1 For kids of all ages
You wouldn't normally catch me watching a movie about two children playing at spies, but I have a four year old son who's now getting into movies.
Who the heck am I kidding? I bought this movie for ME! Fortunately, my son took to it immediately, and now lists it as his favorite movie, chucking the purple dinosaur and even the almighty Wiggles aside. For that alone, it deserves five stars in my book.
This is a fun, fun movie, full of impossible situations and wonderful gadgets that children will love. My son was enthralled by the different spy vehicles on show, and now wants me to get one that can drive underwater.
Alan Cumming plays the role of super inventor / entertainer Floop, host of a surreal show that brings visions of Willy Wonka to mind. He even sings a grand musical number. Antonio Banderas is a suave yet sensitive spy, and a master of the pencil thin moustache disguise. His wife (Carla Gugino) is almost as "bad" as Trinity, except for the shades and jumping ability, and the supporting roles are admirably filled by Tony Shaloub , Teri Hatcher, Robert Patrick, George Clooney and Cheech Marin.
The stars of the movie are Carmen and Juni Cortez, children of Banderas and Gugino, who must rescue their parents from the evil fortress, and save the world from the child robots equipped with the "third brain".
Chock full of sight gags, weird science, Fooglies and Thumb-thumbs, this is an entertaining movie that's suitable for the entire family, and short enough (88 min) to watch repeatedly if necessary.
Amanda Richards May 3, 2005
2 Okay!
Spy Kids wasn't the best movie I ever saw and parts of the movie dragged a bit but it was mostly a cute movie and good for family viewing, but I think that younger kids may enjoy this more and older kids may be bored especially if they are over the age of age of 12!
3 Ok
This movie was good but older kids such as thirteen or fourteen
might find it rather stupied.It was basicly about two spys who met eachother and got married had kids and never told them about how they used to be secret agents so one day they go on A mission
and get caught so the kids have to go after them and bla bla bla
so on and so fourth.
4 a great first!
this movie was real good!when i first saw the trailer i didint think it would be that good!but we were going to see a movie but the tickets were sold out,so we just decided to go see this!i was surprised of how good it was!this movie is awsome!
5 Don't Watch This Movie
I saw this movie when it first came out in theatres and was incredibly disappointed. I found this strange considering that, at that time, I was the film's target audience. There was so much room for a clever spoof of spies like James Bond, but the whole movie seemed like an insult to spy movies. The film struggles and fails to be funny. At the theatre where I saw it, no one laughed. I suppose the cheap special effects and awful plot are something to laugh at. But it just felt sad.
6 Refreshing family fun, but not Bond
This is like Bond for the family, some say... Yeah, right. If your child has ever seen a Bond movie, he (or she) will be more inclined to like Bond more, depending on which era of special effects they've seen. If you want this as a taste of Bond, think again. Spy movies are all over, all of which are more Bond-esque: I Spy, xXx, The Bourne Identity, Minority Report (does that count?) Agent Cody Banks, Agent Cody Banks 2 (both PG) and, of course, the real thing, Die Another Day. However, if you're in the mood for zany action, zanier gadgets, wacky villains, odd creatures, and jokes that you don't have to think about... then you found it. There are three choices of summer entertainment for your kid. If they're an action/spy fan, take 'em to Spy Kids. If they like the talking animal thing, it's Ice Age, or better yet, Cats and Dogs. And if they aren't fussy about their comedy but have some understanding of more sophisticated humor, Shrek's the deal. Monsters Inc. is endearing, but not particularly funny.
Carmen and Juni are just two ordinary kids, even if Carmen has a habit of skipping school and Juni is picked on for his obsession with a certain TV show. But what they don't know are that their parents are really retired spies. (It'd be hard for them not to be, with the looks of Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino.) The two spy parents are called out of retirement to investigate the disappearance of three fellow agents. Since they're a little rusty, they quickly are caught. Carmen and Juni are sent by their Uncle Felix (not really related) to the "safehouse." They meet a spy there, who tells them a little about the "third brain," but that's just before she steals it and escapes with misshapen thugs.
Meanwhile, Mom and Dad are in the castle of Floop (Alan Cummings, acting like Jim Carrey but with the right look for his role), a zany children's TV show host. Unfortunately, since he is attempting world domination by planting robotic children in the place of children like, say, the President's daughter, he cannot devote enough time to the show, which Juni happens to be be obsessed with. To give the robots the ability to function in society, Floop needs the "third brain." It's up to Carmen and Juni, along with their real uncle Machete (a spy turned mercenary gadget dealer) to turn Floop around and stop the robotic kids, as well as Floop's evil minion, Minion.
This movie has the predictable gadgets (exploding candy, world's smallest camera) to Bond-ish (car/submarine, laser ring) to original. The original ones include a machine that reads clay scultpures to alter a person's face. Wow, sculptor would soon be the highest-paying job once everyone started turning themselves into Orlando Bloom and Monica Belucci. Soon all of the robotic kids are devoted to rescuing firefighters and such, and they're all one big happy family. There is one delightful spoof of spies in general: When the President contacts the Cortez family via TV, he has a black rectangle, hanging in midair, covering his eyes. When he's certain it's actually the Cortezes, he pulls the black strip away from his eyes and begins to talk.
All in all, Spy Kids is a great movie, just perfect for kids who think of spies as using motion sensors and passwords instead of automatics and indestructible cars. This is not by any means the best performance of any of the actors (except perhaps Carla Gugino, but she is generally not in too many challenging roles). Alan Cumming is great, but his character in X2 is deeper. Rent it, but you may be owning it soon.
7 Appallingly Weird Rather than Adventurous
After seeing the trailers for this movie, I expected an action-packed, fun children's adventure. I did not expect to find all kinds of truly weird and disgusting characters, a little like Tellytubbies on psychedelic hormones, and devoid of any cuteness to the point of being actually nauseating. (Anyone who in fact dislikes Tellytubbies should imagine something much, much worse.) While the casting was excellent, the props good, and the overall premise exciting, the actual villains of the piece were just not worth watching. With some rewrites this could have been a little less like a rampant horror film made into someone's twisted idea of a children's adventure, but as it is, I can't recommend it.
8 Spykids are awesome!
I find Spykids one very cool and like the way Carmen is always doing handsprings and stuff. I think everybody should see the Spykids movie. Ever since I have seen the Spykids movie I have been a big Spykids fan. All the girls were talking about it a lot and I KNEW I had to go see it. Even my dad likes it... so even parents should go watch Spykids!
9 An uninspired start to a less inspiring trilogy
This is not a movie I could sit and enjoy with my kids. I thought it was a very promising idea, but one huge mistake ruins the entire idea.
They took two ordinary-looking kids and gave them super powers. No they didn't, you say? Well, in the first minutes of the film, the kids go to work out in their own private gym. Suddenly these ordinary kids are leaping and flipping about as if they have donned jet-packs. Their leaping and flipping is accompanied by the obligatory swishing and zooming sound effects. Ick.
What should have been a film about a couple of ordinary homely kids working hard and using their guts and determination to save their beautiful, talented spy-parents turns into a contrived special effects extravaganza. We're supposed to suspend belief and buy that these two kids can do extraordinary physical feats just because their parents are spies?
Subtleties are so often lost on Hollywood. There are so many movies that do it better. If you want to see kids use their guts and courage to survive adversity (without obvious special effects) try Adventures in Babysitting. Even Home Alone is more believable than the Spy Kids drivel.
10 Terrible
This film was made for kids, but not really good for anything. The comercails made it seem okay, but I find very mindless. When people say it's good for kids 13 and under thats an insult to Kids. This film is not for kids, but rather todalers if they don't get scared of the stupid thumb thumbs. When I saw I had no idea why I was watching it. After that I kind of felt depressed. I've seen more interesting things from movies not even shown in the theater. Any film could have amused children the same way this film had. For example I find disney's classics like the Jungle Book more bearable. Do not buy this film at any cost.
11 spykids for all ges
1.The dvd runs for 88 minutes.
2.From the beginning till the end there is good tempo.
3.Entertainment for the whole family.
4.No dirty/filthy language in dialogue
5.you come to know "as you sow, so you reap".maxim
6.Child teaches man>"The child is the father of the man"
7.Background music, trick photography shots,multipilication
of figures etc. are all superb.
