Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over

[Mike]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005JMCO.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Genre: Action/Adventure, Kids/Family and Science Fiction/Fantasy

Plot:

The continuing adventures of spy siblings Juni and Carmen Cortez (Daryl Sabara and Alexa Vega).

Release Date: July 25th, 2003 (wide).

MPAA Rating: PG for action sequences and peril.

Distributor: Dimension Films

Starring: Daryl Sabara, Alexa Vega, Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas, George Clooney

Directed by: Robert Rodriguez

Produced by: Elizabeth Avellan

[dh1989]

Here is a more detailed plot description...

"Carmen's caught in a virtual reality game designed by the Kids' new nemesis, the Toymaker (Stallone). It's up to Juni to save his sister, and ultimately the world, but a series of ultimate challeneges await the boy, as he set outs to do the impossible, take down the Toymaker."

***

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0338459/Carmen_and_Juni_w_BIGCLAW.jpg

Let me put it this way, I'd see How To Deal if it was 3-D! It is an awesome medium of film, and I'm glad to see it back in theatres. It is also a plus that I am a fan of the series. This promises to be ultimate summer fun, without tons of nudity and cussing (coughCoughcoughBadBoysIIcoughCOUGHcough), and I'll be there opening day!

[Strider]

The only thing that has made me interested in seeing "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over" is, of course, the 3-D aspect. I really hope this last film is better than it's predecessors though. The first was decent, but I could only stand watching it once. As for the second, I didn't like it, it moved at a lethargic pace. Anyway, as I said, I hope this one is better....

Strider

[dh1989]

Here's a review of Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over from 'Capone' at Ain't It Cool News....

Hey, all. Capone in Chicago here. There are a million and one sequels coming out this year, and two of the ones I was most looking forward to were both directed by the same dude. One is ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO. Read on for the other...

For those of you who never tapped into the SPY KIDS films, that’s a real shame because you don’t know what you’re missing. These films are coming from the mind and camera of a man who is, among other things, almost exactly my age. My point in bringing this up is to say that although Robert Rodriguez has claimed to have made these films for youngsters, there is so much here that grown children are going to appreciate far more than the kiddies. The extended tribute to stop-motion animation guru Ray Harryhausen in SPY KIDS 2 makes my point for me. Rodriguez has also recruited a stable of actors that normally wouldn’t appear in your typical lame-o children’s movie, but more on that later.

SPY KIDS 3-D is, I believe, the last film in the franchise, and it bares the wear marks of a series of films that is on the verge of seeing its time come and go. Most of the characters we grew to love in the first two films are barely on screen. The main carryovers from SK2 are, of course, Daryl Sabara as secret agent Juni Cortez, Alexa Vega’s older sister Carmen Cortez (who appears in about half the film). Also showing up for most of the film is the kids disabled grandfather, played wonderfully by Ricardo Montalban. The scenario here centers around the release of a video game called Game Over, designed by a mysterious designer known only as The Toymaker (known to us as Sylvester Stallone). When the leaders of the spy network OSS (represented by Salma Hayek and Mike Judge) find out that The Toymaker is planning to trap the minds of children in his video game once they reach its unwinnable Level 5, they yank Juni out of retirement to save the world’s children and his sister, who is trapped in the game already. With a little help from former OSS leader and current U.S. President George Clooney, Juni is back in the game, literally.

If SK2 paid tribute to Harryhausen, SK3-D is more an homage to TRON. The video game world doesn’t look nearly as visually realistic as games do today, but I think that’s the point. Rodriguez may have also kept the look of the game world primitive to better accommodate the 3-D photography, which is employed for about 75 percent of the film, at least. By the way, the glasses you use for this film are the old blue-and-red style, thus the picture’s color is a little muddy, but the 3-D effect works well if you don’t mind feeling like you’re color blind for 90 minutes. In the game, Juni meets other players who alternate between helping and hindering him. They think Juni is “The Guy” (a funny play on THE MATRIX’s The One), the one who will lead them to the end of the game either to win it or shut it down. In one of the film’s funniest sequences and cameos (which I won’t ruin, but I will say is an actor Rodriguez has worked with before), another candidate for the title of The Guy challenges Juni’s reign. Juni calls in his grandfather to provide the brains of the operation, and Montalban’s character is given a very cool set of legs for most of the film.

Rodriguez finds a rather uninspired way of bringing back pretty much every major character from the other two SPY KIDS films for the climactic battle, including the kids’ parent played by Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino, both of whom inexplicably get top billing in this film despite being in it for about two minutes. But it’s great to see old pros and Rodriguez associates like Steve Buscemi, Alan Cumming (who provides a stellar introduction to the film and to the 3-D glasses), Danny Trejo, Cheech Marin, Bill Paxton, and Tony Shalhoub on screen, even for just a few seconds a piece. From the way this film is shot, it almost looks like some of the actors who appear to be in the same scene together may not have filmed their parts at the same time. I felt kind of cheated by the end. On the other hand, Stallone absolutely floored me. I wouldn’t call his performance as The Toymaker “great,” but he does not hold back. He’s genuinely wacky. Add to that that he also plays three other characters in the film (each representing a part of his character’s fractured personality), and you hold in your hand the scene-stealing star of the film. Sly’s humility is out the window, and the movie is all the better for it.

Along with his upcoming ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO (the continuation to his films EL MARIACHI and DESPERADO), Rodriguez’s SPY KIDS 3 represents him essentially turning the corner on this part of his career, which isn’t a bad thing. I think the guy is vastly talented, and now it’s time to move past the things that made him famous and onto things that will keep him that way.

[EDsoulsurvive*]

I'm seeing this mostly, if not completely, for the 3-D aspect. This will be the first 3D I hav ever seen in theaters.

