'Igor'

2 stars = Mediocre
Ratings explained

Welcome to Malaria, a darkened landscape where every lad can dream of opening his own mad-scientist or evil-genius lab -- unless he has a hunch on his back and is named "Igor." Then, he's got a one-way ticket to "All right, Igor, THROW THE SWITCH!"

John Cusack is the voice of an Igor with a dream -- if he can get his project into the annual Evil Science Fair and win, it'll be a blow for Igors everywhere.

That's the clever set-up of "Igor," a decently computer-animated misfire from MGM and the French Sparx studio. Visually, it's a knock-off of "The Nightmare Before Christmas." But the joke-and-heart-starved script lets down a solid voice cast headed by Cusack, Eddie Izzard, Steve Buscemi, Jay Leno and Molly Shannon. (By Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel)

Rated PG for some thematic elements, scary images, action and mild language.