8.Thanks are due to all who made this wonderful children's
entertainment movie.
12 A highly entertaining family movie
Who ever thought that the man who brought us El Mariachi and From Dusk until Dawn could create a kids movie. Well I was surprised as well and very pleased with the results.
Spy Kids is about a two kids who live a fairly ordinary life. They go to a private school, hang out with friends, fight with each other. Than one day their parents dissapear after going on vacation. At that point they discover that their parents are international spys and that their lives are in danger. As it turns out their parents are kidnapped by a man called Floop who has also mutated seecret agents and used them on his TV show. He is also designing an army of robots to conquer the world. It is then up to Carmen and Juni to stop him.
This movie is entertaing for multiple reasons. First off it''s funny and that is rare in a kids movie. However it is also intelligently done. So where as something like Kangaroo Jack has jokes that are blatently vulgar that would confuse small kids, this one is intelligent enough that there are two meanings behind each. Also the action is relentless but there are no guns. As a spy thriller of sorts none of the bad guys have guns. Instead the fights are coreoraphed like something out of a Hong Kong action film or Charlies Angels. FInally it teaches a lesson as well about family and passions in life. I would recomend this to anyone.
13 SPY KIDS
SPY KIDS IS A GREAT FILM BUT NO SPECIAL FEATURES THAT IS SO NOT COOL NO REALLY IT'S NOT
14 Great movie!
To be honest, my first glimpse at a preveiw of Spy Kids had me thinking "Stupid. Cheesy acting, pointless plot!" And when I first saw it in 2001, my thoughts weren't changed.
Now I'm 14, and I decided to rent it again because I'm a movie fanatic, and Spy Kids deserved another chance. This movie had me laughing like no other and anxiously waiting to see what was going to happen next. Now that I'm older I can see the movie in a more in-depth perspective and I can appreciate the lessons it has for audiences.
Antonio Banderas had me wondering at one point why he would go from great movies such as Evita to a kid flick like Spy Kids, but he plays his role perfectly. Alexa Vega and the other kid (I forget his name?) portray siblings excellently, and the lessons learned between them both are very realistic. And for humor, two thumbs up for Alan Cumming as Floop. He's a phenomenal actor, and seeing X-Men 2 one day (where he plays the blue, german-accented, teleporting Nightcrawler), and then Spy Kids the next (where he plays a comical, depressed villain) had me wondering just how he handles his accents so well.
This movie deserves 5 stars! If you're a serious person, don't bother seeing it; you have to be a fun-loving, easily humoured person to truly appreciate it (think of it this way - just the plain fact that Floop's Fooglies are so ugly and stupid has me laughing hysterically. I can laugh at anything!). Great kids movie as well as family movie.
15 Better than expected
I expected this movie to be terrible. The kind with nothing in it that is entirely stupid. This movie is NOT that type. When I watched this movie I was very pleased with what I saw. The movie has very dumb charecters, like the Thumb-Thumbs but all the technology stuff is cool. The plot isn't much, it is to save thier parents. Also it is unrealistic because when they get to a certain part of the movie it's liked they learned everything magicly. It doesn't show them learning or anything. There is plenty of action in this movie as well. This movie is also for the younger children. This DVD has NO Special Features at all which is very upsetting. Overall I say rent it for your kids and maybe watch it yourself.
16 Spy Kids and Spy Kids 2 the best Kid movies ever .
Spy Kids and Spy Kids 2 are the BEST
ok? they're THE greatest most fantastic
movies ever ok?
but i don't know if Spy Kids 3 is great.
but it is going to be!!
O.K.?
17 Parents, Pick This Up For Your Children!
This is the smartest kids film in at least 10 years. Look at all the talent that went into this. Parents and kids alike will find it enjoyable. It provides great male and female role models, which is surprisingly rare in today's childrens films.
It also looks better than "Harry Potter" 1 & 2, "Mummy/Scorpion King" Series, "Men In Black" 1 & 2, "Star Wars" 1, 2, and the added effects in original 3 (oiy!). "Spy Kids" was done cheaper too.
In conclusion: if you have any respect for your children or just want to watch an excellent film, watch "Spy Kids".
18 Worst movie I've ever seen
I expected more of an Antonio Banderas movie, but this didn't live up to standard. The humor was shallow and the storyline was way too ambitious for enjoyability. Bad, bad movie.
19 horrible
Okay, i am usually not the type to give anything one to zero stars, but, this is awful. This movie makes fun of technology, I mean robots that are so smart and strong that everyone thinks they are the real people, but they can't talk unless they have a miniature brian that the arch enemy of the bad guy happened to build. plus the children act like babies. Fighting and teasing and being dumb. I was 10 when I saw this and am 13 now and never liked it it at all. The kids arent goood actors, the action is bland at best, and the ending is cheesey. the only good parts are when george clooney makes the guest appearance, and the "Mushrooms" joke. I am a fan of action/comedy/science fiction and classics like Cassablanca. I have seen many movies good and bad, but this is one of the 2 absolute horrible movies. the other being A.I.
All in all, if you have a kid of 8 or less, they'll probably like it, or if you have to see it, rent it, you'll thank me
20 A kid's movie for all ages
It's rare today for a children's movie to be entertaining to both kids and adults. But Robert Rodriquez's "Spy Kids" does just that.
At its heart, it's still a kids flick, but one that is put together well with style, good dialogue, good laughs and lots of fun. It avoids the general kid movie pitfalls of a clichˇd plot, flat characters and predictable dialogue. Sure kids don't mind those faults, but they cause films to be quickly forgotten years down the road. But films like "Spy Kids" are ones parents don't mind watching with their kids, and adults can even watch alone to entertain that inner child in them without killing brain cells like most children's fare does.
Nope, Rodriquez's film is fun and fast, telling a kid's version of James Bond, but with heart. The movie's opening is especially wonderful as the mother of the two future spy kids tells the "fabled" story of the two spies who met and fell in love. It sets a wonderful tone of the importance of family and the action quality of the film.
Of course, Rodriquez's usual cast of regulars come back, such as Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo and Antonio Banderas, but the real stars of the film are the two pint-sized spies, who hold the film well enough on their own. Their sibling banter is fun, realistic and wholly enjoyable.
Also, Danny Elfman's score is wonderful, heavy in Mexican-influenced themes. He wrote some wonderfully demented children's songs incorporated in the film that reminded me of his work on the songs for "The Nightmare Before Christmas."
This one's well worth seeing even if you don't have kids. Let it bring back the child in you.
21 Fun Movie for Kids
"Spy Kids" is great fun for its intended audience, kids under 14 or so. It has lots of hi-tech gizmos, which kids love, as well as a predictable good-guys-win plot, which kids also love.
This movie lets kids pretend to live out a favorite fantasy -- pretending they are saving the world. Adults, however, may not really appreciate the overly predictable plot and characters. But if you're a kid, or just one at heart, this movie provides an hour or two of mindless fun.
22 A whole lot of fun for kids....and grown-ups
Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, The Faculty) has created one fun movie for kids in Spy Kids. This guy has some imagination and he shows that with this movie. ...He really knows what it takes to entertain a young audience. At the same time Spy Kids entertains grown-ups like myself with it's wild imagination and cool action. Rodriguez is also one of the most creative director's out there, After watching this film and the second one I have no doubt of his talent what so ever.
Spy Kids is a dream come true for a child's imagination. There's big robots shaped like thumbs, cool gadgets, dream like atmospheres and clever dialogue and humor. The kids aren't the best actors like Richard Roeper said, for instance when they punch a rock hard robot or a brick wall they just say "ouch" and it's not believeable that they just got hurt at all. I think Roeper was too hard on them in the second one though as they showed great improvement. Their performances are actually a lot of fun in part 2 which makes that one surprisingly better.
More about this film though, Alan Cummings is great as the Pee Wee Herman like villain Floop who's not really evil, just will do anything for a better show. He only had a cameo in the second film unfortunetly but here he's a lot of fun. Some critic said he does nothing for him as an actor unless he's painted green like he was in Flinstones Viva Las Vegas. I think that isn't right at all, Cummings is an actor with a lot of energy and ability and he shows it here. He steals the show here ..., no he doesn't have to be painted green to be enterrtaining. Besides him being good Antonio Banderas and the one that plays his wife are very good too. This is a very well casted movie.
