Spy Kids is a grab bag of cinematic classics spliced into one reel. James Bond gadgetry & Willie Wonka theatrics, shrouded in a vivid Pee Wee’s Playhouse backdrop. Sky Kids is the tale of two double-O calibre secret agents, who decide to drop out of the spy business and marry, instead of killing their nemesis - each other.

Gregorio (Antonio Banderas/The Mask of Zorro) and Ingrid Cortez (Carla Gugino/Snake Eyes) have settled down to tackle the challenges of parenthood when they are forced out of retirement to track down former OSS colleagues who have mysteriously disappeared. They are soon kidnapped by Fegan Floop - #1 children’s show pop personality by day, resident evil wizard by night - and rely on their children, Carmen(Alexa Vega/Twister) and Juni(Daryl Sabara), to save the day - if not the world.

Spy Kids was written and directed by Robert Rodriguez (”El Mariachi”, “From Dusk Till Dawn”, “Desperado”) and incorporates international espionage and spy theme with a kid-like innocence. Carmen and Juni take us on an adventurous whirlwind of ingenuous gadgetry and swashbuckling evil. The pair use corrosive crayons and exploding gum to get them out of many a tight corner.

Floop has found his niche in conquering the world - by creating 500 bionic spy kids – alas, if they only had brains. Only the parents Cortez have the prototype brain . . . and only the Cortez children know of its whereabouts. Floop sends his henchmen, Thumb Thumbs, to track down the “third” brain and the Cortez kiddies for mass production and mass destruction.

Mr. Lisp (Robert Patrick/Terminator 2) chimes in on the act by harnessing the wretched creativity of Floop in hopes of conquering the OSS and gain control of the world’s finances. Fooglies, Blue Meanie wannabes, are the stars of Floop’s television show - they also just so happen to be former OSS agents who have been transformed through Floop’s genetic debaucheries.

Carmen and Juni are two lovely children who put together all the bedtime stories of espionage their parents ever told them. While cute and slightly endearing, they lack charismatic punch. Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino might have well mailed in their performances. Stock characters, stock performances, not so stock paychecks.

The story is just deep enough to make sense but the plethora of cinematic techniques makes it feel like the first night of the town carnival – full of fun, but not without its hitches. The picture suffers from too much skittish action without stronger identification of its characters. A few careful splashes of humor could have taken this piece much further.

All the elements have been carefully placed for a box office shattering sequel, complete with marketing tie-ins. Unfortunately, most classics don’t write a first draft with a sequel in mind. A nice attempt in bringing out the “James Bond for kids” genre but the final collaboration remains unrefined.

Recommended:
Yes

Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up Ages 8