(ive been to T2 ride at universal and sum muppet 3d show, but this is the first real movie)

[Mike]

I thought the first one was alright. I gave it a 6/10 (C+). I didn't see the second one yet though. I was actually talking to my cousin about being interested in seeing this in theaters, but if we decided to go see this, we'd have to watch the second one first. I didn't see the second yet, but it doesn't look bad. It looks alright. Without the 3-D aspect though, I wouldn't even be interested in seeing this in theaters. Like DH, I'd see pretty much anything in 3-D.

I've never seen a movie in 3-D before, and I think it would be awesome to see one in theaters. How does it work anyway? Man, I'm just glad I don't have glasses. That would suck and I feel bad for anyone that does. What do people that have glasses do? I don't see how they can use the 3-D glasses and be able to watch it in 3-D. I've always wondered how that would work. They obviously can't put them over their glasses. And also, do they give you the little glasses when you buy a ticket for the movie? Wow, so many questions. I feel dumb, I have no clue how this 3-D stuff works. If anyone can answer my questions, I'd appreciate it. I'm curious...

[dh1989]

Originally posted by Mike
I thought the first one was alright. I gave it a 6/10 (C+). I didn't see the second one yet though. I was actually talking to my cousin about being interested in seeing this in theaters, but if we decided to go see this, we'd have to watch the second one first. I didn't see the second yet, but it doesn't look bad. It looks alright. Without the 3-D aspect though, I wouldn't even be interested in seeing this in theaters. Like DH, I'd see pretty much anything in 3-D.

I've never seen a movie in 3-D before, and I think it would be awesome to see one in theaters. How does it work anyway? Man, I'm just glad I don't have glasses. That would suck and I feel bad for anyone that does. What do people that have glasses do? I don't see how they can use the 3-D glasses and be able to watch it in 3-D. I've always wondered how that would work. They obviously can't put them over their glasses. And also, do they give you the little glasses when you buy a ticket for the movie? Wow, so many questions. I feel dumb, I have no clue how this 3-D stuff works. If anyone can answer my questions, I'd appreciate it. I'm curious...

Mike, when I was very young, I saw a special screening of a 3D Friday The 13th movie in theatres (Post-release), and it was awesome. Honestly, I don't remember seeing what people with glasses did, but I suppose they could've torn off the side pieces of the cardboard glasses, and slid them in. Also, I remember them having big boxes full of glasses next to the usher's stand, and he handed you one after tearing your ticket. Of course, that was like 15 years ago, so it could've changed since then.

Oh, and Mike, I HIGHLY suggest seeing the sequel. Not because it is needed to see #3, I don't know, but it is MUCH cooler than the original with offbeat creature hybrids, a mysterious island, a hilarious Steve Buscemi, and more. I think you'll love it! :)

[Horror whore]

Spy Kids (8/10)
Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (7/10)

I'm there! The 3D aspect of the film is just a bonus...

I'm definitely seeing this on the 25th along with Tomb Raider 2 and Bad Boys II....

The only disappointing thing is that the glasses are those blue and red ones that distort the color of the movie slightly.... Why couldn't they use the glasses they used for Ghosts of the Abyss?

[dh1989]

Originally posted by Horror whore
The only disappointing thing is that the glasses are those blue and red ones that distort the color of the movie slightly.... Why couldn't they use the glasses they used for Ghosts of the Abyss?

I presume Rodriguez is using old-school 3-D glasses to pay homage to those produced in the 60's, 70's, and 80's.

[Horror whore]

Originally posted by dh1989
I presume Rodriguez is using old-school 3-D glasses to pay homage to those produced in the 60's, 70's, and 80's.

Or because they're cheaper.

[dh1989]

Originally posted by Horror whore
Or because they're cheaper.

Yeah, you ruined the coolness of it all, but you're probably right. ;)

[Mike]

Originally posted by dh1989
Mike, when I was very young, I saw a special screening of a 3D Friday The 13th movie in theatres (Post-release), and it was awesome. Honestly, I don't remember seeing what people with glasses did, but I suppose they could've torn off the side pieces of the cardboard glasses, and slid them in. Also, I remember them having big boxes full of glasses next to the usher's stand, and he handed you one after tearing your ticket. Of course, that was like 15 years ago, so it could've changed since then.

Oh, and Mike, I HIGHLY suggest seeing the sequel. Not because it is needed to see #3, I don't know, but it is MUCH cooler than the original with offbeat creature hybrids, a mysterious island, a hilarious Steve Buscemi, and more. I think you'll love it! :)


It sounds like an awesome experience. And I'm sure I probably wouldn't need to see the second before seeing the third, but I'd want to see it first anyway.

It would be fun to see a 3-D movie. But it sucks that it will be those damn tinted glasses :(.

[Jedi]

I liked the first one (7/10) but hated Alain Cumming and his over-the-top performance. The second was, IMO, way better (8/10) and I've already seen it 3 times and never got bored. The third seems to be more of the same and the major plus is, certainly, the 3D aspect. I guess this will help the film to be bigger a hit then the second and I guess it would make it to at least $100M.

[Lindsey]

I have to go take my 10 year-old cousin to see it. I'm not a huge fan of the series, but I love Antonio Banderas and hell, it's in 3-D!

I actually owe my cousin anways. I dragged her into seeing Identity. Let's just say I'm not doing that anymore...! lol

[blankpage]

The other two were just 'average' flicks that were more time killers, if you ask me. This one doesn't look any better, in fact worse. I think it's only being made just to make money off 3-D, it's not there to fit in with the other two. Anyway, I highly doubt I'll see this in the cinema, let alone home video.

[Mike]

So far, there's three reviews I could find...