23 Fun for all ages, a nice suprise.
I didn't go see this in the theater because the movie trailers led me to believe this film would be a bomb. Only after hearing great reviews from friends and family did I get the rental. What a pleasant surprise - especially with Rodriguez as the director (also known for Desperado). The kids are great in this movie because they aren't little shirley temple sugercandy, but rather realistic kids put in a fantasy of sci-spy magic. The plot was average but in a children's movie this is expected due to short attention spans. Many cute asides (harmless) throughout to keep the adults laughing too. A nice film that boys, girls, dads and moms will enjoy.
24 Are you people high?
Spy kids is undoubtedly the WORST movie ever created! Spy kids had absolutely no appeal to all. I was very sursprised at this movie because I saw that it was written and directed by Robert Rodriguez (One of my favorite's "the faculty"). I like to keep an open mind but this movie is PATHETIC. the thumb things!? HOW RETARTED! the special effects are just bad and the acting by the children is atrocious! I saw the one kid interviewed and he is like "um...we-ll...um..." He can barely talk! Great casting guys! This movie also wastes great acting talent...Antonio Banderas and Alan Cumming! What are they doing in a movie called spy kids? This movie is absolutely terrible and should never have even been released! AVOID AT ALL COSTS.
OVERALL SCORE: 39/100
Direction:8/20
Plot:7/20
Cast:15/20
Fun:3/20
Special Effects:6/20
25 Great for Kids 7-12
This is great for kids 7-12. Heck, it is great for us adults, too! Plenty of action that is just a little violent, but clean language and generally good-guy-bad-guy is easy to spot. The creations of Floop are great and Floop's transition to a good guy is really great for developing minds. Have your kids watch it ... and you watch it, too!
26 magic mysteries
This DVD is something for the whole family.Here's a little about this DVD.This is a good story about an unusual family. the family has a life time of surprise from the begining. well if you haven't seen this i would highly recomend it. also i haven't seen the 2nd one but if you like this then like myself i would go and see the 2nd one. but back to the story. when the kids find out who there parents really are they say they aren't cool enough. but then they get the hang of all the mysteries and secrets and why they never knew.to find out the end see the movie!!!
27 Robert Rodriguez is My Friend!
Why is Robert Rodriguez my friend? Anyone that can keep a nine year old enchanted for 90 minutes is my friend.
A friend of mine came from Mexico for a visit. He brought his nine year old son with him. The kid doesn't speak a word of English. The kid was board and bouncing off the walls. Just to keep the kid occupied, I put on the DVD version of "Spy Kids." On the DVD version there is a Spanish language track.
During the two day visit, that kid must have watched "Spy Kids" about 30 times. At the end of the visit, I had to give them my copy. The kid was so in love with "Spy Kids."
This is a wonderful movie! Not only does children like the picture, but adults will like it too. If you have kids, or looking for a DVD that a nine year old would like, get "Spy Kids."
28 Great movie, not-so-great DVD
I enjoyed this movie very much; even paid to see it twice in the theaters. If it had been up to my 5-year-old, we'd have seen it a lot more. So I picked up the DVD as soon as I could.
Unfortunately, the DVD disappoints. The alternate shark scene that precipitated the rerelease? Nowhere to be found. Neither are any other cool extras that I love to play around with and are the real reason I got a DVD player in the first place. If you've switched to DVDs, get it for the movie. But if you can find it cheaper on VHS, it's one of the few movies just as worthwhile picking up in that format.
29 Imaginative, Funny, Entertaining, and at Times, Surreal
This is an excellent family film, with plenty of action, comedy, and solid pro-family messages for both kids and parents, messages which don't beat you over the head or drip with saccharine. A great mix of fantasy, adventure, James Bondian gadgets, and kid-accessible characters and themes.
Director Robert Rodriguez, best known for his ultra-violent films such as "El Mariachi," "Desperado," and "From Dusk Til Dawn," crafts an well-paced, well-told, and highly enjoyable story. I easily sat through this film in the theater, pleased with its impressive production values, acting, story, special effects, and its sheer imagination. I was engaged and interested from the very beginning, as were my kids (4 and 6). I remain impressed by the clearly adult themes (and visuals) of the opening boy spy-meets-girl spy bedtime story, as we slowly realize that the story being told was that of the now boring, predictable, and thoroughly domesticated mom and dad. We've watched this film dozens of times since, and it's still easy to sit through, great fun for both me and the kids.
The morals of the story are clear enough to any adult viewer: the importance of family and family support, the importance of believing in yourself, and the importance of being open and honest. My 4-year-old son picked up clearly on all three messages, without any pointers from me. By the end of the film, everyone has matured in one way or another, every character has gained insight, and the family is closer than it ever was before.
There are great supporting appearances by Cheech Marin and Robert Patrick (Terminator 2), although we sadly don't see enough of either. Alan Cumming as the fanciful and ultimately influential Floop is very enjoyable. Tony Shalhoub is great fun, as he is in any role, as the diabolical master manipulator, initially in the background who eventually becomes the ultimate bad guy, Alexander Minion. His best line, as he takes over: "I can assure you, it's MISTER Minion now." He gets his in the end, naturally, but it is not unpleasant or gory. It's actually quite comical, and he appears even to accept the final result/punishment he has brought upon himself.
There are a number of other celebrity cameos here, including Teri Hatcher, "Beavis and Butthead" creator Mike Judge as Donnagon, George Clooney right at the end as Devlin, and a very stealthy Dick Clark as one of Floop's financiers.
The story of the kids discovering that their parents are spies, having to strike out on their own with neither knowledge nor support, and then using their smarts and talents to take action to regain control of the situation and find their parents is plausible throughout, even when they're flying over the ocean and desert in personal jetpacks and mini-jet planes. We trace the kids from their home into the bad guy's lair, and the journey is easily believable and logical.
The gadgets are a treat, from mini-jet planes to personal flying Buddy Pacs to homing devices, electrostatic gum, pinpoint video cameras, submarine minivans, instant McDonald microwave meals, and a totally cool Super Guppy submarine. The best part is that the kids get almost all of the gadgets, and they put them to instant good use defeating the bad guys.
There are plenty of good comic bits to liven up the film as well, both jokes and sight gags. The kids act and talk like kids throughout, which adds to their plausibility of the film. The humor is both juvenile and adult, and presented in such a way as to keep the two separate, as they should be. There is no swearing, no blood or gore, no violence (some minor fighting), no gunplay or weapons, no nudity, and no drugs.
Spy Kids is original, creative family fare, great for a video/DVD purchase and repeated viewings at home. The messages in the movie are strong and highly positive, yet subtle enough not to overshadow enjoyment of the story, its characters, and their adventures.
30 TERRIBLE
This is the worst film I've ever put my eyes on. As a matter of fact, I didn't even want to see this hunk of garbage in the first place. If it wasn't for my niece to make me see this..., I would have never seen it. This movie is very childish and ignorant. It is very immature. If I were you, I would never even think about seeing this movie. It is horrible.
31 Cute Kid Story.
Nicely done, a little on the corny side, they really didn't need the Pee Wee Herman clone to carry it off.
32 In my top 5 of 2001!
GENERAL: Spy Kids is truly a delight, not offensive at all and can be watched over and over again. This movie exceeded my expectations by so much that I bought it. One of the best films in a long time.
ACTING: Wow, Alex Vega and Daryl Sabara knocked me over with their pro performences. The bounce off each other perfectly, and really seem like siblings. The rest of the supporting(adult) cast is great too- 100% flawless.
PLOT: Original and gripping, this is the entertaining story of two children whos parents are captured- while on a spy mission, which the kids have no idea about. Now the kids(Carmen and Juni) have to save their parents and the world from a creative madman.
HUMOR: Wonderful, I laughed hundreds of times during this film and have done so all 10+ times I have seen the movie since.
SPECIAL EFFECTS: This movie has a brand of special effects all it's own, completely original and convincing. A breath of fresh after the doses of metallic Star Wars CGI.
MUSIC: The score, by the director, is beautiful and original. Completely perfect, something that I will never forget. Worth buying the soundtrack.
