HTF REVIEW: "Spy Kids 2" (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

[Tommy G]

Jason, yours is the first negative review I've heard. My wife liked this better than the first. Here's why I thought that the sequel worked. The first film had the whole mystique of the kids not knowing how the gadgets worked and that was part of the whole humor of it. They didn't try and play off of that and now had them experienced users. To me, this was a delightful movie and I wouldn't rate it as high as the original but it's pretty darn close. Great review, Ron. Thanks and keep 'em coming!

 

[Chris Atkins]

Am I the only person who thinks that the effects are MORE seemless in the AOTC DVD than others? I really think the digital transfer makes the effects look better (particularly when actors are riding CG beasts).

I will have to check out SPY KIDS 2 to see what I think of the effects in that film.

 

[Richard Michael Clark]

Will we ever get a Special Edition of the first film? (including the extra 'redux' scene)
This release looks fabulous, a definate purchase

 

[Lucho Cohaila]

no spanish track Ron? :frowning:

 

[Colin Jacobson]

no spanish track Ron?

The DVD offers both Spanish and French DD 5.1...

 

[Ronald Epstein]

My apologies for the ommittance of mentioning
a Spanish track. I work from a template and
sometimes the smallest details are not updated.

I'll be more careful in the future.

 

[Jonny P]

I must say I was impressed with the review for this disc and look forward to adding it to my collection...thanks Ron...

Moving past the technical merits of the film for a moment.

I loved the first "Spy Kids". I thought it was one of those clever/smart films that appealed to both kids and adults -- much the way that the stable of Pixar animated films do. I thought that the idea of the kids having to rescue their parents was a cute concept that kids would eat up. The first movie had a healthy dose of humor for the kids and the adults. As my fiance Bridget says...it was a "smart" kids movie.

Both of us were disappointed with "Spy Kids 2". Bridget and I squirmed a little during the movie. It isn't that the film wasn't impressive to look at on technical merits, it just seemed to drag in parts and seemed to have lost the cross-generational "cleverness" that the original had.

The original is a movie that zipped along at a much better pace in my opinion. Original movies often do that due to the fact the the story/characters are new to the viewer.

Once the kids get to the island, "Spy Kids 2" started to pick up a bit and become more interesting to me.

In my book, however, nothing will beat the bizarre Alan Cuming as a villain in these films. If they ever do a remake of "Willy Wonka", they need to have Cuming play the role that Gene Wilder made famous. His villain was part of what made the first movie so much fun.

I will buy this disc based on the transfer and extras alone. They really need to release an updated version of "Spy Kids", though. As many will recall, the first one was actually re-released to theaters around Labor Day (during the same year of its initial release) as a Special Edition with added footage.

I would recommend these movies as a purchase. But while I thought the original is a kid-movie classic, I will only label its sequel as a "satisfactory" follow-up.

 

[Stephen Orr]

We had the opposite experience. We really liked the first movie (two 40-somethings with a college age son), but we loved the second. This one's on my must buy list (I'm also a 4th grade teacher now, and still relate to the younger set!)

 

[Stephen Orr]

I've been watching the Spy Kids 2 with the commentary. Ron is right, it's the most entertaining and informative commentary I've ever heard, but man! Rodriguez needs to lay off the caffeine!

 

[Dan Hitchman]

Wasn't this sequel more of a homage to Ray Harryhausen stop motion, "Dynamation" movies than James Bond this time around? At least that's what it reminded me of especially since they have a fight with a skeleton army and assorted other creatures right out of the Sinbad flicks, only this time CGI drawings.


Dan

 

[Michael Allred]

Sorry Ron but I *strongly* disagree, "Spy Kids 2" (and the original) represent some of the biggest cinematic junk produced in the last 10 years.

I was absolutely shocked that the first did so well at the B.O but when the sequel's so-so gross was reported, I thought "OK, that makes more sense."

The FX alone is laughably bad. I mean *ever single shot* looked pathetically fake, not "Man, they coulda done Spider-Man swinging a bit better" fake but "Man, did somebody do that on their home computer?" fake. They stood out like a severed thumb. Awful.

and the kids performances? I forget who played the boy but lord have mercy, he makes Anakin from "Phantom Menace" look like Peter O'Toole!

Rodriguez may very well be the biggest hack director helming studio films today. He ruined "From Dusk Till Dawn" for me (God I wish Tarantino would've done that instead.)

How "Spy Kids 2" passes for family entertainment much less "highly recommended" is beyond me. Awful, awful, awful, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

 

[LaMarcus]

Hey Michael, tell us how you really feel about this one, don't hold back

Phil Iturralde sent me a email about this movie and said it would be a great film to test out all my new speakers on. So from that I said okay, I guess I'll get it since he said it had great sound and picture, and my 3 yr old daughter says she wants it every chance she gets.

I saw Ron reviewed it decided to read the review, and low and behold it has the HR tag. 9 times outta 10 I buy every thing he HR's, so it looks like this one is in the bag.

I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse to read Ron's review's.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Can't please everyone.

 

[Phil Iturralde]

"...absolute time of my life watching this wildly fun and clever sequel ...!!!"

Listening to his commentary reminded me how we (my brother & cousins) used our imaginations while we created our adventures in the hilly area near Twin Peaks (San Francisco hills before the houses, shopping center & condo's were there)!!!

Anyway Ron, I so happen to agree with 90%+ with your insight and opinions on all the DVD Movie Reviews (I also like Ebert ... ) and 100% dealing with the DVD details - so keep up the great and valuable DVD Reviews that you provide to all us HTFer's!!!

LaMarcus - My wife and I (my 3rd time ) watched "Spy Kids 2" last night and not only did it sound glorious , but we both enjoyed the adventure sequel director Robert Rodriguez created for his main characters. Adding Ricardo Montalban was genius on Rodriquez part, since his commentary explains that he was paralyzed from an operation, in constant pain (not evident on film) and adds credibility to the whole Cortez family of spies premise! Rodriquez expanded Montalban part during the time he was there during the shoot (a few days). Will Ricardo Montalban return if "Spy Kids 3" becomes a reality?? It will really depends on his health although Robert Rodriguez said Ricardo told him that he would love to be in "SK3". Seeing Ricardo Montalban on screen, even though it was a minor part, was just great!!!

Oh yeah, thanks again, for the "Spy Kids 2" DVD Review Ron,
Phil

 

[LaMarcus]

I will watch spy kids 1 + 2 this weekend. I will have my first svs sub this weekend. So I'll be able to relate to Phil's signature of "JBL S-Series + SVS = "

Thanks Phil... and Ron for that matter.

 

[LaMarcus]

Wow, for the first time I dont like a movie that Ron has highly recommended. I'm sorry this movie didn't do anything for me. I actually couldn't make it through to even watch the end.

It just seemed too corny and goofy for me to get into. Odd thing about it is spy kids 1 came on cable I caught near the end of it and it seemed really good. The second one was a little too silly for me. It was like they were trying too hard to improve on the first. I'll watch the first spy kids then watch the second one to see if I can like it any more than I did the first time.`

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Yes I agree I liked the First far more than the second.