Spy Kids (2001)
There are movies that start to gain a lot of support and praise simply due to nostalgia and Spy Kids is definitely one of those movies. So many grew up on this film and has fallen in love with the characters and world because of it, despite growing up watching Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over plenty, I never actually saw the original film in the franchise so as the last non-Bond film of this series I decided to finally check it out. Carmen Cortez (Alexa Vega) and Juni Cortez (Daryl Sabara) are two seemingly ordinary kids but get their lives turned upside down once it is revealed that their parents Gregorio (Antonio Banderas) and Ingrid (Carla Gugino) were at one point actual spies. Despite being retired for many years, Gregorio and Ingrid are called back out to the field to investigate why agents keep disappearing. When they set out to investigate why, they end up captured themselves and it is up to Carmen and Juni to save them only knowing that it has something to do with children's tv hose Fegan Floop (Alan Cumming).

Spy Kids is one of those weird movies where despite not doing anything for me, I also get why it left such an impression on so many. Especially for kids who might see this film, it is kinda awesome. Filled with insane ideas, it feels like nothing was left on the drawing board with this movie. There was so much imagination and over the top goofiness that was nice to see even being older than someone who would be lost in this world. So much of that imagination also transfers over to the makeup and special effects within this movie. Where they can, there are some pretty impressive makeup and practical special effects present throughout the film. Where they couldn't do practical effects, the film was not afraid to explore the ever-expanding world that was CGI in the early 2000s to mixed results. Where the average effect in the film doesn't look that good at least through the lens of someone in 2020, there are some impressive bits specifically with the interaction between CGI and real world. Especially with some of the scenes involving the Thumb-Thumbs (imagine humans but every arm, leg, and head was a thumb) where they have them interact with the real world around them, it comes off nicely at least in context of something made in 2001.

The actual movie though really is not that impressive. Clearly meant for younger audiences, the performances are over the top and fun but not really that memorable. The story itself is also quite forgettable as the film is simply trying to have fun most of the time rather than make actual sense or trying to create any deep messages. I figure this is kinda what it is like for parents watching the less complex kids shows out there, you can appreciate plenty of the creative elements and can see that kids would clearly enjoy it but at the same time nothing is really sticking out for you.
Spy Kids is not a painful watch in any way and I fully understand why kids and people who grew up with it can enjoy it. It is so over the top and fun in a way that nearly no other movie is. It creates a wacky world full of wacky character and fully buys into it. It is almost inspiring how much this film is able to commit to its setting and push it as far as possible without ever feeling like it was worried about going too far. Sadly if you are not a kid or did not grow up with it the appreciation really comes with you on the outside never fully able to get into the world or plot yourself.
Spy Kids is not a painful watch in any way and I fully understand why kids and people who grew up with it can enjoy it. It is so over the top and fun in a way that nearly no other movie is. It creates a wacky world full of wacky character and fully buys into it. It is almost inspiring how much this film is able to commit to its setting and push it as far as possible without ever feeling like it was worried about going too far. Sadly if you are not a kid or did not grow up with it the appreciation really comes with you on the outside never fully able to get into the world or plot yourself.