Should you bring the kids? Yes. The action might be too much for kids 5 and younger, but just right for older kids. And the imagination in this movie kicks the usual kid-flick fare up a notch. For more info, see "Bringing the Kids" below.

THE STORY: Set in 1960's New England, this movie follows the adventures of Arthur (Freddie Highmore), a 10-year-old boy who's staying with his kooky Granny (Mia Farrow) while his parents are in the big city looking for jobs. The storyline mixes real people with computer-generated people, and it makes for fun movie watching.

After his grandpa disappeared, his granny was left to deal with bill collectors and land barons. But Arthur is determined to keep a real estate developer from taking their home, a beautiful old farmhouse filled with antiques and knick-knacks from all parts of the world.

He finds a solution buried in the pages of his grandpa’s diary – a treasure trove of words and pictures describing the Minimoys, a tribe of miniature people less than an inch tall. Before Arthur knows it, he's shrunk down to their size and venturing into their world – beneath Granny's back yard!

Once there, Arthur encounters a miniature kingdom of tiny people, including a noble king (Robert DeNiro), his sassy daughter, Princess Selenia (Madonna), her boyish but 300-year-old brother, Betameche (Jimmy Fallon), a good wizard, Miro (Harvey Keitel), a bad wizard, Maltazard (David Bowie), and all manner of elves and other creatures. According to the diary, there's also a mess 'o rubies buried somewhere in the kingdom – enough for Granny to pay off the bill collectors.

Once Arthur drops (literally) into the kingdom, he changes from a real boy into a CGI-animated hobbit of sorts. And he realizes there might be a win-win situation here. He needs the rubies, and the kingdom needs relief from the evil Maltazard (who looks amazingly like David Bowie himself), who rules over the forbidden city of Necropolis. That's also where the rubies are stashed.

So Arthur, Selenia, and Betameche set out to find the jewels, encountering such colorful characters as Max (Snoop Dogg) and Koolomassai (Anthony Anderson) along the way.

THE WRAP-UP: This movie is a welcome change from recent kid-flicks that fell flat as a pancake. The CGI characters – Shrek-like figures with shocks of wild hair and ATTITUDE – are edgy and unique. Feisty Princess Selenia doesn't wait for a man to take action – she takes action herself. And the storyline moves along, with enough action and tension to keep kids – and adults -- from getting bored.

BRINGING THE KIDS:

PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): Some of the characters and action might be scary for preschoolers. Various creatures battle each other with swords and wizardry, and Arthur encounters plenty of peril on his journey – most notably, a flood that threatens to wipe out the entire kingdom. A better fantasy world for this age group is the "My Little Pony" series (ok, it's sugary, but nary a sword or evil creature anywhere).

GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6 - 10): This movie is perfect for grade-schoolers. It's not only visually appealing – who wouldn't love a subterranean kingdom in their back yard? – but the characters have attitude and aren't afraid to show it. The takeaway message: Arthur knows he has to do something to save Granny's farm, so he goes about the business of doing it. And has a lot of fun along the way. The movie might also nudge kids to read the "Arthur" books by Patrice and Celine Garcia; some were co-authored by director Luc Besson.

TWEEN / TEEN (ages 11+): This movie really skews younger, but it still has appeal for young-at-heart tweens and teens (and 46-year-old moms). It's never boring. It boasts a great voice cast. And there's even a little romance between Selenia and Arthur.

SCORE: 3 out of 4 Reels