Rating: 3/5
The popular film “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D” enchanted millions of children in the early 2000s. The movie “We Can Be Heroes,” a Netflix Original released on Dec. 25, borrows characters and themes from the original film. This children’s film tells about the children of the Heroics, a team of superheroes, honing their inherited powers to prevent an evil alien takeover.
Though the film is not terrible, fans of the original movie cannot help but pose questions about the logic of the second film. Many unanswered questions hinder the movie, such as what happened to Max, the main character in the original movie, who brought characters and superpowers into existence by dreaming them up, or how the Heroics team came about.
After researching the purpose of the film and understanding the logic behind making a sequel, the director’s intention was to make it an independent film with similar elements to the original movie. Though it makes sense as to why the film raises many unanswered questions, it still does not do justice to the characters Sharkboy and Lavagirl and their background, as well as the fact that without Max and his dreams, the entire concept of superheroes would cease to exist.
The film, directed by Robert Rodriguez, has similar elements from the director’s previous movies, like “Spy Kids,” which focus on children with unique abilities working to save their parents. This overused theme makes the movie not only feel repetitive but bland as well since there are no obvious creative elements that make the movie an exciting watch.
It was also disappointing to see Sharkboy and Lavagirl as side characters in the film, which was likely the main reason many children intended to watch the movie. Taylor Lautner, the original actor for Sharkboy, turned down the role for “We Can Be Heroes” for the same reason that Sharkboy was merely a side character. The new actor who filled in for Sharkboy’s role kept his mask on for the duration of the movie, which was not only awkward but also disappointing.
As for the children, their powers and personalities were not original, nor were they exciting to watch in the interesting circumstances the evil aliens put them in. Their dialogue was stiff, and their chemistry seemed forced. The only interesting part was at the end of the movie when the children finally began to work together to defeat the villains. Though the movie was overall a disappointment, there were a few entertaining scenes. Guppy, Sharkboy and Lavagirl’s daughter, was an adorable addition to the storyline, especially her short temper when fighting the aliens. At the end of the movie, the reunion of the children and their parents was heartwarming, especially Slo-Mo and his father, Blinding Fast, who reunited with a teary hug.
The movie teaches many morals that the younger audience might benefit from. There are morals of teamwork, leadership by example, and hard work, which are valuable to teach younger children through a fantastical world of fiction. For example, the main character, Missy Moreno, does not have any supernatural powers but is able to lead the team of children with exceptional abilities headfirst into danger, proving that bravery and determination are some of the most important traits a person can have.
As an avid fan of the original film, the initial excitement of watching the second film, “We Can Be Heroes,” wore out after watching its failed attempt at bringing back characters who warmed millions of children’s hearts. The film seems to be more for the children of today rather than the fans of the original story. Robert Rodriguez, a director of many cherished movies, did not do justice to the original film, pushing fans to believe it would have been better to keep Sharkboy and Lavagirl’s story in the past rather than producing such an unfulfilling movie.
