Should you bring the kids? My kids (9 and 12) liked this movie and laughed at the crude humor, but I thought it should have gone straight to DVD. The similar "Sky High" is a much better movie. For more info, see "Bringing the Kids" below.

THE STORY: Thirty years ago, Jack Shepard (Tim Allen) was known as Captain Zoom for his incredible speed. At a secret facility known as Area 52, Jack led a group of superheroes known as Team Zenith, created by General Larraby (Rip Torn) and scientist Dr. Grant (Chevy Chase). By subjecting the group to gamma-13 radiation, the government enhanced the kids' natural gifts, but also turned one, Concussion (Kevin Zegers, who shined in "Transamerica"), into a villain. To complicate things further, he was Jack's brother.

Concussion murdered most of the team before being sucked into a vortex and presumed dead. Jack was tossed out of the program and went on to live a life of bitter regret.

Now, it appears that Concussion is still alive and coming back to take revenge. So Larraby reactivates the Zenith program and recruits has-been Jack to train a new team of superhero kids: 16-year-old Summer Jones (Kate Mara) is a telepath who can move objects with her mind; 17-year-old Dylan West (Michael Cassidy of "The O.C.") can make himself vanish; chubby 12-year-old Tucker Williams (Spencer Breslin), can make parts of his body expand to superhuman size; and bratty 6-year-old Cindy Collins (Ryan Newman) has super strength.

The kids are whisked away to Area 52 to learn how to control their powers – and face Concussion when he returns (although they don't know this). Jack wants nothing to do with it, but an ultimatum of prison (and a $500,000 paycheck) provide all the motivation he needs. It doesn't hurt that he gets to work with the klutzy and beautiful psychologist Marsha Holloway (Courteney Cox).

THE WRAP-UP: The young superheroes are somewhat appealing, but this movie falls flat on just about every other account. The plot is predictable and covers the usual themes of teen angst, fitting in, and finding your own gifts. Chevy Chase still isn't funny, Rip Torn is like a maniacal cartoon character, and Tim Allen needs to find a different niche other than family movies – maybe some obscure indie films with more of a "Napoleon Dynamite" flare. Based on Jason Lethcoe's comic-book for young adults and featuring dated tunes by Smash Mouth, this movie is harmless fun for kids, but not a whole lot of new material here.

PARENTS NEED TO KNOW: There's a lot of disrespectful behavior from both the adults and kids in this movie. Before warming up to the kids, Jack is downright mean, calling them names and treating them badly. There's also the usual crude behavior involving farting, burping, and a huge snot-bubble that bursts and covers everyone with green goo. Yeah, nice. In one scene, the kids trap a scientist in an environmental simulator and subject him to falling rocks, a cyclone and rainstorm, then laugh at him. Outtakes during the end credits show the cast singing, "We like to poo in our pants." Also, the parents in this movie are conspicuously missing, and the superheroes form their own "family".

Comic-book style violence includes kicking, punching, throwing, and shattering glass. While being recruited, Jack is shot with a dart gun that makes him unconscious. Later, while running at superhuman speed, he trips and falls, tumbling across the desert. Also, at the end of the movie, Concussion gets knocked around, hit with a metal pole, and spun into a whirlwind.

BRINGING THE KIDS:

PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): Because the storyline includes grown-up issues involving families, coming of age, and the like, preschoolers will probably be bored after the first five minutes. For some tot-friendly superheroes, check out "Lazy Town," a clever TV series about eight-year old Stephanie, caught between a health-nut superhero and the world's laziest bad guy. This is a colorful show with a good message about staying healthy and finding balance. Also, "Higglytown Heroes," another TV series that shows who the REAL superheroes are – firefighters, plumbers, and telephone operators in our own towns. Check local TV listings for these shows.

GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6 - 10): With characters ranging from grade-school-aged to adults, this movie is trying to be all things to all ages. But grade-schoolers will like it, because of the special effects, which are more kid-friendly than, say, those in the "X-Men" or "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies. It also has the usual barrage of crude humor, stemming partly from Tucker's (Spencer Breslin) powers to expand any part of his body (grade-schoolers love that stuff).

TWEEN / TEEN (ages 11+): Though two of the main characters -- played by Kate Mara and Michael Cassidy -- are teens, the plot's a bit lame for tweens and teens. Also, the music by Smash Mouth seems dated and tired. I DO predict a bright future for Mara and Cassidy because they seem like capable actors with some range and emotional depth. Too bad they didn't get to use it in this movie.