Writer director Robert Rodriguez says of the story, "Spy Kids 3D was released and had become successful, so I got a call from Bob Weinstein at Dimension asking if I had any other ideas for a 3D family film. I didn't, but was put on the spot. I looked over at [my seven-year-old son] who was drawing his Sharkboy children's book, and I asked Bob, 'How about the adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl ... in 3D?'"

From the dreamland of a grade school kid (Max) comes two daydream heroes. At first they make Max the class geek, but eventually of course, Max's dreamland breaks into schoolhouse reality.

Like Rodriguez's other 3D family films, this one has momentary lapses of 2D: blue-red glasses on, blue-red glasses off. Mostly this works.

The dreamland is drawn in broad strokes, space, rockets, carnival (a little like Jimmy Neutron) and robots (a little like Robots). Personally, I'm getting a little tired of the built in amusement park ride/film package, but I'm not a kid.

Paced well, the film seldom slows enough to bore a kid. And while Rodriguez lays the dream-related puns on heavily and even plants some more "thought-proking" seeds, he never quite commits to giving the film a more than surface depth. For this reason, adults may remain only mildly amused. But again, this is a family film.

As an adult, I'd give the production a B, but I think kids may enjoy it more, and it does have a positive message.

The 3D itself gives the film a tad dreamier feel, but isn't anything spectacular technically, nor is it clear of ghosting. That said, the 2D stuff has a juicy Nickelodeon color punch to it.

Lastly, Taylor Lautner has some real nice moves as Sharkboy and Taylor Dooley, a winning smile. Showing off some decent child acting chops, Jacob Davich as Minus (the kid enemy).