REAL SPIES… ONLY SMALLER.
Two retired spies (Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino), who are now married and raising two kids (Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara), are suddenly called back to action – and the children end up in danger. A surprisingly family-friendly adventure from Robert Rodriguez who gets a lot of help in the charm department by Banderas and Gugino as the loving ex-spies, and young Vega and Sabara as the next generation of secret agents. The story and the villains lack zest, and the tone is a little frantic, but it doesn’t go overboard or turn excessively violent. A lot of imagination has gone into the visual effects.
2001-U.S. 86 min. Color. Written, directed and edited by Robert Rodriguez. Cast: Antonio Banderas (Gregorio Cortez), Carla Gugino (Ingrid Cortez), Alexa Vega (Carmen Cortiz), Daryl Sabara (Juni Cortez), Alan Cumming, Tony Shalhoub… Teri Hatcher, Cheech Marin, Robert Patrick, George Clooney.
Trivia: Followed by three sequels, starting with Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002).
