Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams Review
by Eugene Novikov (eugenen AT wharton DOT upenn DOT edu)August 13th, 2002
Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002)
Reviewed by Eugene Novikov
http://www.ultimate-movie.com/
Starring Alexa Vega, Darryl Sabarra, Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Steve Buscemi, Mike Judge, Holland Taylor, Ricardo Montalban, Matt O'Leary, Emily Osment.
Directed by Robert Rodriguez.
Rated PG.
"What time is it?"
"I don't know, my watch doesn't tell time."
I have had to use the word "franchise" an absurd amount of times this summer to describe sequels, sagas and hopeful upstarts alike. Nearly every "big" movie that opens during these months is either the continuation of a franchise or an attempt to establish one. The cinematic value of such efforts is, for obvious reasons, often dubious, but some filmmakers are so obviously enamored with their material that their enthusiasm transcends the box-office-conquers-all commercialim of their backer studios.
Such is the case with Robert Rodriguez's Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, a movie so joyous, so imaginative, so endlessly inventive that the instinct to cheer isn't easily overcome. Rodriguez, who acts as writer, director, producer, composer, cinematographer, editor, production designer and God knows what else (someone suggested "caterer"), expands on the brilliant ideas he introduced in the similarly brilliant Spy Kids last year and significantly ups the exuberance factor. It is one of the only true live action "family films" -- in the sense of entertaining both grown-ups and their offspring equally -- I've seen this year.
As Spy Kids 2 opens, Carmen and Juni Cortez (Alexa Vega and Darryl Sabara), the original spy kids find themselves in competition with two bratty newcomers, Garry and Gerti Giggles (Matt O'Leary and Emily Osment, sister of Haley Joel). When Gregorio Cortez (Antonio Banderas), C and J's father, is passed up for the promotion to the head of the spy agency in favor of Donnagon Giggles (Mike Judge), giving the next Big Assignment, as well as the coveted "level one" badge to Garry and Gerti, Carmen and Juni are seriously ticked.
Fortunately, Carmen has been learning some rudimentary hacking lately, which allows her to enter the agency's database and switch the assignments around, sending herself and Juni to the Island of Lost Dreams, where a mad-but-kind scientist (Steve Buscemi), who dreams only of creating miniature zoos for the children of the world, is in possession of a coveted "transmooker," with the capability to shut off all electronic devices within a given radius.
Among other things, Spy Kids 2 is a testament to cheap digital filmmaking; it was shot on video but its look is essentially indistinguishable from film, and its $30 million budget goes a shockingly long way in creating convincing special effects that look just as good, if not better than, say, the ones in the $97 million Men in Black II.
I don't want to give you the wrong idea: Rodriguez's movie is much more than an amalgamation of cheap digital wizardry. He uses computer effects not to camouflage a lack of ideas but to enliven a cornucopia of them. The images seen here are astonishingly original and audacious, everything from a 3-dimensional map of the Island in which miniature creatures invariably represent the positions of their larger, more menacing counterparts to the agency head's office, which apparently requires you to leap from platform to platform to reach the desk in the center. Some of the imagery is accomplished without any effects at all: there is a funny scene in which the Secret Service surrounds the President's daughter, who is dancing ballet in the center.
Spy Kids 2 introduces a third generation of superspies, with Holland Taylor and Ricardo Montalban delightfully portraying Gregorio's in-laws. Aside from giving ample opportunity for funny throw-away gags, it also provides an attractive new angle on the basic plot; perhaps a spin-off entitled Spy Codgers is in order. In the meantime, I am more than satisfied with this wildly creative series from the imagination of a man who gives hints that there are much more where this came from.
Grade: A-
Up Next: XXX
©2002 Eugene Novikov
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