SPECIAL FEATURES: This is one of the most bare-bones DVDs I've ever seen, terrible for such a great movie! Unless of course all you want is (dun dun dun dun) a trailer!
CONCLUSION: A wonderul family/comedy/thriller, great for anyone and memorable. Spy Kids is definitely worth buying on DVD, if only for the lasting sound quality and picture clarity.
MY GRADE: A+
33 Made for children
My son enjoyed the movie. The only version he saw in the theatres was the special edition and, unless I missed something, the sharks were not in this video. He was rather disappointed.
It is definitely a "kids only" movie. Rather immature in many aspects.
One question I still have...why didn't she just put on a wig?
34 What a waste of time.
When I first saw 'Spy Kids', I was thirteen and not aloud to see The Jennifer Love Hewitt comedy 'Heartbreakers'. Since these were the only two movies playing at the tiny, small-town movie theater I where I was planning to spend the afternoon, me and a friend suffered through what seemed like an eternity of boring jokes, annoying characters and anti-climactic scenes. We both concluded that Spy Kids is a plot-less kiddy acid-trip.
Spy Kids stars Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara as the dysfunctional Cortez family. The parents of which (unbeknownst to their bratty children) are spies. Well, on an assignment to the mind-bending abode of a creepy children's show host they disappear, and their children, snobby Carmen and insecure Juni, step in to save them and ultimately do. But not before nearly killing the audience with their disagreeable personalities and incessant bickering.
Spy Kids is so over-the-top with creepy situations and delusional, fantasy-like scenarios that it's hard to imagine children liking or even understanding this movie. And between Alan Cumming's eerie character and the machine that turns people into disfigured monsters it certainly isn't for children who scare easily.
In fact the whole movie has a very sinister feel to it, with a differant plot and characters this movie could qualify as a horror movie or atleast a thriller. Fegan Floops' (Alan Cummings) bizarre Muppet-inspired monsters reminded me of Willy Wonka's Oompa-Loompas, except less attractive and more bizarre. In fact these two movies are a little bit similar, except that 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' is good and 'Spy Kids' is anything but.
In short, Spy Kids is a complete waste of money. It's a [poor] excuse for a movie and as I've said, a complete waste of time.
35 Great Family Movie!
This movie is great for the whole family. The children will love seeing peers being spies. Great family relationship. Special effects aren't the best. Wacky plot, again, great for the whole family
36 didnt catch my eye
Honestly, I laughed about 2 times. I've laughed more times on Men In Black 2 and I saw the ratings. Oviously some of you didn't like it. Anywayz, I don't think Spy Kids 2 would interest me either. Don't get me wrong, I love action movies, but that movie stunk.
37 A Great Kids Movie (young kids & grown-up kids)
This is a wonderful movie for the whole family. There's no sexual immorality, no sexual innuendos, virtually no profanity, and all the violence is very comic bookish (in other words no more graphic than the first "Star Wars Trilogy"). The film boasts far better acting than any kids' movie I've seen in a long, long time.
Furthermore, this movie features two wonderful parents that are faithful to each other, hard working, and are there for their kids when they need them. (Not quite Hollywood's typical portrayal of American moms and dads!)
I've been surprised by the number of people who have complained about the "bathroom humor" in this movie. Actually, that kind of humor is virtually non-existent in this one. The only attempt of that kind in the movie is when the two kids are in the super-speedy sub (or whatever-the-heck that thing was), Carmen the 11-year-old girl is asleep, and her younger brother (about 8) just finished doing his business, and the computerized toilet says, "now flushing your poop". It's natural for kids to wonder whether their heroes ever go to the john during their adventures. When I was younger, I too wondered whether Han Solo and Chewbacca had a bathroom on board the Millenium Falcon. This kind of "bathroom humor" is very tame compared to the kind of humor found in movies like "Shrek" and "The Lion King".
The other part where it is accused of "bathroom humor" is when the two kids are sneaking into the bad guys' fortress. They do this via an underwater secret entrance. Being underwater they are, of course, wearing wet suits. The boy comments that the water feels warmer, and the girl replies that it's because she just peed. If you look at this in proper context, consider that earlier in the film the parents state that one of the children (later revealed that it's the daughter) still wears diapers at night due to bedwetting. If this girl has any kind of bladder control problems, then obviously she is going to have an "accident" at some point in the film. And forgive my saying it this way, but what better place to have an accident than underwater? (This may also be an attempt by the filmmakers to provide a role model for children who suffer from bedwetting.)
I give it four stars instead of five because of a scene in which the girl almost says the S-word and says "shittake mushrooms" instead. This is what I would call inappropriate humor and totally unnecessary in this film.
Overall, this film is enjoyable entertainment with nothing to be embarrassed about or ashamed of watching. It's just good, clean fun and marks one of those rare occasions in which Hollywood actually does something right.
38 Completely..... utterly horrid
The most worthless, boring piece of drivel you ever saw........ not much else to say.
39 A Funny Movie By Robert Rodriguez!
"Spy Kids" is a great movie, including that my brother already saw this movie. This has a great cast: Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Alan Cumming, Teri Hatcher, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Robert Patrick, Tony Shalhoub, Alexa Vega, and Daryl Sabara. They are making a "Spy Kids 2: The Island Of Lost Dreams," and I hope it's better than the original.
40 Mighty Kids Saving The World!
These mighty kids are out to save their parents & the world from evil. It's a very entertaining movie for the entire family to enjoy. I've known several adults & children who saw the movie in the theater and have purchased the DVD for home viewing as it is fun, family entertainment!!
Don't want to give away the plot but if you are stumped for a gift for a while, whether it be your own or someone elses, this would be a good movie to purchase as a gift!
41 Not a boring moment
What a rare treat to see a basically clean, low violence, satisfyingly imaginative, family movie! The lack of bloodshed doesn't take away from the movie at all - the conflict does have its "critical" moments - meaning it's not a movie that has no problems for the characters to solve; but rather, it's a clever, sometimes humorous look at what might happen if a bored genuis-type toymaker and kids' television show host were to have a devious, scheming assistant who had a plan (and who tries to lure the toymaker into the evil plan) to satisfy a bad guy's request for an evil army who would help him gain power while a couple of retired spies decide to get back in the game but haven't quite got the hang of things yet and get captured which leaves their kids to plan and execute not only a rescue of their spy parents, but a way to help the toymaker decide whether he wants to be a good guy or bad guy, defeat the toymaker's evil assistant and the power-hungry bad guy. A good movie that asks some good questions about the importance of family and that shows that not all bad guys are unredeemable.
42 This is children's entertainment?
I fail to see how this film rates so highly. As a "kids movie" it assumes the audience has the mental capacity of a box of hammers. Sure, kids like it, and kids watch and play with all kinds of [junk] that probably isn't very good for them (look at GI Joe and Barbie for some horrible role models) but how many times do we have to watch some kids picking noses and farting for some cheap laughs? Instead let's watch a movie like Willy Wonka and learn that being a good person is better than being cool.
43 Spy Kids
I purchased this for my son who loves spy movies. He loves James Bond and this was great because the "spys" are kids his age! The movie is funny, inventive and good for the whole family (even for Mom who has a thing for Antonio Banderas!). We've watched it again and again. This isn't Oscar material - just fun!
44 The acting is great!!!!
The special effects are so cool, and so is the storyline!!! My whole family loves it, and I really want to get it on DVD. Everyone must have this movie!!!!!!
45 Strong Family Value Is Alive and Well !
We rented this movie to see if my six year old daughter liked it enough that it would be worth seeing the second movie in the theatre when it is released. We were all pleasantly surprised and enjoyed it very much. We can't wait to see the next one! This film hits the mark for young audiences without being perverse.
Shows that family is number one and that everyone in a family needs to work together to make the family work.
46 A Great Movie For Kids of All Ages
I like this movie. It reminds me of my childhood fantasies of adventure, excitement and the certain knowledge that I was smarter than any adult.
The premise rests on the question of what would happen if two superspies get married and have kids? The answer is the kids would inherit the bravery, cunning and derring-do from both parents and would save their perents and the world.
It's escapist at its best. Thoroughly enjoyable for kids of all ages.
