Spy Kids (2001)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Robert Rodriguez

Writer (WGA):

Robert Rodriguez (written by)

Release Date:

30 March 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Real Spies... only smaller

Plot:

The children of secret-agent parents must save them from danger.

Plot Keywords:

Secret Agent | Spy | Rescue | Children | Espionage

Awards:

2 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Antonio Banderas	...	Gregorio Cortez
Carla Gugino	...	Ingrid Cortez
Alexa Vega	...	Carmen Cortez
Daryl Sabara	...	Juni Cortez
Alan Cumming	...	Fegan Floop
Tony Shalhoub	...	Alexander Minion
Teri Hatcher	...	Ms. Gradenko
Cheech Marin	...	Felix Gumm
Robert Patrick	...	Mr. Lisp
Danny Trejo	...	Machete
Mike Judge	...	Donnagon / Donnamight
Richard Linklater	...	Cool Spy
Guillermo Navarro	...	Pastor
Johnny Reno	...	Agent Johnny
Shannon Shea	...	FoOglie #1 / Flower

MPAA:

Rated PG for action sequences.

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX | SDDS | DTS-ES

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:G (Quebec) | South Korea:All | Ireland:G | Canada:PG (Canadian Home Video rating) | Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-7/5 | France:U | Germany:6 | Hong Kong:I | Netherlands:AL | Norway:7 | Peru:PT | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:U | USA:PG (38141) | Australia:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Atacama Desert, Chile

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

Inspired by Rodriguez's segment in Four Rooms (1995).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Ms. Gradenko's bald cap is often disappointingly apparent after she has portions of her hair burned off.

Quotes:

[Juni has just gotten some valuable information from the Fooglies, who talk backwards]
Juni Cortez: Sknaht!

Movie Connections:

References Apollo 13 (1995)

Soundtrack:

Cortez Family Theme

Secret Agents have never been so much fun - 3 cheers for Robert Rodriguez!

Robert Rodriguez is not the first person you'd suggest to make a children's film. As entertaining as 'Desperado', 'The Faculty' and 'From Dusk Till dawn' are, you wouldn't line them up alongside 'Toy Story 2' and 'The Jungle Book' for good, old-fashioned family entertainment. Yet, as this energetic, light-hearted Bondesque spoof proves, Rodriguez has the talent to turn his hand to just about anything, and inject it with the suspense and adrenalin that are his trademark.

From the gloriously OTT opening scene (which tells the story of how two agents sent to kill each other fall in love and settle down) to the last second, 'Spy Kids' doesn't miss a trick. The obligatory gizmos, mad villains and dastardly plot to take over the world are all there, along with a star cast all playing their roles with tongues firmly in cheek. The action/humour mix is extremely well-balanced too, with some hilarious visual gags sitting within a sharp script and Banderas, in particular, revels taking a sly swipe at his normal 'strong yet silent Latino' image. Yet, refreshingly for a children's film, it's never patronising, never obvious, and genuinely original in places (soldiers made of thumbs, secret agents transformed into tellytubby-type TV characters - imagine Goldeneye-meets-Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory-meets-Any Tim Burton film and you'll be close). In truth, some of the surreal moments and the more graphic effects may get a little too much for younger kids at times, but these moments are few and far between.

Ok, it's a 'U' certificate and you may well have to sit through the trailer for 'See Spot Run', but don't let that put you off. This is one of the better films you'll see this year, and the best out over Easter by quite a way. Go and have some fun.

8/10