STANLEY Yelnats IV (Shia LaBeouf) is wrongly accused of stealing a pair of trainers belonging to star baseball player Clyde Livingstone, which were to be auctioned off to raise funds for an orphanage.

The case goes to court and, unthinkably, Stanley is convicted of theft and is sentenced to 18 months' community service at Camp Green Lake to atone for his supposed sins.

Resigned to his fate, Stanley is placed into the care of the wicked camp warden (Sigourney Weaver), who forces Stanley to join the other boys digging holes in the desert.

Unbeknownst to Stanley, the warden and her associates Mr Sir (John Voight) and Dr Pendanski (Tim Blake Nelson) are searching for the treasure of the legendary 19th-century bandit Kissin' Kate Barlow (Patricia Arquette).

As legend has it, before she died, Barlow buried her fortune somewhere in the desert.

When Stanley and his new friend Zero (Khelo Thomas) escape from the camp and the warden's wicked temper, the two boys find themselves on a perilous adventure far beyond their wildest dreams.

Adapted from Louis Sachar's acclaimed novel, with a screenplay by the author himself, Holes is an enchanting family film which never speaks down to or patronises its target youth audience.

Andrew Davis directs with a firm touch, skilfully avoiding the obvious clichs and the seemingly inevitable saccharine sentimentality.

Rating: 8/10