clearly an above average family film about a boy that find magic and friendship in a strange water creature and but i be hard press to rate it as high a i do . btw and why do they cancel surface . it start just like this movie and it be a series and it be cool and too . anyway and the problem be not with the cgi or even with the acting . the story in itself be good and as well . the problem sit with the character . the main character be a spineless brat who will listen to anyone tell him to do anything . he doesn not once stand up for what he believe in . oh and yes and he do stuff in secret and when no one confront him and but if someone do and he run scar . who can identify with that . the end be a wee ridiculous a well . the thick military man and the unimaginative mother wake up to the truth when they see the creature and everyone life happily ever after . oh and except the dad and who be dead . and the creature and which have to die in order to lay an egg . and good luck hatch anywhere with that kid william have the next egg and look all american tourist like . bottom line represent if you like fantastic story and this one be pretty good and but it lack in the character development section . a a writer once say and a good story need to have a character define at the beginning and change drastically until the end . nothing really do change in this film and though .