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IMDbPro

Spy Kids

  • 2001
  • PG
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
132K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,753
69
Antonio Banderas, Alan Cumming, Carla Gugino, Daryl Sabara, and Alexa PenaVega in Spy Kids (2001)
Trailer
Play trailer1:35
5 Videos
99+ Photos
SpyTeen AdventureUrban AdventureActionAdventureComedyFamilySci-Fi

Two kids become spies in attempt to save their ex-spies parents from an evil mastermind. Armed with a bag of high tech gadgets, Carmen and Juni will bravely crisscross the globe on a mission... Read allTwo kids become spies in attempt to save their ex-spies parents from an evil mastermind. Armed with a bag of high tech gadgets, Carmen and Juni will bravely crisscross the globe on a mission to save their parents and maybe even the world.Two kids become spies in attempt to save their ex-spies parents from an evil mastermind. Armed with a bag of high tech gadgets, Carmen and Juni will bravely crisscross the globe on a mission to save their parents and maybe even the world.

  • Director
    • Robert Rodriguez
  • Writer
    • Robert Rodriguez
  • Stars
    • Alexa PenaVega
    • Daryl Sabara
    • Antonio Banderas
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.6/10
    132K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,753
    69
    • Director
      • Robert Rodriguez
    • Writer
      • Robert Rodriguez
    • Stars
      • Alexa PenaVega
      • Daryl Sabara
      • Antonio Banderas
    • 259User reviews
    • 98Critic reviews
    • 71Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 10 nominations total

    Videos5

    Spy Kids
    Trailer 1:35
    Spy Kids
    Spy Kids: Blu-Ray
    Trailer 1:06
    Spy Kids: Blu-Ray
    Spy Kids: Blu-Ray
    Trailer 1:06
    Spy Kids: Blu-Ray
    Spy Kids
    Trailer 1:41
    Spy Kids
    How 'Spy Kids' Prepared Robert Rodriguez to Make 'Sin City'
    Clip 3:06
    How 'Spy Kids' Prepared Robert Rodriguez to Make 'Sin City'
    SPY KIDS: those were the days
    Clip 0:36
    SPY KIDS: those were the days

    Photos178

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
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    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 172
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    Top cast40

    Edit
    Alexa PenaVega
    Alexa PenaVega
    • Carmen Cortez
    • (as Alexa Vega)
    Daryl Sabara
    Daryl Sabara
    • Juni Cortez
    Antonio Banderas
    Antonio Banderas
    • Gregorio Cortez
    Carla Gugino
    Carla Gugino
    • Ingrid Cortez
    Alan Cumming
    Alan Cumming
    • Fegan Floop
    Tony Shalhoub
    Tony Shalhoub
    • Alexander Minion
    Teri Hatcher
    Teri Hatcher
    • Ms. Gradenko
    Cheech Marin
    Cheech Marin
    • Felix Gumm
    Robert Patrick
    Robert Patrick
    • Mr. Lisp
    Danny Trejo
    Danny Trejo
    • Machete
    Mike Judge
    Mike Judge
    • Donnagon…
    Richard Linklater
    Richard Linklater
    • Cool Spy
    Guillermo Navarro
    Guillermo Navarro
    • Pastor
    Johnny Reno
    • Agent Johnny
    Shannon Shea
    Shannon Shea
    • FoOglie #1…
    Norman Cabrera
    Norman Cabrera
    • FoOglie #2…
    Trant Batey
    • FoOglie #3…
    Andy W. Bossley
    • Brat
    • Director
      • Robert Rodriguez
    • Writer
      • Robert Rodriguez
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Thumb-Thumbs are based on a drawing that Robert Rodriguez did as a child.
    • Goofs
      When Gregorio and Ingrid escape and encounter the hallway with the floor of falling puzzle pieces, the pieces fall into a deep hole. But after Gregorio peels his face from the Plexiglas, you can see that the puzzle pieces are on top of the Plexiglas, not underneath it.
    • Quotes

      Gregorio Cortez: [sees Ms. Gradenko's hair; half of it is burned off due to a previous encounter she had with Carmen and Juni] Ms. Gradenko... I think.

      Ms. Gradenko: Oh, it's me all right. I owe my new look to your children.