47 Good News the Kids Love it!
One of the few movies that we can all watch without the adults wanting to leave the room or read a book.
And we have all watched it more than once.
48 The Best Family Movie Since "Star Kid"
"Spy Kids" has two very cool young up and coming performers. Alexa Vega, who plays Carmen, and Daryl Sabara, who plays Juni. The movie also has great acting by Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino, who play the parents who are top secret spies. They get captured on a secret mission.
The kids are under the watch of their fake uncle during this time. The house is attacked and this is when the kids find out that their boring parents are actually spies! The children are then sent to a special safe house that they know nothing about. The kids then get ambushed at their safehouse. They then go on a mission to save their parents by becoming spies.
This movie is so cool. It has great cameos by great actors like, George Clooney, Cheech Marin, and Teri Hatcher. This is a wonderful family film that never gets boring so you'll watch it over again several times. I give it 5 stars.
49 Latino, and diverse!
Here's a mainstream movie, a kids' movie at that, which is Latino and diverse. Too often films for audiences of color are niche-marketed, thus making it so that only straight-white-middleclass-male movies are seen as universal. Here, children are taught to be proud of their Spanish last name. The son imagines friends with Spanish first names. The daughter takes voyages to Belize. They say Spanish phrases to each other. In addition, the DVD has Spanish and French dubbing. Something more fascinating: one never knows if the family is all-Latino or mixed, white-Spanish or minority-Latino. I love the way this film can speak to audiences beyond race, nationality, first-language, gender, or age. I recommend this DVD for children and their parents of all backgrounds.
50 Holy Shiitake Mushrooms!
I am a rather large Banderas fan, And such Was the reason I rather begrudgingly decided to rent this DVD. However, I was taken By suprise.
This Movie is Wonderful - It appeals to all ages. The "Kid's Rule" Message, as well as The various gadgets and the spy underworld Theme appeal to Children, whereas the Delightfully Campy Villans And The Older, James Bond-esque parents appeal to The older Audiences.
While The two Child Actors Did Beautifully, And Banderas turned in his usual Solid Performance along with His Co-star Carla Guinido, I Must say that the delicious Alan Cumming truly Stole the show with his Outrageous And Loveable Floop, the Host of a Bizzare Children's show. He is truly a brilliant actor who turned in a stellar performance, switching from the extremes of Evil to Good in a single performance. I also Must say that his accent work was amazing - for those who don't know, he is scottish, and has one of the thickest accents around.
The sets and Costumes were Beautiful, and really should win some sort of award. The Music, also, was a treat, from the flamenco Guitair of the Beginning, to Danny Elfman's 'Floop's Song'. the Tim-Burtonish aspect of the Movie was also Highly appreciated, as I'm a huge Fan of his work.
All in all, a great movie. I'm waiting for the inevitable special edition so I can add this one to my collection for good.
51 Fantasy romp is a real pleasrure
I recently said that Hollywood may have forgotten how to make family movies. It seemed like an art lost in a sea of social changes. It is often said that children aren't as innocence as they used to be. If so, this is equally true of adults. Stories that entertained our grandparents are ones that many of us today find tame, trite and tedious. So, Spy Kids is a welcome surprise. It's fast, funny and innovative. By design, it's greatest appeal is to children, but most parents should enjoy it, too. It is like a Tim Burton movie [The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman, Sleepy Hollow] with all the dark overtones happily banished. It doesn't make any sense, but, like all great tall tales, it exists in its own space and time.
It took an odd pairing to create this movie. Its star, Antonio Banderas, gained fame as a very hot lover in movies in his native Spain. Director Robert Rodriguez started out in Mexico making movies that were stylish and creative but extremely violent. Until Spy Kids, his American movies were the same. I don't know what drew them to this project, but I'm glad they chose to do it.
Carmen and Juni [Alexa Varga and Daryl Sabara] are kids who live in a cool house overlooking the ocean. Their parents, Gregorio and Ingrid [Banderas and Carla Gugino] are loving but decidedly uncool as far as Carmen and Juni are concerned. Mom is overly protective, and Dad seems to be a wimp. They run a consulting business out of the house. What the kids don't know is that Mom and Dad used to be international spies. Currently, Gregorio and Ingrid are looking into the disappearance of some former coworkers. Juni is obsessed with a wacky children's show starring the bizarre Fegan Floop [Alan Cummin]. The boy, as well as the rest of the family, is about to learn that Floop and the disappearing spies are very much connected. When Gregorio and Ingrid also vanish, the kids set out to find them. It will prove to be the adventure of a lifetime.
The sets are colorful and imaginative. There are lots of cool gadgets - crayons that are actually lasers, neat cars that are also boats and submarines and so forth. Floop has a treasure trove of creatures he has created, including the robot children he plans to use to take over the world. My favorite characters are his bodyguards - pudgy, waddling things that are literally all thumbs.
Banderas is fun as Gregorio, playing a kind of a parody of himself. Varga and Sabara make the children likable. These aren't the cloyingly cute kids you see in most family films. They have personalities with flair and great senses of humor. Cummin plays Floop as a Pee Wee Herman gone completely mad. He's a great villain.
Spy Kids may be about kidnapping and espionage on one level, but it's also about the importance of family, not in the sense of so-called family values, but in the sense of love and loyalty. There will be a sequel in 2002, and, for once, I'm glad to hear it.
52 spy kids
Carmen and Juni are two kids who discover that their parents were once spies. The kids dress up as spies and uncover mysteries to save the world. This movie, and The 6th Day are two state of perfection and are worth watching if you like action adventures.
53 AWESOME MUST HAVE TAPE!!!!!!!!! :)
COOL TAPE THAT THE WHOLE FAMILY WILL LOVE!!!!!! FULL OF ACTION AND YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT!!!!!!! FULL OF SUPRISES!!!!!! EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY LOVES IT AND WANTS TO WATCH SPY KIDS AGAIN AND AGAIN!!!!!!!!
54 The Name Says It All
Let's see... What's this movie called? Spy KIDS? Hmmm - I guess that might mean it's for kids, then.
My seven year old son loves this movie, and why not? It's alot of fun for kids. Directed well with lots of action, any young boy should really enjoy this flick.
55 Taking your breath away !!
Carmen and Juni are the world's best spies' kids.They didn't know that at all until one day,their parents left them with their "uncle".While they were staying with their "uncle",Thumb-Thumbs (characters from a show)emerged and their "uncle" was caught.Their last sentence from their "uncle" was "The third brain lives".Carmen and Juni escaped from their house and went to a place called the safehouse.
Unfortunately a tremendously bad lady who is a spy agent manages to break into the safehouse and tries to trick them into giving her the third brain.What will happen? Will this bad lady manage to take away the precious third brain? Will Carmen and Juni manage to rescue their parents? When I saw this show,it took my breath away.Every scene was breathtaking.I recommend this movie to everyone.
56 Imaginative, Fun Family Film
Carmen and Juni are two kids who are just trying to grow up. Carmen resents always having to look out for her brother, and Juni is constantly afraid of everything and is the bullies' favorite target at school. But one day, they learn that their parents are really spies who have been kidnapped. The kids soon realize that they alone must find and rescue them. Along the way, Carmen and Juni will have to learn to work as a family if they have any hope of returning home alive.
This is a delightful film the entire family can enjoy together. The plot is cleaver and entertaining so everyone will enjoy it, and the characters are endearing. I especially love the scene where Juni meets his hero Floop and gives him advice. There is definitely a strong message about the importance of family, but it is brought out by the story and never feels too preachy.
A movie with this much imagination doesn't come along very often. Children of all ages will enjoy this purely escapist adventure.
57 Warped, Wild, and Wondorous.
SPY KIDS is a movie about a sister and brother who find out that their boring parents are actually two of the world's best spies who have went into retirement to have a family. The kids find this out after their parents are kidnapped and their supposed "uncle" races them off to the family's safe house. It turns out that the host of a popular children's show is actually kidnapping spies for information to finish an army of robot children (the Spy Kids) he has sold to an evil businessman who wants to rule the world. Far-out plot, huh? But, surprisingly, it works and works rather well. There are a lot of spy gadgets that the kids use that are really interesting. Also, much of the scenery is quite breathtaking, but in a warped way, reminding me of a Salvador Dali painting.