Here's 1 NEGATIVE:


SPY KIDS 3-D: GAME OVER

SPY KIDS 3-D: GAME OVER , USA , 2003, MPAA Rating : PG for action sequences and peril


We live in an age when pretty much any film aimed at kids will have tie-ins that include toys, t-shirts, and, possibly, a computer game of some sort. Few films exploit the merchandising angle as cynically as SPY KIDS 3-D: GAME OVER. This film is little more than an instruction manual for how to play the computer game of the same name. Hence, parents will be socked with more than the price of the movie ticket when the little ones leave the theater begging for their own copy to play at home and ad infinitum. The fact that there isn't one currently on the market does nothing to assuage my cynical expectations that there will, at some point, be one.

Virtually none of the wit and visual inventiveness that Robert Rodriguez showed in parts one and two are in evidence here. Sure, there's a giant computer-generated cream pie lobbed defensively at one point, but other than that what we have here is a jumped-up version of Disney's TRON from several state-of-the-art generations back. The art direction is a recreation in 3-D of what you would find in pretty much any computer game that isn't MYST. Instead of the wonderfully organic excrescences of the previous films, here it's all sharp edges, from the killer robots to the Lego® look-alike pieces that float around forming walkways. Ditto for the dialogue, which is flat and designed to not distract anyone’s attention away from the computer game that the film is trying to sell to the kiddies. Once again, Rodriguez has returned to the theme of family, but with so little imagination that by the end, the script has collapsed into a steaming stinking pile of platitudes.

To be fair, though, Rodriguez did send us a warning signal by casting Razzie champ Sylvester Stallone as the villain of the piece. There are few signs and omens of a cinematic bomb than Sly’s participation. He plays The Toymaker, an evil genius imprisoned in virtual reality where he's created a computer game that will trap the minds of any kid who plays it to level 5. And since the marketers promise that cracking level 5 will bring untold riches to whomever accomplishes that task, every kid in the world will want to try and The Toymaker will rule the world. I guess. This film is not big on details.

To thwart him, the good guys turn to barely pubescent Juni Cortez (Daryl Sabara), now an ex-agent of the OSS and unwilling to come back until it's revealed that his sister Carmen (Alexa Vega) has already tried, failed, and is now a prisoner of the game. Off Juni goes into virtual reality ostensibly to save the day, but in reality to demonstrate the wonders of the computer game tie-in and sell it to kids hopped up on concession stand sugar products in all their magical forms.

Stallone delivers another Razzie-worthy performance here as The Toymaker and as his three alter egos, a brainy guy, a hippy guy, and a warmonger guy. Each incarnation is more excruciating than the last as Sly exudes that special brand of puffed up self-importance and smug self-assurance that is sorely misplaced from the man who brought us JUDGE DREDD. The film's most, make that only, amusing moment is an outtake under the closing credits in which George Clooney, making a cameo as the President, does his Sly impression and then only half-jokingly worries about how a move like that could very well sink his career.

As for the other actors, they're just going through the motions, many of them wearing techno jumpsuits. And don't be fooled by the billing. Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, and Alan Cummings check in only long enough to deliver a half-dozen lines and then collect a paycheck. Ricardo Montalban is around longer as Juni's grandfather, doing a parody of himself as both Khan from Star Trek and the pitchman for a leather-lined brand of automobiles.

The best thing I can say about SPY KIDS 3-D: GAME OVER  is that it's not all in 3-D, (there are "glasses on" and "glasses off" cues) giving our eyes a chance to rest up between extended bouts with the special glasses. Beyond that, for an adventure film it is startlingly lackluster. Will that be enough to make the subtitle of this flick a self-fulfilling prophecy? Don't count on it. If, as rumored, Sly, is seriously pondering another run at Rocky, anything is possible.

Rating: 0/5

-Andrea Chase (Killer Movie Reviews)


1 FRESH:


entertainment: movie review
Spy Kids 3D: Game Over (2003)
Reviewed By: Harvey S. Karten
Web Site: CompuServe Showbiz
Posted: Tuesday, July 15, 2003

U.S. Distributor: Miramax Films
Directed by: Robert Rodriguez
Written by: Robert Rodriguez

Cast: Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Sylvester Stallone, Ricardo Montalban, Salma Hayek

Grade: B

For hundreds of years, chess was the game that enraptured the entire world. Chess is a game requiring patience, skill, emotional and intellectual maturity and long years of practice. But then the 20th century rolled around. During the final decade of so of the 1900's and then into the 21st century, games makers came across a problem. To play chess requires that the participants think. So the people that happily part the young 'uns from their parents' well-earned cash invented the video game. Video games are valuable despite the penchant of the players for immediate gratification. They encourage manual dexterity and require athletic coordination. They do not require long and philosophical musings over a board. As laziness increased among the young, making such games too energetic to play, the movies took over, this summer featuring such video-like exercises like "T3" and "Hulk." You don't have to push and pull any buttons: just sit back, and if you're in an energetic mood, gobble the popcorn. But those blockbusters are violent and not suitable for the 5-11 age group which requires exciting entertainment with less ferocity. Since necessity is the mother of invention, Robert Rodriguez, who began making home movies from the age of 13 and stunned the film world by creating a quality film, "El Mariachi" for $7,000, had an idea. Having reworked "Mariachi" into a new, shaggy-dog movie, "Desperado," he knew he had the cast that could be used for just about anything Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Steve Buscemi, Cheech Marin all appear in his latest venture whose shaggy-dog texture remains but is filled out by the miracle of 3-D technology.

When patrons enter the auditorium, they are given cardboard glasses each bearing a red plastic lens and a blue one. The idea seems to be that if you're not going to be wildly original in the year 2003, why not use a blast from the past? Back in fifties, when I first developed headaches from seeing pics like "House of Wax" and "Bwana Devil" with the strange lenses, I figured that the technology was on the way out. And I was right. The specs were uncomfortable. The movies forgot about plot in their attempts to make people duck and dodge the flying objects headed toward them in their seats. Sure enough, out went the fad, to be revived later by IMAX, with a more sophisticated set of goggles that covered half your head and produced characters who practically sat on your nose. "Spy Kids 3D: Game Over" looks back to the fifties by using pretty much the technology that made "Bwana Devil" an ache in in the head, while looking forward to the age of video games way way forward, it seems, to a time that the violence in these toys would become strictly of a cartoon nature, the heroes and villains virtually winking at you as though to say, "Just kidding, folks."

