Four years ago, moviegoers were introduced to young boy Arthur (Freddie Highmore) and his friends the Minimoys in Arthur and the Minimoys.

To refresh your memory, Arthur is a bright, spirited and adventurous young boy who befriends the Minimoys, one-inch-tall creatures with long, sharp ears, living in a perfect harmony with their environment in the garden of Arthur's grandparents', Grandma Daisy (Mia Farrow) and Grandpa Archibald (Ron Crawford).

In the first film, Arthur's grandpa goes missing, and the boy succeeds in shrinking himself to a tiny size and traveling to the land of Minimoys to search for his grandpa's treasure. During his adventures, Arthur and his new friends stray into Maltazard's territory Necropolis, fighting head to head with the Evil M.

The Revenge of Maltazard starts with a detailed description of the life of the Minimoys; this is a heartwarming and amusing look at how they wake up in the morning, find water and harvest fruit and nuts, and even chase a bee away from their land.

But then the film's plot slows down, as it enters the story revolving around a catastrophe befalling Arthur's worrywart parents and his ritual with a clan of African tribesman, camped out in a nearby forest.

It takes some times to find out what is going on.

The plot centers on the part where Arthur sets out to return to the Minimoys' kingdom, where he hopes to meet up with the sexy redhead Princess Selenia, the daughter of the King of the Minimoys (in this film, actress and singer Selena Gomez replaces Madonna as the voice of Selenia).

Arthur's desire (to visit the Minimoys) doubles when he finds a grain of rice with the word "help" written in it.

Then the adventure begins, as we are taken on Arthur's journey back to the land of Minimoys.

The journey in this sequel is to another land called Paradise Alley, inhabited by tiny troll look-alikes with pedestrians and insect-mobiles.

The scenes highlight hip-hop culture backed by upbeat tunes and tracks, which are not really suitable for kids. Animated sequences during the scenes rather feel crowded than the ones in the Minimoys' kingdom.

Rapper Snoop Dogg reappears as Max, a dreadlocked nightclub owner in the territory. Another rapper in the cast is Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am, who voices the character of Snow.

The return of the villainous wizard Maltazard marks the film's climax. He might be the most evil character (whom children might hate), but Maltazard, this time voiced by Lou Reed and not singer David Bowie, ends up being the most interesting and enjoyable character in the movie, making you grateful when he finally appears.

Can Maltazard have his revenge over Arthur and the Minimoys? You can be sure, this does not spell the end of Arthur's adventure - the filmmakers are gearing up for the third installment, Arthur and the War of the Two Worlds, scheduled for release later this year.

The film, directed by legendary director Luc Besson, is based on his own children's book (in French) Arthur et les minimoys.

Among the many cast changes, Robert Stanton has replaced Doug Rand as Arthur's father Armand.

The lovable Freddie Highmore, first noted for his role as Charlie in Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, still takes and excels in the lead role.

Although the film is marked by smooth animation, its might raise your eyebrows. Well, this is a trilogy, so be patient.

- Triwik Kurniasari

Verdict: Not the best delivery from Luc Besson, but it's worth watching, although young audiences may enjoy it the most.

Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard

EuropaCorp, 93 minutes

Directed by Luc Besson

Produced by Luc Besson, Stephane Lecomte

Written by Luc Besson

Starring Freddie Highmore, Mia Farrow, Ron Crawford, Selena Gomez, Jimmy Fallon, Snoop Dogg

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