Minutes after “Spy Kids” passed the $100 million mark, director Robert Rodriguez and his cast hastily began work on a sequel.
Rodriguez hoped to cash in on the vitality of young stars Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara before puberty took its toll. The condensed production schedule results in a slender story for “Spy Kids 2,” though the chemistry of the leads remains intact.After saving their parents on their maiden adventure, Carmen (Vega) and Juni (Sabara) Cortez have become elite agents in the government’s “Spy Kids” initiative. The promotions bring new problems, predominantly in the form of rival spies Gary and Gertie Giggles (Matthew O’Leary, Emily Osment). Their latest mission sends all four spies to a forbidden island, where a scientist (Steve Buscemi) has created dangerous hybrids from test animals.There’s no denying Rodriguez his creativity. Carmen and Juni come equipped with sophisticated gadgets that they use to combat an army of imaginative creatures. Rodriguez’ franchise seems fashioned from Ian Fleming and Dr. Seuss. But exaggerated gags solely target children this time around, and stunt casting can’t save the adults from becoming improperly used caricatures.Grade: C+By Sean O’ConnellAugust 5, 2002