Spy Kids

Summary: After years of spying for opposite sides, international spies Gregorio and Ingrid took early retirement, married each other, and had two adorable children.  After nine years of living like regular people and devoting themselves to raising their children, they are called back to active duty when four SOS agents mysteriously disappear.  However, as soon as they head off on their mission, they fall into the trap of the evil enemy Fegan Floop.  Now, it is up to their children to pull off a daring rescue attempt using an array of cool high-tech gadgetry!  It is a delightfully entertaining movie about empowered children who rescues their parents.  The language is a bit strong in the name calling department for the younger children, but otherwise "Spy Kids" is an excellent movie for the whole family to enjoy together.  Your young ones are sure to love this movie, and that's no secret.
 

The Story

Gregorio (Tony Banderas) and Ingrid (Carla Gugino) were once spies on opposite sides.  They were assigned to kill one another.  But fate would have that they would fall in love and led a secret affair.  Eventually, they married, retired, and had two adorable children Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara).  They try to raise their children as "normal" parents, with the usual emphasis on sports, particularly in gymnastics.  Instead of telling their children fairy tale bedtime stories, they tell their children the story of two spies (which is actually their own true-life story, of course).  Their children never suspects them being spies:

"My parents are not spies, they're not cool enough!"

Their life seems to be normal enough.  But in the past nine years, both Gregorio and Ingrid have remained inactive secret agents.  One evening after the kids are tucked in,  they are called back to active duty to find the four missing OSS agents.  As they head out in the so-cool spy-mobile in their mission to recover these agents, Gregorio and Ingrid stumble into a trap by Fegan Floop (Alan Cumming), a millionaire cereal and game manufacturer.  He wants the Third Brain to finish his army of robotic children.  Now, it is up to the Cortez children to rescue their parents using an array of cool high-tech gadgetry!  Will they be successful in rescuing their parents?

"Spy Kids" is a wonderful and entertaining movie that portrays the empowerment of children, but the script is a bit strong in the name calling department for the younger children.  There are many special effects scenes which were disappointingly unrealistic, at least to this jaded special effects fan.  The good-natured humor and children-geared intrigue storyline, however, allowed the  movie to hold its own.  It's a good film for the kids and for the whole family to enjoy together.  And that's what this movie is really about.  So pick up a copy and cuddle up close with your children and simply enjoy.

The Extras

The "Spy Kids" DVD contains the following bonus materials:

• Teaser and theatrical trailers

• Sneak Peeks of:

  • a mini series "A Wrinkle In Time"

  • Disney Channel's "Kim Possible"

  • "Artemis Fowl" book

  • Promotional clips for the "Spy Kids" soundtrack

  • Spy Kids web site

There's no real value-added bonus materials here to keep your young spies satisfied, just promotional materials.  But hopefully Buena Vista Home Entertainment will release a Special Edition with real bonus features, including the deleted scenes that were subsequently re-released to theaters.

Video & Audio

The image quality of this anamorphic widescreen DVD is very good. The colors are accurate and saturated, while shadow detail is very good.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is well balanced, with aggressive use of the surround channels.  The dialogue comes across crystal clear.

 
Visit the Spy Kids web site, Disney DVD web site or the Disney DVD technical assistance web site (or call 1-800-723-4763).

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Associated equipment used in evaluation: Sony KP-61V45 61" rear projection TV (4:3 screen aspect ratio), Sony KV-27V66 27" TV (4:3 screen aspect ratio), Sony STR-V444ES A/V receiver, NHT 2.1 as left/right main speakers, NHT 1.1C center channel speaker, NHT SuperZero as surround speakers, Monster Cable M-series S-Video cable MSV-500, Monster Cable Interlink LightSpeed 100 (Toslink) optical cable, Monster Cable XP speaker wires, and Sony MDR-V600 studio monitor headphones.  Our home theater equipment was calibrated with the Video Essentials DVD.

Associated equipment used in evaluation: Sony DVP-S7700 reference DVD player, Sony KP-61V45 61" rear projection TV (4:3 screen aspect ratio), Sony ES STR-V444ES A/V receiver, four B&W CDM 9NTs as left/right main speakers and left/right surrounds, B&W CDM CNT center channel speaker, Monster Cable M-series S-Video cable MSV-500, Monster Cable Interlink LightSpeed 100 (Toslink) optical cable, Monster Cable Interlink 400 MKII interconnects, Monster Cable Original speaker cables in bi-wire configuration with Monster Cable twist-on gold-plated banana plug connectors, Lovan Sovereign T HiFi audio rack, and Sony MDR-V600 studio monitor headphones.  Our home theater equipment was calibrated with the Video Essentials DVD.

Be sure to check out our Top 10 DVDs of the year 2001 and our list of this year's Oscar winners on DVD.

Site updated 8.26.2008

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PDA Version /
Mobile Edition

Specifications:

- DVD-Video

- Single-sided

- Dual layer

- Region 1

- Run time: approx. 88 minutes

- Subtitle: English, Spanish

- Menus: Animated

- Scene selection: Animated

- Package: Keep case

- 23 chapters

Video Features:

- Anamorphic Widescreen

- 1.85:1 aspect ratio

Audio Features:

- English: Dolby Digital 5.1

- French: Dolby Digital 5.1

- Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Release Dates:

Theatrical Release:
2001

DVD Release:
09/18/2001

Review Date:
09/20/2001

List price:
$ 29.99

On-line price:
$ 19.99

Pre-order price was:
$ 19.99

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