Figure 1.--The boy in "Spy Kids" wears a rather English-looking school uniform. The film, however, is set in America.

Spy Kids has received excellent reviews. The movie is one of the best family films of the year. There is plenty of flashy action to please the kids, but the focus is not on violence and gore. The direcor has instilled Spy Kids with a playful sense that will appeal to the kids. The movie opens cleverly, as a young mom puts the kids to bed. Her daughter Carmen asks mom "that bedtime story", and the story of how mom met her love is recounted. Both were ultra-secret spies who were ordered to kill each other but instead fell in love. Carmen and Juni (Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara), don't take the story seriously, however, and do not know that behind mom and dad's bedroom vanities there is sci-fi hardware. Juni has trouble at school and is bullied. The movie is set in Mexico. Juni appears to wear, however, an English school uniform. Soon Juni has bigger problems. Mom and dad have their "retirement" interrupted by a secret mission. Fiendish techno-genius Fegan Floop (Alan Cumming) and his insidious sidekick Minion (Tony Shalhoub) are pursuing a plan for world destruction. When things go badly, the kids have to save the day. Spy Kids became a much bigger success than anticipated. As a result, an expanded edition was released, with several minutes of footage not used in the original run. This included special effects sequences that were not within the film's original budget.

Assessment

Spy Kids has received excellent reviews. The movie is one of the best family films of the year. There is plenty of flashy action to please the kids, but the focus is not on violence and gore. The direcor has instilled Spy Kids with a playful sense that will appeal to the kids. One reviewr writes, "It's easy to envision the sequel-ready blockbuster-to-be becoming a Star Wars for today's grammar school crowd.

Cast

The movie stars Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Alan Cumming, and Tony Shalhoub.

Setting

The movie is set in Mexico in contemprary times.

Plot

A reader tells us that "'Spy Kids' is a A movie where James Bond meets Harry Potter." Like most kids, 12 year old Carmen Cortez and her annoying little brother, Juni, think they're parents are the most boring people in the world. But they've just discovered a most amazing secret about their parents-they're spies!. The movie opens cleverly, as a young mom puts the kids to bed. Her daughter Carmen asks mom "that bedtime story", and the story of how mom met her love is recounted. Both were ultra-secret spies who were ordered to kill each other but instead fell in love. Carmen and Juni (Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara), don't take the story seriously, however, and do not know that behind mom and dad's bedroom vanities there is sci-fi hardware. "But they're not cool enough to be spies". And so an adventure like no other begins... Back in the spy game after 10 years retirement, the parents have just left on their first mission-to save the world from the evil forces of techno-wizard Fegan Floop and his plan to invade the world with mini robotic children. But Mum and Dad are a bit rusty and are soon kidnapped by the Floop and locked up in his transmogrifying castle. Who can save them? Well-just a couple of ordinary, bickering brother and sister spykids who'll do anything to get their parents back. even if hey do think they're boring. In the movie, both of the kids seem to attend what looks like a preparatory school. they wear a typically English uniform of blazer and shorts along with the tie. I must say though, that Carmen also wears exactly the same uniform which doesn't look right. It is much better suited for boys only. Maybe they allowed Carmen to wear such a uniform because of the antics she gets up to in the early scenes. Juni has trouble at school and is bullied. Soon Juni has bigger problems. Mom and dad have their "retirement" interrupted by a secret mission. Fiendish techno-genius Fegan Floop (Alan Cumming) and his insidious sidekick Minion (Tony Shalhoub) are pursuing a plan for world destruction. Fegan is the star of a children's Teletubby-ish TV show and threatens to wreak havoc on the world. When things go badly for their parents, the kids have to save the day.

Figure 2.--Both brother and sister wear the same exact same uniform in "Sp Kids". I not sure why it was costumed like that.

Filmography

The film was directed and written by Robert Rodriguez. Spy Kids became a much bigger success than anticipated. As a result, an expanded edition was released, with several minutes of footage not used in the original run. This included special effects sequences that were not within the film's original budget.

Costuming

Juni in "Spy Kids" wears a rather English-looking school uniform. At leat a boy's uniform. Dor some reason both brother and sister wear the boys' uniform. The film, however, is set in Mexico. He appears to wear grey ankle socks with his school uniform. He does, however, have kneesocks on in some scenes, and the scenes at school show quite a few boys in shorts, with either grey or maroon knee socks. Almost always, however, his socks are down while his sister keeps her soks pulled up. In other scenes of the movie, Juni wears various casual outfits in cliding a black longpants suit.

Created: November 7, 2000
Last updated: June 29, 2003