This movie is a family-oriented film. However, it is not your typical family movie. There is a little bit of foul language that cleverly slips by. What is unusual about the film is it's humor, setting, and characters. Sure there are a few bathroom jokes of the junior high variety. However, most people don't find humor in a robot called Thumb-thumbs that's nothing but five thumbs put together, or in puzzle floors that sometimes fall apart, or in body mutation machines that change people into cartoon-like characters. Heck, most people don't even get the wit of kids driving under the sea in a yellow submarine that looks like a guppy. Nevertheless, this is what happens when you put such a talented (yet, wild and somewhat warped) director as Robert Rodriguez at the helm of a children's movie. However, even if Pee Wee Herman-esque humor isn't your cup of tea, the movie does have a strong message about the strength of family, another message about honesty, another one about how kids can make a difference, and the movie has one of the best Latin American casts of all time. There isn't another family film like it.
58 Fun Family Movie
This is a fun adventure movie for the whole family. The movie stresses the importance of families and working out problems between family members. At the same time, it is a story of a thrilling, action-packed adventure. Highly recommended.
59 Fun for the whole family
Both my husband and I loved this movie as well as my 5 year old. I would highly recommend to any family with small children. It's energetic and entertaining.
60 melting pot advocate
At last, a childs movie that adults can enjoy. I especially like that the actors are diverse in culture... a true example of this country's diversity...
61 A fun family movie...from the director of Desperado
I don't remember Spy Kids being in theaters very long, which is too bad. I would have seen the movie if someone just told me "Robert Rodriguez, Antonio Banderas, Danny Trejo", so I rushed to rent it on DVD.
It's bizarre seeing a Rodriguez movie that's rated PG, but he knows how to film action (comes from the Sam Raimi school), so it's just as fun. Banderas and Carla Gugino play two suave expert international spies who fall in love and marry (in a very cool, James Bond -esque opening) but realize they are too much of a target together, so they (supposedly) give up espionage to settle down and raise a family. They agree not to tell their kids what they did before, but the kids find out when the parents are kidnapped by an evil toy making genius, and set out, with a ton of really cool-a$s gadgets, to rescue them.
If you're a fan of Rodriguez, definitely check this out. I read an interview where he said he got the idea from his section of 4 Rooms, The Misbehavers (and hey, for most of the movie Banderas looks like he did in 4 Rooms, fine with me, whoo-hooooo!)and saw the little kids dressed in tuxes. To be honest, I'm personally never very thrilled to see movies that feature kids in prominent roles, but the movie was so entertaining I didn't mind; the kids are also great. Some of the humor is aimed at grade-schoolers, so it's not the funniest RR movie I've ever seen, but that's OK.
There's a ton of cool gadgets and weapons, most of them pretty original; the sets are also incredible, the art direction has a Terry Gilliam-type feel to it...with a little early Tim Burton mixed in.
I don't have kids, but it seems like a fine family movie to me; No-one gets killed, there's a positive message, there's Antonio Banderas to look at. RR regulars Cheech Marin and Danny Trejo (as a good guy!) show up; so does one of the stars of from Dusk Till Dawn in a cameo (hint: he is not a hard guy to look at). Maybe some RR fans will find parts a little sugary, but I didn't (then again, I'm a sap).
Very entertaining, and I don't think that a family spy movie has ever been done before. Not much in the way of extras on the DVD, just trailers, and if there are easter eggs, I couldn't find them, but the movie is strong enough to speak for itself.
62 That ending killed it
You know, I like James Bond. I'm a fifteen year old male. Who wouldn't like car chases and action and stuff. and I also live with a ten year old brother, also a fan of James Bond. So he wants to see Spy Kids because it's kind of like James Bond jr. So as a family we all go see it. I was impressed that it had actually lived up to the hype. And as usual, I spoke to soon. The ending did it in for me and made my desicion on whether to see the sequel. That answer would be NO.
Oh come on, we get this kids movie action thing, then they have to go and start talking about how keeping the family together is hard, but it's the mission worth fighting for!?!? Bah! I came to see an action movie, not a movie thats going to tell me that family is important. As I said earlier, that did it in for me
63 A Complete Waste
Spy Kids, which pretends to have fun for the whole family, actually offers quite the opposite. The film only pretends to have a plot, revolving around the use of robotic children to rule the world. In fact, the name "Spy Kids" refers to these cybernetic duplicates, not to the two lead characters. With a secret spy network which uses absurdly cartoony gadgets to save the world from a nefarious villain (who really isn't such a bad guy), it seems as though the writers couldn't decide whether they were filming a spy movie or making fun of one. Either way, they offer sad special effects, gadgets that look like oversized Happy Meal toys, and plot devices which serve no purpose whatsoever. The acting is sad, the dialogue is worse, and the jokes will leave most people above thirteen begging for the end credits. Worse, the film has pointless bathroom humor and a thinly disguised profanity- not exactly high quality children's fare. I heartily wish I had the hour and a half I wasted on this film back again.
64 A great family movie
This movie is hilarious. Its great for the kids as well as the parents.
65 A pretty bad flick.
I started off watching this is a hopeful feeling, but was very disapointed with this movie.
The basic story is as follows: Two kids have parents that are super spies, and who are determined not to let their children know. But when other agents vanish, they go off on the chase only to be captured themselves.
Their children go off to look for them, using technology that is so unreal that it is unbelieveable.
They find their parents in the production studio/island of the boy's favorite TV show, AND that the missing super agents have been mutated into the ugly characters of the TV show.
The bad guys are after a miniture brain that will allow their kid robots to function normally. These robots are going to be used as spies, replasing the children of government officials.
All in all, this movie was bad. The plot was bad, the characters were bad and the scenes were bad. Too unrealistic and too James Bond-like combined with a kids movie.
Don't waste your money.
66 spy goods
A good movie for kids and adults although before I saw it I
thought it was going to be [awful].I think the spy gadets were the coolest.
67 Adventurous Story with a lot of excitement
Spy Kids is one of my favorite movies now and I enjoyed it very, very much. It has adventure, excitement, and a good moral too! The movie is about Carmen and Juni Cortez and their parents. The parents are really spies, but never told Carmen and Juni. One day, Mr. Cortez sees a paper that says that a man is missing. From here, it gets really exciting. Mr. and Mrs. Cortez have to go on a secret mission to find the man, and Carmen and Juni's uncle comes to take care of them. However, their uncle is really a friend of Mr. and Mrs. Cortez and is also a spy. He tells them that Mr. and Mrs. Cortez are spies, and just then, they get a warning that their parents are in danger. Carmen and Juni find many secret passages and rooms in their home and find a small room that would take them to the ocean to their parents. Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Cortez were being captured by the evil Floop that goes on children's TV shows, his helper Alexander Minion, and their evil 'soldiers' called Thumb Thumbs. Carmen and Juni find a safe house and stays there. Then few people disguised as good people but actually helping Floop and trying to find the Third Brain, which would help make Spy Kids, evil children who do bad things. The Third Brain is in the safe house. The group of people tell that Fooglies, funny aliens that appear on TV shows and are Juni's favorite characters, were actually people but were turned into the aliens. The disappointing part is that the group gets the Third Brain. Carmen and Juni go to Floop's castle, and all sort of things happen. Juni also made a big change in Floop's evil life. Just watch on and have fun!
68 I enjoyed It.
I never got to see Spy Kids in the movie theater but we rented the video and though it isn't the best childrens movie I ever saw I did like it, I liked Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Alan Cummings, and the actors who played the kids especially the girl who played Carmen, And though I enjoyed this movie I do have to agree with others that this children's movie may not appeal to some older people, my Mom fell asleep and my older sister hated it and complained about it for several days especially giving me a hard time because I had picked the video but I know several other older people who liked it including another sister. I guess it's a movie that you either like or hate but I didn't hate it and thought it was a fun movie even though I would have liked to have seen the extra footage that several reviewers have mentioned and I will probably rent the special edition video when ever it is released.
69 Spy Kids
This is an awesome movie! It kinda freaked me out at first, but I liked it alot! It is full of action and adventure, comedy, and excitement all the way! I am definatley giving 5 stars! I don't know why anyone would give it less than four!