      Gregorio Cortez: Remind me to raise their allowance.

    • Crazy credits
      After the credits, we see one more panning shot of one of the hallways in Floop's castle.
    • Alternate versions
      A longer version of the film, titled "Spy Kids: Special Edition" was re-issued in US theaters on August 8, 2001. It contained a new scene involving a cave full of sleeping sharks. The scene was always intended to be in the movie, but the original budget did not allow for the special effects needed. After the movie was a hit, Rodriguez was able to complete the scene. This scene was not included in the DVD release of the film, which featured the original theatrical version. However, this scene is available on the Blu-ray.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Say It Isn't So/Wit/The Brothers/The Tailor of Panama/The Gleaners and I (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      Esmeralda
      Written and Performed by Peter Atanasoff and P.J. Pesce

    User reviews259

    Featured review

    Young sleuths in action

    "Spy Kids" is one heck of a movie. Never have I seen a kiddie flick come along which is so clean, and yet still so entertaining at the same time. This odd blend of one of the best (The Matrix) and worst (Baby Geniuses) movies of 1999 is surprisingly exciting for something so "PG", and director and writer Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk Till Dawn) manages to create loads of fun while still keeping the violence level down.

    He manages to do all this by being incredibly inventive with his special effects. "Spy Kid's" is a visual fun house of ideas which are all so playfully intuned with kids and their level of interest. He comes up with things such as movable thumb people and floors that fall apart like puzzle pieces. Rodriguez also has a lot of fun with this topic, putting in loads of high tech equipment and transportation, which offer kids and adults an incredible ride which is most always played for humor and thrills.

    The basic set up for "Spy Kids" is this. Gregorio (Antonio Banderas) and Ingrid (Carla Gugino) were both spies working for different agencies, when a "hit" put out on each other brings them closer together. They decide to put away the spy work and live normal lives as husband and wife, and soon father and mother.

    But the perfect family they dream about is far from. Their kids are keeping secrets from them, a trait from their former job that they feel they have passed on to their children. Their daughter Carmen (Alexa Vega) is skipping school, while Juni (Daryl Sabara) is being bullied at school and instead of telling his parents, just makes up a couple of imaginary friends.

    They see how their past lives have affected their children, but before they can correct their wrong, their past catches up with them. They are thrown back into the spy game to investigate the capture of several other spies, but only end up being captured themselves.

    The culprit also just happens to be Juni's favorite televison star, Fegan Floop (Alan Cumming). Floop is after a brain prototype that Gregorio created years ago. If he can implant that into the heads of his robot and mutant henchmen, nothing can stop him from taking over the world and becoming the number one rated show on TV. But his other human henchmen Minion (played dastardly well by Tony Shalhoub) has other plans. Back home, the feuding siblings must learn to work together in order to save their parents and the world as they are tossed into the spy game as well.

    It seems as if the best kids movies always have a family-like theme to them, and "Spy Kids" is no exception. Much of this movie is exciting, but then there are those other parts, which are to cuteness what Charlie's Angels was to sexy clad women. Some may accuse Rodriguez of turning corny on us all of a sudden, but luckily he is also working with some very funny material here, as well as with newcomer Daryl Sabara.

    His partner Alexa Vega also comes off very strong in her role as his sister. Together they are a very good crime fighting team, and I look forward to seeing them in upcoming sequels. Alan Cumming is also very good, turning in an absent minded Willy Wonka style performance that also fits in very well with Rodriguez's style for this movie, which seems to be based largely around an amusement park surrounding a James Bond movie.

    His film may be corny for older kids, but this is for the young ones and chances are you will never find a movie as decent and fun for them as this one is for a long time. Out of four stars, Spy Kids definitely scores a three.
    • giants1563
    • Apr 1, 2001
    • Permalink

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    FAQ21

    • How long is Spy Kids?Powered by Alexa
    • How did Ms. Gradenko lose her hair?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 30, 2001 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Mini espías
    • Filming locations
      • Santiago, Chile(flyover shot of San Diablo)
    • Production companies
      • Dimension Films
      • Troublemaker Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $35,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $112,719,001
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $26,546,881
      • Apr 1, 2001
    • Gross worldwide
      • $147,934,180
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital EX
      • SDDS
      • DTS-ES
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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