"Spy Kids 3D" is not a sequel though it employs many of the same performers of the other two versions, "Spy Kids" and "Spy Kids 2", nor does it have the coherent plot that made the first venture in 1998 a solid story. The plot now, such that it is, deals with the need for young Juni Cortez (Daryl Sabara) to save his sister Carmen (Alexa Vega) from the clutches of the evil Toymaker (Sylvester Stallone) whose aim is to rule the world by imprisoning its youth inside the video game. (That's the realistic part.) Juni gets the heads-up from the president of the United States (George Clooney) that he must come out of retirement as a secret agent to rescue his sib. Entering the game with the help of scientists like Francesa Giggles (Salma Hayek, given braids to look 15 years younger), he must go through an obstacle course and rise to level 5, opening the door to allow Carmen to escape. On the way he meets people who are sometimes hostile and competitive and sometimes friendly. Why so? Who knows? The object is to thrill us in the audience by throwing at us everything that's not nailed down metal pieces from the robots that Juni meets, the tongues of frogs lashing out as though the folks in the first row were flies, laser beams from weapons borrowed from the residents of "Star Wars," you-name-it. Juni Cortez may not be Harry Potter, but he has fun his own way. He enlists the help of his wheelchair-bound grandfather (played by Ricardo Montalban who is in reality physically challenged as the result of botched back surgery) and various nerds and strong kids whose trepidations are overcome by the fearsome 11-year-old, leading to the defeat of the wicked Toymaker, who appears to talk to himself a lot but who has been split into four people, each looking strangely like Sly.

With its strong moral message essentially, dig your family and dig the whole world because everyone is your family (sounds like philosopher Peter Singer's point of view) "Spy Kids 3-D" is colorful, amusing, just scary enough to keep the toddlers involved--in short nothing if not an experience in depth.

(C) 2003 by Harvey Karten


And 1 more ROTTEN:


Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
Cast: Daryl Sabara, Alexa Vega, Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Sylvester Stallone, Ricardo Montalban, Salma Hayek, Holland Taylor, Danny Trejo, Steve Buscemi, George Clooney, Alan Cumming, Tony Shalhoub, Mike Judge, Bill Paxton, Matthew O’Leary and Emily Osment
Directed by: Robert Rodriguez
Screenplay by: Robert Rodriguez
Distributor: Miramax
Run time: 85 min
Rating: PG
Year: 2003


In the grand tradition of Lumber Jack-Rabbit, Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn, and Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare comes Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, the 3-D finale of Robert Rodriguez’s cutesy children’s franchise that now stands as frontrunner for 2003’s most mindless and physically offensive moviegoing experience. Unlike the static 3-D cameras of the past, Rodriguez’s new high-def equipment allows him to spin and twirl his camera in a variety of directions during the film’s non-stop set pieces--which means if you don’t receive a throbbing headache from the gimmicky three-dimensional effects produced by the flimsy red-and-blue eyeglasses given out at the theater, you’re bound to get one from the rapid-fire cinematographic somersaults. Rodriguez never saw a primary color he didn’t like, and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over continues the series’ trademark production design, which resembles the bastard offspring of a ménage-à-trois between a Tonka Truck, a Lego kit, and a Mighty Morphin Power Ranger.

The virtual reality videogame “Game Over” that serves as the story’s battlefield pays tribute to Super Mario Bros., Tetris, and Tron, but only in terms of visual style. Unlike those classics, Rodriguez’s game has no well-specified rules governing the action, thereby sapping any potential drama in Spy Kid Juni’s successful progression from level to level. Juni (Daryl Sabara), retired from the spy business and working as a private eye, is recruited by his former employers to infiltrate Game Over and save his sister Carmen (Alexa Vega), who’s being held captive in cyberspace by the game’s nefarious creator The Toymaker (Sylvester Stallone). The Toymaker wants to enslave the world’s children, but his habit of conversing with his three distinct multiple personalities--a warmonger, an evil scientist, and a hippie, all of which are embarrassingly embodied by Stallone--makes him no scarier than the fun-loving guy from Herman’s Head.

Every actor who appeared in the first two films reappears for a requisite cameo (including George Clooney, Steve Buscemi, Alan Cumming, Mike Judge, Bill Paxton, Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Danny Trejo, Tony Shalhoub, and Haley Joel Osment’s eerily similar-looking sister Emily), each eager to impart some benign lesson about the importance of teamwork and family. Yet the film’s plot is so arbitrarily assembled and perfunctorily executed that such themes seem to have been randomly grafted onto the film; when Ricardo Montalban, as Juni’s wheelchair-bound grandfather, teaches his grandson to treat disabled people with respect, one can almost feel the director straining to instill his shallow carnival ride with some depth. Characters periodically pay lip service to the difference between perception and reality, but such a philosophical question actually speaks most forcefully to the selling of the film itself--despite a marketing campaign designed to create the impression that Rodriguez’s film is a revolution in movie magic, the truth is simply that Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over is a nausea-inducing assault on the senses.

Nicholas Schager
© slant magazine, 2003



Wow, the first two got mostly good reviews. This one looks like it might put an end to that trend.

[ColinM]

Strangely, I've seen both the Spy Kids movies in theaters. (Both were 6/10s, and I perfer the second one.) Not alone or anything, but with my entire mother's side of the family. It was kind of an event, really. They'll undoubtedly go see Spy Kids 3 too, and I'll undoubtedly join them.

I think the 3D thing could be fun.

