Spy Kids 2 - Island of Lost Dreams

Spy Kids 2 - Island of Lost Dreams is rated PG: for action sequences and brief rude humor.

After their initial inauguration into secret agent stuff and big box office profits, Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara), the thrill seeking offspring of acclaimed spy couple Gregorio (Antonio Banderas) and Ingrid Cortez (Carla Gugino), are back. This time they hope to save the world, their parents' jobs, and their status as super junior operatives who can pack youngsters into theatre seats.

But things have expanded in the mini agent world since the first movie. The OSS organization has recruited additional teams of children, including egocentric Gary and Gerti Giggles (Matt O'Leary and Emily Osment). Now the first Spy Kids face some stiff competition for the big jobs, especially after the Giggles' father lands the top executive position at OSS, beating out-you guessed it-Gregorio Cortez.

The conflict gets warmer when the highly classified Transmooker Device falls into evil hands, thanks to the US President's daughter taking an attention-seeking joy ride at an amusement park. After the Giggles giddily greet their mission, Carmen decides to put herself and little bro back into the action by hacking into a computer and re-routing the initial assignment.

Brimming with gobs of gadgets, Spy Kids 2 won't disappoint young audiences who are weaned on everything electronic-although a cool obstacle comes into play because the stolen mechanism is able to shut down anything dependant on electricity thereby turning technology into excess baggage. Suddenly the Kids are forced to use some ingenuity… even an elastic band can be a spy's best friend.

Spy Kids creator Robert Rodriquez (a gadget freak himself) decided to shoot this outing on digital video after George Lucas showed him excerpts of Star Wars Episode II. However, just as Lucas became techno-focused, so does Rodriquez, to the point where this sequel loses some of the original's charm. Certainly with only one nearly uttered profanity, some bare navels, and slapstick cartoon-like violence, there is little here to keep families away. Unfortunately, there's just as little to make them stay.

In an interview about Spy Kids 2, veteran actor Ricardo Montalban comments: “I love playing this grandfather who has so much vitality and excitement to him and I hope it will open more doors for showing the elderly on screen. I combine three invisible minorities in one: I’m Latin, elderly and handicapped.” When you consider movies you have seen, how often are elderly or handicapped people portrayed in a thoughtful and positive way?

If you are looking for other cool-gadget, way-cool kids films, check out the first Spy Kids, or Clockstoppers.