THis movie is about two kids that fight all the time, and have parents that are spies. But they don't know it. Then the parents are assigned a mission and have to leave their home. SOmething goes wrong. The kids find out their parents are spies and decide to save them themselves.
70 FULL OF ACTION!!
This movie stuck all kinds of people. Everyone loved the movie. This movie was full of action and adventure. Also, it was full of laughs. Two main kids are set off to find their parents from this wacky guy. I loved every single part of this movie. I hope that you would go and see this. I guarantee you full action.
71 Great adventure for the young and young at heart.
As lightweight as cotton candy and as exciting a rollercoaster ride, Spy Kids delivers an action packed James Bondesque adventure for both the young and young at heart. Carmen and Juni Cortez have no idea that the bedtime story 'The Spies Who Fell in Love' is actually the true story of how their parents met and gave up the derring do of International Intrigue for marriage and parenthood, an entirely different kind of adventure. However when a dastardly super villan plots to take over the world, forcing the adult Cortez couple out of semi-retirement, the kids find out just who their parents really are and that saving them (and the world) has fallen on their shoulders.
Spy Kids is hectic, never really pausing to catch its breath, and feels like a child's game always on the verge of spinning wildly out of control. Writer/Producer/Director Robert Rodriguez does keep it under control though, and delivers a winner of ride, though a little more attention to the people in the story would have helped make it a classic instead of just a great piece of fluff.
72 The Best!!!
Packed full of action! Loaded full of surprises! To tell you the truth... I don't even own this move! But I've rented it at Hollywood vidio and it's fantastic! If you're the kind of person
that LOVES action,surprises,and that part in the movie were this girl says Junie's a worthless little shrimp,and Carmon says he's strong and Junie punches the wall like the girl did (she's a robot! And she punched THROUGH the wall!)and Carmon says,"You're not that strong Junie!"He!He! He! I think thats kind of funny...don't you? Well, anyways...buy this movie!(you're get'n a real good bargon!)Thats my info,and if it was'nt enough,go read someone elses review!!! See ya!
73 Cant stop watching it
This is one of the only movies I caught myself doing something my children do all the time... Watch the same movie 15 times!.
It's one of those family movies with lots of action and suspence for the parents but a lot of gadgets for the kids to be ingulfed in. A+++++
74 There should be an age limit
I guess I'm getting too old for "superhero" movies. A weak plot and scattered attempts at humor made this movie too juvenile to be thoroughly enjoyed.
Younger viewers (age 8 - 12) would probably enjoy this movie for its "Kids save the day" theme.
75 Realizing Reality
I bought this for my nieces, and they seemed to like it. I think the appeal to kids is that they do get to see people of their own age be proactive in a community--in this case a spy community. SK therefore fits in the same genre as Matilda and all of the Parent Trap movies, so if you like those movies, you'll probably like Spy Kids. (I could also see this movie turning into a series of movies, perhaps with Superhero kids or business-savvy kids who are the offspring of corporate moguls).
The breakdown of the heirarchal structure in the nuclear family may be a sticking point for many. The parents are by no means inferior spies, but they are basically saved by the kids, and that displaces the parents' agency (no pun intended) and puts the kids in the role of redeemers. Adults, I wouldn't worry too much, though. After all, the kids in the movie are pretty extraordinary, and so is the situation. But you may want to talk to your kids about your own career choices and how they are different from/similar to the lifestyles portrayed in the movie.
76 TOP SECRET: SPY KIDS delivers great family entertainment
SPY KIDS is an extremely fresh family film. Written and Directed by Robert Rodriguez, the film boasts concepts and techniques worthy of a bigger budget "higher profile" adult film. Most kid's flicks pander and deliver only the bare minimum. The globe trotting fun uses Mexico as its home base and so immediately has a unique look and feel to it. Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino are splendid as secret agents/parents. A minor detraction does occur; the film making becomes less ambitious when there are several children on the screen. It gave me the feeling Rodriguez didn't know how to get the best performance out of so many youngins' so he just turned the camera on and let it roll... Other than that and a few unresolved plot elements, the film is great fun for the family. There is a nice audio and video transfer on the DVD. And remember, this film is FOR YOUR EYES ONLY.
77 Spy kids and adults
Don't let the name discourage you because this movie doesn't necessarily have to be enjoyed by a younger audience. Myself, I was somewhat skeptical to watch this, but I walked away saying, "Dang it, that was fun!" The story follows two kids who, by sheer luck, stumble upon a conquest to save their parents (who never did mention they were actually spies). Granted, there are some scenes and certain elements that are terribly corny, but the overall aspect is, in one word: superb. There are some great special effects, good action sequences, and terrificly original tweaks. More importantly, this is one of the few movies I've seen where I actually liked all the characters. Lovable, even... to a point. Spy Kids is a great family show that, in all due respect, will be enjoyed by virtually anybody.
78 Silly but fun
It's not Mission Impossible or James Bond, but it is a pretty cool spy movie. Overall, I'd compare it more to True Lies than any other recent espionage flicks.
The basic premise is that the kids have to save the day when their parents (who are secretly spies) wind up getting kidnapped. I don't want to spoil it, but I will tell you that my wife and I (who have no kids) thoroughly enjoyed this movie.
79 It's not that bad
A lot of people don't like this movie, and I can see why. Some things could have been better and some things could have been left out (I'm not going to go into detail). But all in all, It's really about family working together, and the whole unrealistic side of the story is what makes it fun. The tv show was neat even though the stars were mutated humans, and the spy - weapons were really neat and interesting and makes you want some of them yourself. Well, it's not a fantastic movie, and its not a horrible movie. It's an okay movie if you're older than 13. But for kids, they'll love it. Oh, and I would rent it, not buy it!
80 Add to the movie and leave it out on the video!!!!!
I think this film all in all is OK, the thumb thumbs leave something to be desired. But add footage to the film in the theater and then release to dvd with out it!!!! I think that was a cheap ploy, later they will add and want you to buy it again. Not making enough millions off the kids yet?
81 A great movie for the family
I was very pleased with this movie. My two boys enjoyed it greatly, they actually sat down and watched the whole thing. The only problem was they acted like spys for the next two weeks...but thank goodness that phase is over.
The whole movie was very entertaining. The only part I didn't like were the "monster like" people the bad guy had created. They gave me the creeps. But my kids thought they were cool. The parents in the movie didn't dominate the screen like i thought they would...the kids did. It was good to see the kids become hero's..and it even had a moral of the story about families keeping secrets. It's a good movie. It would make a great gift for boys or girls.
82 Not just a movie for Kids
If you think 'Spy Kids' is JUST a little kids movie, think again. This movie will entertain adults too. I am 21 and I LOVED this movie. Adults who take things too seriously may not enjoy it, but anyone with a huge imagination and a child at heart, will most likely enjoy this movie.
The movie is about the Cortez family. Mr. and Mrs. Cortez are retired international spies, but when an assignment comes up that makes them rethink retirement, they decide to take it leaving their kids with an uncle. When things go wrong and they find themselves in danger, their kids take on the job of saving them, taking the movie on a wild ride.
The movie is great for a family to watch together because it teaches about how important family can be. So while being entertaining and pure fun with excellent gadgets and gizmos along with special effects, it will teach you a thing or two.
Give it a shot. Its time for imaginations to get back in gear again.
83 really bad
if you are thinking about buying this movie dont be to disapointed when it turns out that its really bad
the actors are the worst and the whole story doesnt make sense
i dont know why people are making such a big thing about this movie, it is NOT WORTH IT
soo.. save yourslef your mony your time and your disapointment and forget about this movie
84 A well made kids movie, more fun for them than for adults
Other reviews go into the details so no need to do them over here but this movie can be a lot of fun for your kids to watch. The action and scripting concerns kids and is written at a level that would appeal most to pre adolescent boys and girls. Lots of fun things here, gadgets & all, but if you're expecting James Bond don't bother (although many of the kids spy tools wouldn't be out of place in a Bond movie). Your kids will enjoy it, you probably will as well if you take it in a light hearted manner.
