Shark Boy and Lava Girl
The story of Max, a 10-year-old outcast, who escapes his lonely world when his dreams magically come to life. Shunned by his classmates and forced to spend his summer vacation alone, Max and his two imaginary friends, Shark Boy, a half-breed of boy and shark who was raised by great whites, and Lava Girl, with flaming hair and hands that melt everything she touches, embark on a mission to prove to the world that all it takes is a dream to make anything a reality.
In the world of make believe, a boy (Taylor Lautner) is raised by sharks. He grows gills, razor teeth, a fin out of his back. Lavagirl (Taylor Dooley) is borne of Lava and the volcanoes. They are both the creation of an imaginative introverted boy.
Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D DVD, 2D DVD and UMD for PSP
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D DVD
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl (2D DVD Version Only)
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl [UMD for PSP]
Sharkboy and Lavagirl: Customer Reviews
kid addiction, by L. Gold
I’m surprised at all the adults bashing this movie because THEY didn’t like it! What I loved about this movie is that it does seem to cater entirely to childrens fantasies. I’ve seen many children watch it (because during my sons’ obsession with it he had to show it to everyone!)and they were all mesmerized by it. I’ve even enjoyed it. The 3-D version is pointless though because unless you tweak your tv just right it is poor quality. Don’t bother with that, just watch the 2-D version that is on the same disk. It’s still great in 2-D. Little girls like this movie too, but a must have if you have little boys!
A highly imaginative, entertaining film for kids of all ages, by Daniel Jolley
Thanks to Sin City, I’m now a Robert Rodriguez fan, so I took advantage of my chance to give The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl a try. I can’t comment on the 3-D effects because I only saw the 2-D version. I can say, however, that I really got a kick out of this movie. I would have to disagree with those who say the story sort of loses traction in the final stages. What you have to remember is that this story, as it is presented, is a story borne of a young boy’s imagination. It’s just not in the spirit of things to go in expecting a completely logical ending to a story dreamed up by a fourth-grade kid. I do agree that the main character’s parents, played by David Arquette and Kristen Davis, are sort of flat, but I thought all of the other actors really came through pretty strongly. OK, Sharkboy (Taylor Lautner) could really get annoying at times, but that Lavagirl really lights up the screen; I fully expect to see Taylor Dooley flashing that winning smile of hers in many a film for years to come. As for George Lopez (in a dual role), I thought he was great and played especially well to the target audience, which is, after all, youngsters (and us adults desperately trying to keep our inner child alive).
Max (Cayden Boyd) is pretty easy to identify with. His parents bicker all the time, the other kids at school pick on him and make fun of him, and he’s well on his way to developing a real “why me?” mentality. His only escape from the real world comes in the form of his highly imaginative dreams. It’s all there in his dream journal - how he unexpectedly discovered Sharkboy while fishing, how Lavagirl appeared and took Sharkboy back with her to Planet Drool in order to help save the planet, and how he declined to go with them because, well, he had to go back to school. It all makes for a great story, but Max doesn’t win any friends by telling the story of Lavagirl and Sharkboy in the form of his “what I did over the summer” oral report. The class bully steals his journal, and it starts to look like Max won’t even have the escape valve of his elaborates dreams to get him through the coming days of ridicule and general unhappiness.
It’s just about then that Sharkboy and Lavagirl show up unexpectedly, tell Max they need his help, and whisk him away to Planet Drool, where Mr. Electric and his power plug army are close to succeeding in bringing perpetual darkness to what should be the ultimate kids’ playground of a planet. That’s when the adventure really begins, with many a wonderful setting brought to vivid, very colorful life on the screen. Unfortunately for Max, he doesn’t exactly know what to do to stop Mr. Electric (or the evil overseer who’s really running the show). He must reclaim his stolen dreams before “remembering” all of his unique powers.
In a way, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl is sort of a modern variation on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, as Planet Drool is a wonderland for the eyes. There is plenty of action as the trio of heroes fight off the forces of darkness (although I’m not clear on who taught Sharkboy martial arts, seeing as how he was raised by sharks and all), there are numerous laughs to be had by children of all ages, and some actual life lessons are imparted by the time everything is said and done. Imagination is important, especially for a child, but you have to work to make your dreams come true rather than merely use them as an escape; your enemies aren’t so bad that you can’t find a common ground with them; finding your purpose in life is integral to making you happy; etc. To me, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl qualifies as a wonderfully entertaining family-friendly film that kids (and a fair share of adults) should really enjoy.
Dreams and Magical Realities, by Rebecca Johnson
Sharkboy and Lavagirl is like a painting without 3D glasses. Put on the glasses and you experience a magical reality where dreams change your world and where the challenge is to overcome the nightmares.
This movie is as much about facing fears and positive thinking as it is about special effects. It is especially impressive in this regard, with witty dialogue and spontaneous and unexpected turns of event.
I found Lavagirl to be a beautiful character with a loving heart and playful outlook on life. She sometimes forgets her powers and they use this for comic effect. She seems a little lost at first, as if seeking her greater purpose all while enjoying a playful combative interchange with Sharkboy.
The scenes take place in a school and in a magical dream reality. The characters move from real life to dreams in an instant and you can fall asleep and dream up a new reality in your dreams. It is all very fun and I found myself laughing throughout at the innocent humor and creative surprises. I think adults will get the “brainstorm” joke even more than children would and there is plenty of humor for adults and kids to enjoy. I also thought there were some amazingly profound moments during the conversations and if you realize what it would take to say those lines to someone who is a bully, that in itself should impress.
On the fun visual side, lands of cookies and milk present culinary adventures as Lavagirl, Sharkboy and Daydreamer Max float through a world on a huge chocolate chip cookie. Then you have a volcano and worlds of imagination reminiscent of a theme park ride. There is a mildy dark nemesis who is the bully and he aggravates the situation by appearing in Max’s dreams. He steals Max’s diary. I loved that Max had a dream journal and how reading through the journal/diary made his dreams come true. Changing the dreams, changed the settings and this presents the challenge.
The amazing thing about this movie is how it was inspired by a child’s imagination and when you watch the extras, I think you will be even more impressed. I would love to see more movies like this because it reminds me of the hope we have as children and how we can still dream our worlds into life as adults. I think this movie gives children an empowering message and to be honest, some of the issues discussed in this movie could change a child’s world for the better. Max is a great role model and his actions speak of a wisdom far beyond his years. As Max learns to navigate his own imagination, he is really teaching children amazing lessons about how to navigate life.
Highly Recommended along with the 3D glasses!
Shark Boy and Lava Girl: Frequently Bought Together
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D DVD ~ Cayden Boyd
Spy Kids 3-D Game Over (Two-Disc Collector’s Series) DVD ~ Daryl Sabara