[Mike]

This is from Dark Horizons:

Spy Kids 3D: If you stay through the closing credits there's audition footage of Alexa Vega & Daryl Sabara according to Hero Realm

[Inglorious]

I'm sorry guys, I wasn't a fan of the first, and I actually thought the 2nd was a little better, but I don't know if I'll check this one out. They're a little cheesy in terms of a childrens movie, I'll still consider it though....

[jolanar]

Anyone know if this is watchable in 2d? Don't 3D movies get really fuzzy when you take off your glasses?

Reason I ask is I really don't like 3D things, they make me jump in my seat over the smallest things. (Im a spaz)

[XCoRyX]

to be honest,im thinking about going to see this...JUST for the 3d concept,which i think others will agree and say the same...and by the way,a small local band I enjoy,kickedinthehead,actually plays that rock song in the tv spots "all the way",i cant freggin believe it!

[thompsoncory]

I am excited for this, it's been a while since a mainstream movie has been in 3D (meaning that it has been a while since it has played in a normal theater, not an IMAX).

I will see this, without a doubt.

[daddiefatsacks]

when seeing this trailer, i could not stop laughing, i didn't think they were serious...and the scenes with Stallone are definately cheese beyond all levels of cheese. Razzie-worthy performance indeed.

What the hell happened to you Sly? your pushing 60 now and you go from Rocky to the 'Toymaker'.....good god.

[Kim_EZ]

The 3-D thing is cool, but this movie looks awful - even for a kids movie.

[MadsenOMC]

I haven't seen the first one but I really enjoyed the second one. The trailer doesn't do much for me. Looks pretty lame. Seeing a movie in 3D is great, though. Twice a year a theater where I live has a midnight screening of Friday the 13th Part 3 in 3D. I've seen it about 8 times now. It's a blast.

[AgentSmith]

I have never seen the first two films, but will eventually..

The 3-D aspect being added to this film will sell tickets!

[Lynn Minmei]

One time, when I was very little, I had four teeth pulled on the same day, and then my mouth was sewn up.


I'd rather do that than see this movie.

[Mike]

Originally posted by Lynn Minmei
One time, when I was very little, I had four teeth pulled on the same day, and then my mouth was sewn up.


I'd rather do that than see this movie.

LOL! I kind of doubt if you REALLY had to choose, you'd pick that. I'm sure you'd rather see the movie, which is only under an hour and a half long. ;)

[Sad man]

I liked the first one(7/10), but haven't seen the second one yet, but I will, I want to. I'll see this one too, it's 3D!

[ANTBond007]

I think I might actually see this one, if only for the nostalgic value of being a Nintendo fanboy. Juicy Cerebellum quoted one exchange of dialogue, as Juni asks, "Why is there always lava levels in games?" and Carmen replies, "There are no lava levels in Halo, and the levels that appear to be lava in Metroid are technically 'Magma.'

Now that I find funny :D

[dh1989]

Over at Rotten Tomatoes, with 13 reviews counted thus far, Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over has 54% negative reviews. Here are two critic quotes, one is positive, the other negative....

"While it is easily the least of the three films and not quite as focused or ingenious as the previous installments, it still has an endless amount of creativity behind it and while kids will eat it up without question, there is enough ingenuity to provide."

- Peter Sobczynski, Critic Doctor

"The all-CGI, cartoon-inspired game F/X are undeniably cool in three dimensions...but Rodriguez aims lamentably low in almost every other aspect of the movie."

- Rob Blackwelder, Splicedwire

[Mike]

Right now it has 8 FRESH and 7 ROTTEN reviews at Rotten Tomatoes for a 53% rating. I really hope this one can end up FRESH though, since the first two were FRESH. It would be nice to see the whole series be FRESH. So far though, the ratings for this one are mixed.


My favorite quote is this one:

"While inferior to its predecessors, the third Spy Kids is the first 3-D movie able to hold its own as a 2-D film."
-- Alex Sandell, JUICY CEREBELLUM


It's a relief to hear this, since I was worried it would be all about the 3-D aspect and not be able to stand on its own without it.

[AgentSmith]

SPY KIDS 3-D: GAME OVER / *1/2 (PG)

July 25, 2003

Juni Cortez: Daryl Sabara
Carmen Cortez: Alexa Vega
The Toymaker: Sylvester Stallone
Gregorio Cortez: Antonio Banderas
Ingrid Cortez: Carla Gugino
Grandfather: Ricardo Montalban
Dora: Salma Hayek
Romero: Steve Buscemi
Devlin: George Clooney
Fegan Floop: Alan Cumming

Dimension Films presents a film written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. Running time: 85 minutes. Rated PG (for action sequences and peril).

BY ROGER EBERT

As a way of looking at a movie, 3-D sucks, always has, maybe always will. Apart from the thrill rides at Disney World, I have seen one 3-D process that looks good and really works, and that is high-end IMAX 3-D with the $150 glasses. But the last time I saw a 3-D movie at IMAX ("Ghosts of the Abyss"), they were back to the cheap cardboard jobs. The problems with 3-D are: (1) It is pointless except when sticking things in the audience's eyes; (2) It is distracting when not pointless; and (3) It dims the colors and makes the image indistinct.

After an intro to teach the audience how to use the glasses(!), "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over" begins with a 2-D sequence in which the colors are as bright and sharp as is currently possible with digital video. Then we get the signal to put on the glasses, and it's like looking at the rest of the movie through a dirty window. My resistance to this experience was so sharp that it was maybe 10 minutes before I accepted the fact that the rest of the movie was going to look lousy and tried to follow it as a story.

That was not, alas, fun to do. After making the splendid "Spy Kids" (2001) and the lesser but still entertaining "Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams" (2002), Robert Rodriguez has somehow misplaced his energy, his flair and his humor in this third film, which is a flat and dreary disappointment. Even the editing seems to be missing a beat, so that there are tiny pauses between lines of dialogue, as if each speaker if waiting to be sure the other has finished.

