Spy Kids (2001)

NEUTRAL

Various

71%

2001, Adventure/Action, 1h 28m

RT Critics’ Score: 93% (BIAS DETECTED)
RT Audience Score: 46%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 10 nominations

Click to Stream

Critics Consensus

A kinetic and fun movie that’s sure to thrill children of all ages

Audience Consensus

Spy Kids is the perfect movie for kids who dream of being secret agents and adults who want to relive their childhood fantasies. With its mix of comedy, action, and cool gadgets, it’s no wonder that Spy Kids has become a classic family movie. The special effects may not hold up as well as they did when the movie was first released, but the charm and energy of the film are still there. The kids in the movie are hilarious and have great chemistry, making the movie a joy to watch. If you’re looking for a fun and entertaining movie to watch with your family, Spy Kids is definitely worth checking out.

Storyline

Gregorio and Ingrid are the two greatest secret agents the world has ever known: masters of disguise, mavens of invention, able to stop wars before they even start. Working for separate countries, they are sent to eliminate their most dangerous enemy…each other. But in an exotic corner of the world when they finally come face to face, they fall in love instead and embark on the most dangerous mission they have ever faced: raising a family. Now nine years later, after their retirement, having exchanged the adventure of espionage for parenthood, Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez are called back in to action. When their former colleagues, the world’s most formidable spies, start disappearing one by one, the Cortez’s are forced to take on techno-wizard Fegan Floop and his evil, egg-headed sidekick, Minion. But when the unthinkable happens and they too disappear, unfortunately there are only two people in the world who can rescue them…their kids.

Production Company(ies)

Distributor
Miramax Films

Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)

Filming Location(s)
Austin, Texas, USA

MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for action sequences

Year of Release
2001

Technical Specs

Color:

Color
Sound mix:

Dolby Digital EX SDDS DTS-ES
Aspect ratio:

1.85 : 1
Runtime:

1h 28m
Language(s):

English, Spanish
Country of origin:

United States
Release date:

Release Date (Theaters): Mar 30, 2001 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 18, 2001

Genre(s)
Adventure/Action

Keyword(s)
starring Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Alexa PenaVega, Daryl Sabara, Alan Cumming, Tony Shalhoub, directed by Robert Rodriguez, written by Robert Rodriguez, adventure, action, PG, Miramax Films, Elizabeth Avellan, $112.7M box office, Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby EX, Dolby Digital, Flat (1.85:1) aspect ratio, reviewed by Nell Minow, Lael Loewenstein, Derek Adams, Steven D Greydanus, Rick Groen, Stephen Hunter, Rosa Parra, B Ruby Rich, R.L Shaffer, Felix Vasquez Jr., Mark Halverson, Scott Mendelson, starring Antonio Banderas as Gregorio Cortez, Carla Gugino as Ingrid Cortez, Alexa PenaVega as Carmen Cortez, Daryl Sabara as Juni Cortez, Alan Cumming as Fegan Floop, Tony Shalhoub as Alexander Minion

Box Office Details

Worldwide gross: $147,934,180
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $249,311,764
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 587
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 27,187,761

US/Canada gross: $112,719,001
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $189,964,030
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 382
US/Canada opening weekend: $26,546,881
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $44,739,152
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 268

Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $35,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $58,985,096
Production budget ranking: 693
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $31,763,474
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $158,563,195
ROI to date (est.): 175%
ROI ranking: 699

Cast & Crew

Antonio Banderas

Carla Gugino

Alexa PenaVega

Daryl Sabara

Alan Cumming

Gregorio Cortez

Ingrid Cortez

Carmen Cortez

Juni Cortez

Fegan Floop

Antonio Banderas – Gregorio Cortez
Carla Gugino – Ingrid Cortez
Alexa PenaVega – Carmen Cortez
Daryl Sabara – Juni Cortez
Alan Cumming – Fegan Floop
Tony Shalhoub – Alexander Minion

Robert Rodriguez

Elizabeth Avellan

Robert Rodriguez

Director

Writer

Producer

Director(s)
Robert Rodriguez

Writer(s)
Robert Rodriguez

Producer(s)
Elizabeth Avellan, Robert Rodriguez

Film Festivals

Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 10 nominations

Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Nell Minow

Lael Loewenstein

Derek Adams

Steven D. Greydanus

Rick Groen

Common Sense Media

Variety

Time Out

Decent Films

Globe and Mail

SPY KIDS
All Critics (128) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (119) | Rotten (9)
Just the right combination of fantasy and comedy.

December 28, 2010 | Rating: 4/5

Nell Minow
Common Sense Media
TOP CRITIC
Fulfills kids’ empowerment fantasies and features enough techno-wizardry and cool f/x to satisfy those weaned on videogames.

March 27, 2009

Lael Loewenstein
Variety
TOP CRITIC
In terms of its family ethos, this makes an interesting comparison with the Addams Family films.

February 9, 2006

Derek Adams
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
I’ve been trying to think what was the last popcorn movie — let alone the last popcorn “family” movie — that was as much sheer fun as Spy Kids.

May 9, 2002 | Rating: A

Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films
TOP CRITIC
March 22, 2002 | Rating: 3/4

Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
As a piece of almost dadaist filmmaking, Spy Kids is great fun with its continual spirit of invention.

January 6, 2002

Stephen Hunter
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
A fun, entertaining spy movie that feels universal in terms of action-adventure but yet manages to feel relatable to a specific demographic. Still holds up years after its release.

July 3, 2021 | Rating: 4/5

Rosa Parra
Latinx Lens
Spy Kids is no doubt the very film that Rodriguez wishes he could have seen as a kid and that he’s now determined to give his own children.

February 25, 2020

B. Ruby Rich
The Nation
The visual effects don’t really hold up 10 years later, but Spy Kids is still a charming, energetic, inventive kids’ flick that balances its goofier side with its a sense of dramatic maturity.

January 29, 2012 | Rating: 8/10

R.L. Shaffer
IGN DVD
The kids play off each other very well and never miss a beat with perfect-timed humor and acting.

April 29, 2009

Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
This year’s most unlikely-and most successful-exhilarating family-type entertainment.

August 7, 2008 | Rating: 4/5

Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review
April 30, 2007 | Rating: A-

Scott Mendelson
rec.arts.movies.reviews…

Plot
Gregorio and Ingrid are the two greatest secret agents the world has ever known: masters of disguise, mavens of invention, able to stop wars before they even start. Working for separate countries, they are sent to eliminate their most dangerous enemy…each other. But in an exotic corner of the world when they finally come face to face, they fall in love instead and embark on the most dangerous mission they have ever faced: raising a family. Now nine years later, after their retirement, having exchanged the adventure of espionage for parenthood, Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez are called back in to action. When their former colleagues, the world’s most formidable spies, start disappearing one by one, the Cortez’s are forced to take on techno-wizard Fegan Floop and his evil, egg-headed sidekick, Minion. But when the unthinkable happens and they too disappear, unfortunately there are only two people in the world who can rescue them…their kids.

Trivia