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Taking its title from Lewis Carroll, its plot from Spielberg and its New Age detail from sources too numerous to mention, The Last Mimzy must rank as one of the more curious titles to emerge from a major Hollywood studio. For that you can thank New Line boss Bob Shaye, who was so drawn to this fantastical tale of time-travelling toys that he chose to direct it himself. The result is an appealing blend of whimsy, philosophy and scientific conjecture that plays like ET with a BSc.

There's also a whiff of Hellraiser in the mysterious puzzle box Seattle siblings Noah (Chris O'Neil) and Emma (Rhiannon Leigh Wryn) find washed ashore near their holiday home. Its contents, though, are anything but menacing: a sea shell-shaped transmitter, nine levitating rocks and a beaten-up stuffed rabbit five-year-old Emma immediately christens Mimzy.

Sustained exposure to these playthings has a dramatic impact on the kids' IQ, much to the amazement of their parents (Timothy Hutton, Joely Richardson) and teacher (Rainn Wilson). Used correctly, however, they can create a portal to the future - not to mention a massive power surge that soon has Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔland Security agent Michael Clarke Duncan hammering at their door.

"BEMUSING REFERENCES"

"Am I the only one who doesn't have a clue what's going on?" says Duncan at one point, a sentiment that's sure to be shared by viewers bemused by references to Buddhist drawings, astrological configurations and nanobot technology. Strip that away, though, and you're left with a low-key sci-fi that has an offbeat charm all its own.

The Last Mimzy is released in UK cinemas on Friday 30th March 2007.