After a wave of perversive and preposterous sex-comedies and horror flicks, a musical film Liburan Seru (Adventurous Holiday) has burst into theaters to fill the gap of children's movies in the local film industry.

After the surprising success of their debut, Denias, Senandung di Atas Awan (Denias, Melodies above the Clouds, 2006), the film producer Alenia Pictures -- a production house owned by celebrity couple Ari Sihasale and Nia Zulkarnaen -- bids to reach a wider audience with their latest release.

The flick follows the formula of holiday flicks like Home Alone (1990), Dennis the Menace (1993) and the first local production in the genre, Petualangan Sherina (Sherina's Adventure).

"I think we've had enough with horror and romance films. We are now focused on making educational movies for children," Nia told journalists during the film's press screening at Planet Hollywood Theater, which was also attended by Commission for Indonesian Child Protection (KPAI) vice chairwoman Santi Diansari Sarino and psychologist Frieda Mangunsong.

Liburan Seru, which is sponsored by giant food company Nestle, is expected to provide educative, visual entertainment to children who have been overexposed to "unhealthy" TV programs, said Santi and Frieda.

As the title suggests, the film is about the much-awaited school holiday of elementary student Nala (played by Nala Amrytha), her younger brother Tama (Raja Intan Pratama), step-brother Momo (Minus Karoba) and her cousins, Reno (Arsenna Moch. Rahadi) and Inka (Quinsha Jasmine Haq).

The children of the pretty wealthy families set out on a train to visit their beautiful aunt, Canda (Cynthia Lamusu), who lives in the idyllic, hilly farm land of Central Java.

The adventure begins when Baja, the son of Canda's employee, gives Nala a map of hidden treasures, which have long been searched for by a ravenous archeologist and his two accomplices. The thrill and the comedy centers around the fruitless efforts of the two dumb bad guys to get the map from the children.

Expectations about the movie are high as it could be the only children's movie this year. Most parents have been left with no options in theaters that offer mostly horror, sex-comedy, pseudeo-religious and love flicks.

The film undeniably bears the heavy burden of expectations, and journalists attending its screening were in doubt about whether it could manage to fulfill them.

In the beginning of the 100-minute movie, the children were anxious as their parents, played by Donny Damara, Ira Wibowo, Berliana Febrianti and Alvin Adam, pretended to be upset because of their poor grades in school.

Although it turned out later the parents were only playing around with them for they actually got good grades, it can be seen as a form of intimidation to children with poor grades. Instead of giving them encouragement, the film lamentably implies that if Nala and Tama failed in their studies, they will be grounded.

Viewers will also argue whether parents should agree to let their children travel from Jakarta to Semarang, in Central Java, without the accompaniment of at least one adult.

In Liburan Seru, however, the parents granted the children's request to travel without them and they even decided to take the low-fare train without the consent of their parents after losing their business class tickets.

Cinematographically, the film is reminiscent of Petualangan Sherina, which takes its location in Bandung. This could be a problem for the viewers will be tempted to compare the two and, at worst, position Liburan Seru as its "sequel". Sequels, we know, usually fail at everything.

Music illustrator Dian HP has written three new songs for the movie, "I Love You Full", "Liburan" (Holiday) and "Holiday" to add six classic songs by renowned songwriter A.T. Mahmud like Bintang Kejora and Anak Gembala in the film.

If the songs are also meant to be educative, the inclusion of an English phrase in the songs is regrettable, especially when the phrase is puzzling or grammatically incorrect.

Unlike Sherina, who has already gained recognition for being a talented singer before turning to acting, all the players in Liburan Seru are first-time singers.

Their singing ability is enjoyable, although not flawless. Quinsha Jasmine Haq surpasses the other young actors and actresses with her natural, finely-tuned voice.

Ari Sihasale admitted that, while it was not harder than making Denias, the process of making Liburan Seru took a longer time (25 days) because the children had to learn to act, to sing and dance.

Alenia Pictures has chosen the right moment to release the film in July as it coincides with school holidays and National Children Day, which falls on July 23 every year. On that date, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to watch the film at Taman Mini Indonesia.

Miles Production, the producer Petualangan Sherina, begun the shooting for Laskar Pelangi (The Rainbow Warriors), which is based on the best-selling novel by Andrea Hirata. Its director, Riri Reza, said it would be released by the end of this year.

Despite its flaws, Liburan Seru is worth appreciating for being the first children's movie this year.

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