By Troy Ribeiro
London, April 10 (IANS): Film: "Home"; Voices of: Rihanna, Jim Parsons, Steve Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Matt Jones; Director: Tim Johnson; Rating: ***

Home is where the heart is. Children below the age of 5 will truly love this film.

Director Tim Johnson's film "Home" written by Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember, is based on Adam Rex's book for children, "The True Meaning of Smekday". With a few gimmicks that will entertain children, it is a story of an alien helping a girl, reunite with her mother.

The film introduces, "The Boov" a species from outer space, who change their colour with emotions. They are led by Captain Smek. The Boovs are on the run, from planet to planet, thinking that the evil Gorgs are out to destroy them.

In their endeavour to escape the Gorgs, they plan to settle on planet earth and make it their "home".

So in order to accommodate the Boovs, the earthlings are forcibly evacuated by huge suction pipes that pick them up and relocate them to remote Australia. And the empty apartments are now transformed for the Boovs to move in.

Excited about his new home, "Oh" a lonely Boov who got his name because of the loud sighs he attracts whenever he is near fellow Boovs, accidentally sends an email invitation to the entire galaxy for his housewarming party and because of this blunder he is further shunned.

During the same time, 10-year-old Tip Tucci from New York along with her pet cat escapes the evacuation process and so she is separated from her mother. She is left stranded in New York. Later, when she ventures out in search of her mother, she chances upon Oh.

Oh befriends Tip and realises that his perception of earthlings based on what Captain Smek had told them is so different from reality. So, he promises to help Tip locate her mother. And during the process we also learn why the Gorgs were chasing them.

The plot is simple and punctuated with a noisy narrative. The voices of the A-list star cast suit the animated characters. Jim Parsons along with Rihanna complement each other as Oh and Tip. While Jim gives a unique spin to the tone in his dialogue delivery, Rihanna with her slightly weak husky voice lends the right tinge of helplessness and cheerfulness to Tip's go-getter spirit.

Steve Martin as Captain Shek is lackluster and Jennifer Lopez as Tip's dislocated mother has little to offer as she hardly has any screen time.

As for the animation, the images are not extraordinary at all and the 3D effect is a hindrance to the viewing experience.