AFTER the mysterious death of their parents, the Baudelaire children are left orphaned with only their resourcefulness and each other to pull them through.

Taken far away, they are left in the care of their distant relative, the villainous Count Olaf who, intent on stealing the Baudelaire fortune, plots to kill them.

Unbeknown to the count, the children each have their own individual abilities.

As a family, they work together to foil the count's evil plot and ultimately unravel the dark truth behind their parents' death.

Jim Carey playing the count is the real star of the show, inhabiting a number of different personas with a unique mix of wickedness and absurdity. Despite the over-acting that Carey brings to a number of his roles, in this instance his performance is not overpowering.

This leaves room for two impressive performances by Meryll Streep as Aunt Josephine and Billy Connolly as Uncle Monty.

This is a captivating film reminiscent of a Roald Dahl book; a tangled web of adult deceit that culminates in the goodness of the children prevailing.

Full of intrigue and suspense, this is a great 90 minutes for any child and should keep them on the edge of their seats throughout.

CC