SPY KIDS 2:THE ISLAND OF LOST DREAMS
Spy Kids, the tepid kiddie James Bond romp from "serious" director
Robert Rodriguez, did boffo box office and was trumpeted a smashing success.
With this sequel, the director and the usual suspects return with something
fresher, wittier, and altogether more entertaining.
Spy siblings Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara) Cortez are now part
of the OSS junior intelligence organization. They save the president's daughter
from a gonzo amusement-park ride and then set out to find an uncharted island
and locate a cloaking device that can also render electrical equipment
inoperable. Steve Buscemi plays the island's mad scientist, who's created a
Noah's Ark of genetically altered freaks (literal hybrids of cat-fish,
horse-flies and spider-monkeys). Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino return as
the spy parents, and Ricardo Montalban and Holland Taylor check in as cheeky
spy grandparents. There's even a tandem of rival spy kids (Matt O'Leary and
Emily Osment) to add a dash of intrigue and romance. The colorful FX spruce up
the already sprightly narrative -- and be sure to stick around for the
Britney-esque video as the credits roll. (97 minutes) At the Apple Valley,
Entertainment, Flagship, Holiday, Hoyts Providence 16, Showcase, and Tri-Boro
cinemas.
Issue Date: August 9 - 15, 2002
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