The plot takes place mostly inside a video game, which the Toymaker (Sylvester Stallone) has devised to gain control of the world, I think--something along those lines. Carmen Cortez (Alexa Vega) is trapped inside the game; her physical body remains behind, but her mind is elsewhere, and it's up to her brother Juni (Daryl Sabara) to go into the game and climb up level by level until he can save her. All very well, but the visuals of the video game are not very excitingly imagined, even apart from the crappy 3-D, and the story moves at a curiously detached pace, not like the usually eager and ebullient Rodriguez. Was he inhibited by the technical restraints he put upon himself?

There is a bit of humor in the notion, shared by other players within the game, that Juni is "The Guy."What guy? "The guy on the box." Indeed, he looks a little as if he could be, and the others are convinced he embodies the secret of solving the game. To fail, of course, is to evoke the death penalty: "Game over."

The movie has cute stuff like multiple roles (Stallone talking to three other characters played by himself) and celebrity supporting appearances (George Clooney, Steve Buscemi, Bill Paxton, Mike Judge). But I wasn't excited, I wasn't amused, and although 3-D didn't help, the movie wouldn't work in 2-D, either. Rodriguez famously loves to work fast, but speed in execution requires care in preparation. At the basic levels of production design and screenplay, this movie is not ready for prime time.

[thompsoncory]

I saw it this afternoon and was a little disappointed (6/10). After the decent first film (7/10) and the great second one (8/10), I was expecting a lot more. The 3-D aspect isn't even that well done and most of the time it feels like you are just watching a normal movie with tinted glasses on. Only once or twice do things actually pop off the screen. As for the actors, this is mainly Daryl Sabara's movie, and as a guideline, I have included a list of how long each actor is featured in the movie to give you an idea of how some are wasted in it. Just for reference, the film is 89 minutes long. Most of these are estimates too

Alexa Vega - 25 minutes
Daryl Sabara - 80 minutes
Sylvester Stallone and his three personalities - 40 minutes
Ricardo Montalban - 35 minutes
Antonio Banderas/Carla Gugino - 2 minutes
Alan Cumming - 5 minutes
Salma Hayek/Mike Judge - 15-20 minutes
Emily Osment - 7 minutes
Matt O'Leary - 3 minutes
Steve Buscemi - 1.5 minutes
Holland Taylor - 1 minute
Bill Paxton - 2 minutes
Tony Shalhoub - .5 minutes
George Clooney - 8 minutes
Cheech Marin/Danny Trejo - 2 minutes
Ryan Pinkston and the other kids in the game - 70 minutes
Elijah Wood - 3 minutes

As you can see, the two actors that are top billed (Banderas and Gugino) are barely in the movie. This film is midly enjoyable thanks to some witty dialogue and a funny performance from Sylvester Stallone, as well as some goofy humor. But overall, as I stated before, it gets a 6/10 or C+ from me.

[dh1989]

Originally posted by thompsoncory
Alan Cumming - 5 minutes
Emily Osment - 7 minutes
Steve Buscemi - 1.5 minutes
George Clooney - 8 minutes
Elijah Wood - 3 minutes

Those are the most talented performers in the film, IMO, and their screentime, estimated, reaches 24.5 minutes. Hmmm. I suppose that's worth the price of admission.

[Mike]

Man, the beautiful Carla Gugino is only in it for around two minutes :eek: :(.

If the 3-D aspect isn't that great, then I may as well not waste my time seeing it in theaters. I don't want to have to watch the whole movie with TINTED blue and red glasses on for only a couple of 3-D scenes.

[Horror whore]

Originally posted by Mike
Man, the beautiful Carla Gugino is only in it for around two minutes :eek: :(.

I honestly think she was in it less than that.

I saw it early today and I'm writing a review right now, it'll be up soon.

[Horror whore]

SPY KIDS 3D: GAME OVER

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0338459/pub_still_13.jpg

I consider the original Spy Kids movie to be one of the best family films in recent memory. It had humor, adventure, and a good lesson without being too preachy. I guess you could say that last sentence about all three, but to a lesser extent. Last year's Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams was definitely more imaginative than the first, but somehow ended up being less fun. It's a good sequel, but like so many others before it, it got too "big" for its own good at some point. Now, I was really anticipating the third and last entry to the very solid Spy Kids series, I had never seen a 3D movie on the big screen before it, and probably won't again for a long time (unless, of course this one does much better at the box office than we're all expecting, then there'll be a ton of 3D movies soon). Were my expectations met? Was I disappointed? Yes, and yes.

Let me start off with the reason many (if not most) people will see this movie, the 3D. For the most part, it sucked. I don't think they knew how to correctly pull off the 3D for a lot of scenes. Too much of the time the objects just flew off to the side very quickly so they barely appeared to be 3D. There were a few times it did work, like when someone reached for the camera very slowly in the center of the screen, but that didn't happen much. I really wish they would have used different glasses than the kind they used. Like I feared, the colors distorted the picture on the screen very badly and that really bothered me. The glasses also felt uncomfortable on my nose so I had to rest them on my forehead for most of the movie, which put an end to my problem. And the biggest 3D complaint of all was that after a while, my eyes began to hurt. (Alan Cumming's introduction hinted that your eyes might get tired after a while "Now kids, if your eyes get tired during the movie just run out into the lobby but a large popcorn and a large drink and then come back, sit down, and congratulations, you have just spent $35!")

One thing I love about these movies is how creative and imaginative all three of them are. While this is the least imaginative of the three, it still has some neat ideas. I loved the whole video game aspect of the movie, just not the 3D that goes along with the video game. Just the design of the backgrounds and the look of all the levels in the game make this seem like it'd cost a ton of money, when it actually was made for a cheap 36-37 million. The one thing I didn't like about the story was how everything came to a close and how the villain was handled in the end, but luckily, that all happened pretty fast so there's not much to complain about there.

