Clearly an above average family film about a boy that finds magic and friendship in a strange water creature, but I was hard pressed to rate it as high as I did. Btw, why DID they cancel Surface? It started just like this movie, it was a series and it was cool, too! <br /><br />Anyway, the problem is not with the CGI or even with the acting. The story in itself was good, as well. The problem sits with the characters! The main character is a spineless brat who will listen to anyone telling him to do anything. He doesn't once stand up for what he believes in. Oh, yes, he does stuff in secret, when no one confronts him, but if someone does, he runs scared. Who can identify with that? <br /><br />The ending is a wee ridiculous as well. The thick military man and the unimaginative mother wake up to the truth when they see the creature and everyone lives happily ever after. Oh, except the dad, who is dead... and the creature, which has to die in order to lay an egg. And good luck hatching anywhere with that kid William having the next egg, looking all American tourist like.<br /><br />Bottom line: if you like fantastic stories, this one is pretty good, but it lacks in the character development section. As a writer once said, a good story needs to have a character defined at the beginning and change drastically until the end. Nothing really does change in this film, though.