We Can Be Heroes is the first of the movies that Robert Rodriguez occasionally writes and directs for children (Sharkboy and Lavagirl, Spy Kids) that I have watched in it’s entirety and it’s as banal as I always assumed that the movies he’s written and directed for children would be.

And it’s worth mentioning that while I haven’t watched any of the Sharkboy and Lavagirl movies (in their entirety) I’ve always assumed that they were brother and sister.

To see that they have a kid in We Can Be Heroes hopefully proves that I was wrong (as opposed to a weird, icky incest thing).

Though what’s worse is that the movie appears to underestimate the intelligence of children, which really cheeses me off.

The story revolves around a world where superheroes are everyday events, though when an alien invasion happens and they kidnap all the adult superheroes, the children have to overcome all their problems and not only free their parents but save the world.

And plot-wise that’s okay (because with a few minor tweaks it’s the plot of a lot other movies) though the problem is that it’s so obvious that it less challenges younger folk than distracts them with oftentimes cheesy special effects, colorful set design and platitudes.

And while I enjoy the diversity on display, it’s on service to absolutely nothing, which is a bit disappointing.