Director John Henderson paddles in familiar waters with his family adventure.

A little over ten years ago, he directed Loch Ness with Ted Danson and Joely Richardson, a sweet yet slight yarn about a young child's bond with the mythical beastie and a scientist chasing incontrovertible proof of its existence.

Mee-Shee: The Water Giant contrives another fictional behemoth, this time in a lake on the outskirts of a close-knit Canadian town; the very same lake where a helicopter belonging to an oil company has the misfortune to crash-land and jettison an expensive drill bit.

The set-up is familiar and Henderson offers the obligatory glimpses of the eponymous water giant, created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop, before the big reveal at around 35 minutes.

Unfortunately, Mee-Shee doesn't look particularly realistic and the filmmakers are forced to shoot many of the scenes in a gloomy cave.

Once the creature is forced into the open, a combination of animatronics and unconvincing computer generated effects bring the aquatic monstrosity to life, including a climactic showdown with a helicopter flying too close to the water's surface.

With their precious drill bit stuck at the bottom of the lake, Alaskoil dispatches trouble-shooter Sean Cambell (Bruce Greenwood) and his mini-submersible to the wilds of Canada.

Sean's young son Mac (Daniel Magder) is reluctantly dragged along for the ride, simmering with discontent that, once again, his father's job has taken precedence.

Keen to return to normality, Sean meets local contact Anderson (Rimmer), who relates the legend of the creature in the lake: "Our very own Loch Ness monster. Huge thing? eats kids."

When shadowy figures Watkins (Charles Mesure) and Snead (Joel Tobeck), who claim to be representatives of Greenpeace, learn about the creature, young Mac and his Native American pal Pawnee (Jacinta Wawatai) join forces to protect the water giant from capture.

Filmed two years ago, Mee-Shee: The Water Giant doesn't merit a cinema release; DVD would be a much kinder medium considering the fantasy's lack of technical prowess in the action set pieces and scenes between Mac and the creature.

Magder has cuteness on his side but his performance is stilted, and at times almost as mechanical as his finned friend, which he describes affectionately as "kind of like a walrus and a dolphin."

Greenwood manages to keep a straight face, even when delivering camp one-liners like, "Oh my God, it's Mary Poppins!" as screenwriter Barry Authors flings realism overboard for the sake of an explosive finale.

Mercure and Tobeck glower as the pantomime villains.

Tom Jackson delivers the film's sole gag as Pawnee's wise father, Custer, who remains remarkably composed when faced with the water giant.

"You don't seem phased by our unwelcome visitor here," observes Sean.

"I'm an Indian. I'm used to unwelcome visitors," responds Custer tersely.

A sideswipe at America's bloody history in a children's film -who would have thought it?