From left, Betameche (voiced by Jimmy Fallon), Arthur (Freddie Highmore) and Princess Selenia (Madonna) in Luc Besson's "Arthur and The Invisibles."

There's a time-tested template for animated adventures, one that was copied ad nauseam last year in dozens of computer-generated kid flicks. Rule 1, probably invented by Walt Disney himself, is a no-brainer: Images of lovable characters should be, well, lovable and pleasing to the eye.

		'Arthur and the Invisibles' Starring: Freddie Highmore, Mia Farrow. Director: Luc Besson. Rating: PG for fantasy action, moments of peril and brief crude language. Web site: www.arthur-movie.com Related article Family Film Guide

So what was French director Luc Besson thinking when he signed off on the awkwardly repellent CGI characters that inhabit "Arthur and the Invisibles"? While the bad guys appear appropriately creepy, Besson's freckled, elfin good guys look like those goofy, spike-haired '70s Trolls dolls. What's worse, morally ambiguous characters voiced by Snoop Dog and Anthony Anderson -- the only African-Americans in the cast -- look like scowling, thong-wearing proto-apes.

But the imagery isn't the worst thing about "Arthur." Story problems abound. Inspired by Patrice and Celine Garcia's original picture book, Besson ("La Femme Nikita," "The Fifth Element") wrote several "Arthur" books before adapting several of the stories into the director's first animated film.

The first 25 live-action minutes are slow, as Mia Farrow and 14-year-old Freddie Highmore ("Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Finding Neverland") play a grandmother and grandson about to be evicted from their Connecticut home.

On a hunt for hidden rubies that will satisfy the debt collector, the boy follows clues left by his long-lost grandfather and learns to miniaturize himself, joining the tiny creatures living in the back yard in a battle of good vs. evil.

Kids probably won't take notice, but in the English-language version that opens today, the Troll figures are voiced by a long list of stars, including Madonna, David Bowie, Jimmy Fallon, Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel and Chazz Palminteri. Many of the English dubs seem rushed, and it's sometimes hard to keep track of what's going on, particularly in fast-paced action sequences.

"Arthur and the Invisibles" was the fifth-largest opening French film ever. Arriving here on the heels of a long list of animated blockbusters, don't count on "Arthur" to score that well in the States.