Wow, how could so many characters fit into such a short movie? The answer is to give little screen time to most of them. Daryl Sabara is in this the most and he gives a good performance, nothing spectacular though. Alexa Vega stood out to me the most for some reason, I don't really know why, maybe because she wouldn't take any crap from anyone, I like that in a girl. I didn't really care for any of the other players in the game, they were all somewhat "one note" to me. The little boy from "Punk'd" was pretty cool though and gave an okay performance. Sylvester Stallone was all right as The Toymaker, I guess. He was too much of a typical bad guy for me to care very much. Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino were barely in it, but I liked them when they were on the screen, they weren't afraid to make an ass out of themselves. Spy Kids 3D: Game Over definitely feels rushed (and rightly so, it began production in January!) and it doesn't hold up to the quality of the first two, but somehow it's still somewhat enjoyable in a guilty pleasure sort of way.

B-

[Lindsey]

I JUST got done seeing it, and I still have the biggiest headace ever. The glasses were terrible. You can barely see anything, especially the characters. A couple things pop out at you, nothing special. The whole 'game' idea was interesting. Some of my favorite characters were barely there. Danny Trejo's only line was "Familia". lol. Same with Steve Buscemi. I wasn't expecing so many stars to be in the film. I had fun naming each of them off.

Bottom line: You can't see shit. I'd wait for it on video. D+

[ANTBond007]

Are there as many Nintendo references as I've heard? Or game references in general? :D

[Mike]

Very nice review Horror Whore! I think I will just wait for DVD now. The viewing experience sounds more uncomfortable than anything. Too bad they didn't tell you the parts at the movie where there's going to be 3-D, so then you could just put the glasses on for that part, and then take them back off. Otherwise it sounds like it would be more enjoyable without the glasses, except then the only problem is that you'd feel left out when the audience reacts to 3-D parts and by the time they react, it would be too late to put the glasses on to see what was going on.

The 3-D experience for this sounds unfortunately cheap and lame!

[Horror whore]

Originally posted by Mike
Too bad they didn't tell you the parts at the movie where there's going to be 3-D, so then you could just put the glasses on for that part, and then take them back off.

Oh it does say "Glasses On" or "Glasses Off" when it is time to put them on or off... It's just that they're on so much my eyes began to hurt. Near the end of the movie when we had to put them back on a little girl behind me screamed "But mommy, I don't want to put them back on!!"

[Mike]

Originally posted by Horror whore
Oh it does say "Glasses On" or "Glasses Off" when it is time to put them on or off... It's just that they're on so much my eyes began to hurt. Near the end of the movie when we had to put them back on a little girl behind me screamed "But mommy, I don't want to put them back on!!"

Oh, well, if there's not much 3-D action, then why would you have to have the glasses on so much? Do they have you put them on when nothing is going on?

LOL about the little girl. I'm sure many felt the same way she did.

[dh1989]

I was slightly looking forward to viewing this tommorow, but now I am slightly dreading it! I blame you, Horror Whore! :mad:














































































;)

[Horror whore]

Originally posted by Mike
Oh, well, if there's not much 3-D action, then why would you have to have the glasses on so much? Do they have you put them on when nothing is going on?

There was a lot of 3D action, it's just a lot of it failed and didn't seem like 3D at all...

The glasses had to be put on everytime a character went into the game world so they were on about 3/4 of the movie...

[dh1989]

Originally posted by Horror whore
There was a lot of 3D action, it's just a lot of it failed and didn't seem like 3D at all...

A whole new generation disappointed by 3-D. Back in the early 80's, when it was a gimmick too, people were disappointed by the lack of it in the films, not it's the quality. I pray ONE filmmaker manages to master the medium, someday....

[thompsoncory]

Basically, as someone who has seen the film, the 3D aspect sucks. The glasses are terrible and I couldn't see anything most of the time that was at all cool. There is maybe about 10 minutes of the film that don't require the glasses, so they become very frustrating when you have to keep them on for 75 minutes straight. And even the END CREDITS and BLOOPERS at the end are in 3D, so you can't see them straight without the glasses. But trust me, without the glasses, it would just be like looking at an actor on a blurred background.

[MisterTwister]

My short review:

First i actually do like the first two Spy Kids but this has 3rd movie has to be the weakest. I enjoyed the 3-D stuff and the movie did sport a couple cool scenes and yes i enjoyed Stallone as the villian. But besides that stuff you get a story that makes no sense at all. charcthers from the first two movies are reduced to cameos and the dumb and very rushed ending. Fun but it fellt rushed. 3-D kicks ass!!!!

6/10

[Mike]

Originally posted by thompsoncory
And even the END CREDITS and BLOOPERS at the end are in 3D, so you can't see them straight without the glasses. But trust me, without the glasses, it would just be like looking at an actor on a blurred background.

WHAT?! Are you kidding me? You actually HAVE to have them on in order to see, otherwise it will be blurry? If that's true, then screw that. I wouldn't want them on the whole time. A lot of people say it's blurry with them on anyway. I guess you can't win either way with this one. You're screwed with them on and screwed with them off.

Roger Ebert said last night on Ebert & Roeper that 3-D sucks! I think he's probably right! He said movies look better and crisper and clearer in 2-D. I agree, 2-D is just fine. It's pretty great in fact. I hope they don't mess with this 3-D shit ever again, unless they can get it right. I don't think I've heard one person think the 3-D was cool in this movie. Everyone I've heard from says it sucks.

I know FOR SURE that I won't see this in theaters. I don't think you have to have the glasses on when it's on VHS/DVD, but if you do, then I won't watch it then either. The only way I want to watch it is without them.

[dh1989]

They should've tried and developed a way for people who don't wish to wear the glasses for 90% of the film to enjoy the film anyway, but that's Hollywood for you. They don't care if you walk out due to the annoying glasses, as long as your crisp money is firmly in their cash registers. And I'm sure they're is probably a disclaimer about a health affect the 3-D may cause (In tiny print at the bottom), when Alan Cumming is cracking a few bad jokes explaning how it all works.

