kids rather than adult audiences.

  • colorful visuals
  • inappropriate themes
  • simplistic storytelling
  • positive messages
  • age sensitivity
Summarized with AI
 

 

See all 19 parent reviews
age 6+

Based on 72 kid reviews

Kids say this film is a lovable yet perplexing experience, enjoyed by younger audiences for its imaginative concept despite its poor CGI and dense storytelling. While many adults view it as a painful watch filled with juvenile humor and nonsensical narrative, nostalgic viewers appreciate its cheerful messages about dreams and creativity, often contributing to a mixed reception.

  • imaginative concept
  • poor CGI
  • juvenile humor
  • nostalgic appeal
  • mixed reception
  • child-friendly
Summarized with AI
 

 

See all 72 kid reviews

What's the Story?

Shy 10-year-old Max (Cayden Boyd) loses himself in an elaborate fantasy world to escape the classmates who bully him and the constant bickering of his parents (David Arquette and Kristin Davis). Max's fourth grade teacher, Mr. Electricidad (George Lopez) encourages Max to keep recording his dreams, but Max makes the mistake of sharing the adventures of Sharkboy (Taylor Lautner) and Lavagirl (Taylor Dooley) with his class -- and of course no one believes that Max is friends with a boy who was raised by sharks and a girl with supernatural powers who emits red-hot rocks. But then Sharkboy and Lavagirl show up at school one stormy day and plead with Max to come with them to the three-dimensional Planet Drool -- Max's imagination and dreams are the only thing that can save their planet. Max heads to a paradise filled with roller coasters, cool gadgets like a fudge-spewing motorbike, and the delicious Land of Milk and Cookies to help his friends defeat the nefarious Mr. Electric and keep his dreams alive.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 19 ):
Kids say ( 72 ):

THE ADVENTURES OF SHARKBOY AND LAVAGIRL IN 3-D may not be Oscar-worthy, but it will definitely please its target audience of elementary-school kids. The novelty of using 3-D glasses alone will make it irresistible; many of today's children have never had the opportunity to see action literally jump out of the screen at them, and they'll be amazed by the eye-popping experience. They'll also get a kick out of the story, which was "based on the intergalactic journeys and superhero stories created by director Robert Rodriguez (Spy Kids)'s 7-year-old son Racer Max."

The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D borrows heavily from The Wizard of Oz -- from the tornado that sets the action into motion to the appearance of familiar faces in the alternate world (Max's teacher, the class bully, and the object of Max's affection all have important roles in Planet Drool), many parts of the movie feel a little too familiar. But there are enough cool special effects and gadgets to captivate kids, and enough clever references to amuse parents (the kids take The Train Of Thought, float through The Stream of Consciousness, and experience a Brain Storm -- with brains raining from above due to an excess of creativity). The message about following your dreams becomes heavy-handed at times, but kids will be too busy taking in the 3-D images and losing themselves in a vibrant fantasy playground to notice.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the fact that this movie was based on the dreams and fantasies of the director's 7-year-old son -- which of your dreams is worthy of a movie? They could also talk about the importance of imagination and turning dreams into reality. Some kids may be inspired to start keep their own dream journal, just like Max.

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D Poster Image

What to Watch Next

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate