Spy Kids (Film)

Title: Spy Kids
DVD, 2001
Starring Antonio Banderas

One of the kids at my work was very quick to tell me that I just had to watch this movie, once I told him about my assignment for my class. It is the type of movie where the grown-ups are in trouble and the kids have to come in and save the day; I can see why he likes it so much. So, at his request, I checked it out.

Description:

Carmen and Juni are pretty typical kids and have two loving and supportive parents. The only difference between Carmen and Juni and other kids is that their parents are spies. The brother and sister duo go about their daily lives oblivious to this fact until one day their parents are kidnapped by an evil villain Fegan Floop (played very well by Alan Cumming). The kids flee to a secret house their parents have set up and begin to learn the skills and techniques to become spies and save their parents. They try to get help from their uncle Machete, but he is still angry with his brother (their dad) and refuses to help the children. Carmen and Juni are forced to infiltrate Floop's hideout and save their parents themselves!

Review:

The two kid actors that play Carmen and Juni are quite good in the movie and the plot is fun and silly with just enough seriousness. The underlying tension between the characters is interesting and provides a surprising amount of moral evolution for the kids. For instance, Carmen has a bed-wetting problem (despite being the older sister) and Juni is very insecure and scared of the bullies at his school. The kids overcome their differences and help to show their Dad and Uncle of their ways. The family is of Latino heritage and it is nice to see that reflected in the movie. 'Spy Kids' is a really fun movie for kids, if only short of classic, and the characters take the film a little past a purely entertaining experience and make the kids think (if only a tiny bit).