85 Who says kids can't do anything?
personaly, I loved this movie, and I thought that the parents, even though they where catured, where awesome.( I also think the dad should have left his disguise on, he looked a lot better,) When the kids learn that their parents are top international spys, they are realy surprised. Then their "uncle" Felix sends them of to the supposedly safe-house,they are doing just about as good as the parents are,( caught and locked up).
86 offers flash but little else
** 1/2 I can certainly understand why "Spy Kids" has been such an enormous hit with children. What is childhood fantasy, after all, but an attempt by essentially powerless youngsters to bring a little order to their world, to show themselves and the adults around them that they too are good for something - even if it's only saving the world from the forces of evil before it's time to come in to face chores, homework and bedtime. Of course, children merely mimic the fantasies adults themselves indulge in - utilizing the same set of conventions that serve as the template for virtually all action/adventure films that have featured heroes on the order of James Bond, Rambo, and Arnold Schwarzenegger in his various fictional guises. In many ways, the films featuring those characters demonstrate that many of us have still not outgrown the simplistic view of the world that fuels our earliest fantasies. By making the heroes of this film specifically children, "Spy Kids" fulfills that need children have to feel that they too can be an active part of a power-conferring fantasy rather than just the passive observers they usually end up being in a real world controlled by adult concepts and adult rules.
Fair enough. What I don't understand, though, is why adults seem to be so enamored of "Spy Kids," which, for all its hullabaloo and hubbub, is really little more than a juvenile version of the same spy spoof nonsense that has been a staple of filmmaking since the 1960's (nicely resurrected by the "Austin Powers" films a few years back). Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino star as Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez, two dashing former spies who have traded in the exciting world of field espionage for less glamorous "desk jobs" in the spy organization so that they can raise their two children, Carmen and Juni, in a more normal, less hectic and less dangerous environment. Carmen and Juni, unaware of their parents' past, look upon them as two hopelessly nerdy representatives of an "uncool" older generation. When Gregorio and Ingrid decide, after nine years out of commission, to get back into the secret agent business, they discover that some of their espionage skills have become a little rusty and they are instantly caught and imprisoned by a mad children's show producer bent on creating a race of indestructible children robots. When Carmen and Juni discover the truth of their parents' identities and predicament, the two youngsters set off on a mission to singlehandedly rescue them from a fate worse than death.
One of the problems with "Spy Kids" is that it seems to mistake frenetic activity for humor and wit. Through long stretches of the film, we are being hurtled through space in one imaginary vehicle after another as the children search desperately for their kidnapped parents. There is, moreover, an awful lot of frantic running around by the various characters, but the result is, oddly, not excitement but rather tedium. Because writer/director Robert Rodriguez has failed to provide any truly clever dialogue, he has been forced to rely far too heavily on the special effects to carry the day. The result is that we are never particularly captivated by the antics either of the children or of the parents, who, I hasten to note, actually spend most of their time off screen. When they are on screen, they often come across as arch, self conscious and cutesy, rather than smooth, suave and witty. Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara, as the two children, are unremarkable but relatively likable screen presences. At least they are not as cloying as their parents.
The art director, set decorator and production designer deserve mention for their superb work in creating a never-never land world caught somewhere between reality and fantasy, perfectly suitable for a film built on childhood imaginings. It's too bad that the screenplay fails to consistently match that level of creativity. Stand by for the inevitable sequel!
87 Dumb and Dumber
This has to be one of the worst kids movie I've seen in years. While it starts out with a great premise (kids getting to be spies in order to save their parents), it quickly degenerates into a silly fantasy plot that gets more and more painful to watch. If you've seen the trailer, you've seen everything worth watching.
88 Awesome Family Flick
Great film for the entire family. It was great to see Antonio Banderas in a pseudo comedic role. Very enjoyable. I even watch it when the kids aren't home!
89 Entertaining piece of fluff...
My kids think this is REALLY COOL. It has some laughs, some ingenuity to the plot and production, but otherwise is a no-brainer. One for family movie time, but not much else...
90 I don't believe I liked this Movie
For someone who listens to Death Metal and Rap, and hates almost every Kiddy movie put out there, I actually liked this one.
I rented 2 movies with little sisters and this was actually interesting enough to keep me awake, I thought one of the SpyKids said something bad but it turned out to be "Holy Shiitake Mushroom", but it was towards the end and I was getting tired.
So, it was a good movie, but not as good as part 2 of our double feature, JOE DIRT.
91 Action Packed!
Recently, there has been a trend in family films: they're getting better. The atrocity of "See Spot Run" aside, the last few years have seen more good PG-or-under-rated fare than just the standard Disney animation. See, for instance, the flawless "Chicken Run," "Princess Diaries," "Road to El Dorado," "The Prince of Egypt," and "Shrek" and you will be able to tell what I am talking about. Now you can add "Spy Kids" to that list.
This film is a head-spinning whirl of invention and brilliance, marred only occasionally by predictability or a poop joke. It must have been a sheer joy to make, because all on-screen appear to be having loads of fun. It's wonderful to see even the normally stone-faced Robert Patrick (the T-1000 in "Terminator 2," Agent Doggit in "The X-Files) having to hold back a grin as a corporate villain. Fortunately for us, this all passes along to the audience. Everyone, and not just the teeny-boppers. With bright, intelligent production design (was that really a yellow submarine I saw?), a light sense of humor, and wonderful pacing, this evokes a grin from even the most concerned parents.
Not that this is all fluff. There is a rare degree of intelligence here, especially for a kid's movie. At one point, a young Hispanic child shouts something, and instead of going the easy route and doing it in English, writer/director Robert Rodriguez uses Spanish, with a subtitle telling us what was said. Not only there, but nearly all the major characters are written with sharp observation. The parents are intelligent, willful, and when they go back into the biz' after retirement, it's because *they* want to, not because the plot does. Even Floop, the villain bent on world-domination, is given sufficient motivation: he's lonely and insecure, and wants to feel appreciated. (Most of this becomes apparent through the brilliant perfomance of Alan Cummings.) And the children...
The two kids are, without a doubt, the center of this movie, and well to do so. As written, they are real siblings, hating and loving each other at the same time. They know each other's weaknesses, they know how to push each other's buttons, but at the same time, they obviously care about each other. This is one tight-knit family. Hollywood needs more like them.
This is also not to say the movie is perfect. It does stray into poop jokes, though only twice, and there is also a predictable plot element involving an estranged brother. However by the time it reaches this point, it has more than enough credit going for us to forgive it.
Before the movie began, there were trailers for nearly all the upcoming family and children's films this summer. Some looked good, some looked mediocre. However, if more are like this, it will be a good year. Kids, do your parents a favor: take them to buy "Spy Kids"
92 A good movie!
If there is one thing that the entertainment world does NOT need is another "kiddy" movie...that has a lot of "appropriate" gross out jokes and corny dialouge. Fortunately, 'Spy Kids' escaped the norm...and actually brought a new genre to the Kids Entertainment world..."Comedy, Action, Romance AND kiddy movie" genre. This movie wasn't catering so much to the younger audience that the adults would go "hmph" at the jokes...but didn't have double meanings in the humor. The jokes were genuinely funny...the action was genuinely exciting and the characters were lovable, and loathable. The bad guys were bad (and at times amusing) and the good guys were lovable and funny. The movie brought out all relationships from brothers, husband/wife, siblings, spy/badguy, traitor/good guy, and others! You have to enjoy this movie. Sit down one night and watch it...I promise you will enjoy it~!!
93 A Movie for the Whole Family
This movie has plenty to offer all age groups and little that would be objectionable to children.
Its premise is simple. Two parents, retired for 9 years from the spy business, are called back into action. The real hero and heroine, though, are their children. While Antonio Banderas has top billing, the two youths carry the movie. It moves at a Star Wars-like pace and at times seems to spoof James Bond movies. The action is not violent and the movie reminds the audience of the importance of family values.
If you do not try to take this movie too seriously, you will enjoy the performances and special effects. Spy Kids 2 is already in the works for 2002.
94 Spy Kids
This movie was fantastic. I was not expecting much from this movie and was pleasantly surprised. The whole family loved it.
95 Spy Kids is a ride no matter what age the viewers are
A fun family film that actually teaches Family values.I cannot wait for Spy Kids 2 to come out.
As a big Antonio Banderas fan i was pleasantly surprised with a stellar cast