[Mike]

Originally posted by dh1989
They should've tried and developed a way for people who don't wish to wear the glasses for 90% of the film to enjoy the film anyway, but that's Hollywood for you. They don't care if you walk out due to the annoying glasses, as long as your crisp money is firmly in their cash registers. And I'm sure they're is probably a disclaimer about a health affect the 3-D may cause (In tiny print at the bottom), when Alan Cumming is cracking a few bad jokes explaning how it all works.

Yeah, but they don't really care. They got their money, which is obvious by its big Box Office take this weekend. And the only reason it grossed as much as it did was because of the 3-D gimmick. Without it, it probably would have grossed less than the second one. I think once word gets out though now after opening weekend when a lot of people checked it out for the 3-D aspect, it will prevent others from even bothering.

[Sad man]

Great review Horror Whore...

Oh crap, the 3-D thing sounds like a pain in the ass...well in the eyes actually...;)

[Hannibal21]

Excellent review, Horror Whore. Well, this afternoon, instead of Tomb Raider 2, my friends actually wanted to see this instead and my expectations were VERY low. And eh, it turned out OK, but it's no different from the first two movies (much) and I agree, the 3-D was pretty bad; the movie itself was entertaining enough but it's still dumb, and cheesy. 5/10

[ANTBond007]

Well, I enjoyed it. Thought it was funny as hell and enjoyed the 3-D gimmick.

[Schatten]

Originally posted by ANTBond007
Well, I enjoyed it. Thought it was funny as hell and enjoyed the 3-D gimmick.

I agree...not the best Spy Kids movie I've seen, but it was fun and entertaining. :)

[dh1989]

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0338459/spykids3_3.jpg

Plot: "Carmen's (Vega) caught in a virtual reality game, called GAME OVER, designed by the Spy Kids' new nemesis, the Toymaker (Stallone). It's up to Juni (Sabara) to save his sister, and ultimately the world, but many challenges face the young boy as he sets out to do the impossible, take down the Toymaker."

In March of 2001, audiences around the world were introduced to an organization called the O.S.S., a top-notch military unit, crafted to serve the United States of America, with a team of suave, intelligent, and dangerous spies.... of all ages. For in addition to the regular adult agents, the O.S.S. employs a team of children, called "Spy Kids." Mini-heroes trained, designed, and conditioned to go on the dangerous missions where adult agents just won't do. Two of the unit's top agents are the Cortez siblings, Juni and and Carmen. We've followed them on many adventures, thanks, of course, to Robert Rodriguez (The Faculty), but their final screen adventure was released on Friday, in 3-D no less, but is it any good? Is it worth your money, or is it GAME OVER before you even see it? Read on.

The first film, IMO, was an homage to the entire spy genre, with a smaller sub-plot spoofing live-action daytime children's shows. The second film was an homage to the old works of Ray Harryhausen and Roger Corman, complete with over-the-top creatures, an insane scientist, and a mysterious island. If this third film is an homage to anything, it is to 70's/80's science fiction, like Tron or Star Wars. An old-school sci-fi film that is a genuine cheesefest.

Sylvester Stallone stole the show as the film's main villian, the Toymaker, and his 3 other personalities. Stallone proves he has a life beyond his days cutting throats in Rambo and knocking men out in Rocky in lighter comedic roles. He defys the average laws of film performances, and chews up the scenery 'till there's nothing left. Stallone is unafraid to play against type and make a fool out of himself, and you've got to applaud the man for that. "I'm taking this to THE. NEXT. LEVEL!"

The film's main star is Daryl Sabara, who is, if my memory serves me, the ONLY actor to have more than 60 minutes of screentime in this 89 minute feature. Sabara, let's face is it, is no Jack Nicholson, but he delivers a suprisingly potent performance, and shocked me a few times with the range of emotions he can put on the screen. Bravo, bravo!

The rest of the performances are, really, VERY supporting roles or cameos. Cult favorite Ricardo Montalban is over-the-top and hammy as Grandfather Cortez. It's still slightly unnerving for me to see Khan, the ultimate Star Trek film villian, being warm and fuzzy, but in the 3rd episode, he definitely grew on me. Steve Buscemi and Bill Paxton are very fun in their brief roles, and brought a smile to my face. Elijah Wood provided a very memorable scene as, no joke, "The Guy," the man all the Beta-tester players worship. Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino are truly wasted as Mom and Dad, and I wish they could've played more of a part in the main story. It seemed very odd for such major characters to be reduced to brief cameos in the final entry, but I am sure the filmmakers had their reasons.

Robert Rodriguez is obviously having tons of fun directing this picture, paying homage to the sci-fi films, videogames, comics, and pulp novels he grew up on, throwing in countless nods to Nintendo, Lucas' series, and old-school sci-fi productions. He truly directed a feature-length videogame complete with backgrounds, levels, challenges, cheats, power-ups, etc. Awesome job!

The 3-D aspect KICKED ASS. I truly don't see where all this hatred is coming from, I had tons of fun with it. Sure, we all knew when they were going to pull it on us, but that's the fun of it. Seeing the orange punching glove, the scene setting it up, and smiling as it smacks you in the face. The third dimension made a fun film even funner.

The film has few flaws, but I was bugged with the final 10 minutes. The film shockingly comes undone, falling apart into a cheesy, overly-sentimental mess, but it did not bother me that much, for George Clooney's bit in the BLOOPERS made up for it.

In conclusion, Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over is the strongest film in the series, with tons of action, laughs, thrills, spills, and Stallones that will please all ages. It's not deep at all, but I can't deny it is one of the funnest times I've ever had at a theatre.

8/10

[Hannibal21]

Great review, DH, and this is something I'd have to agree on...

Sylvester Stallone stole the show as the film's main villian, the Toymaker, and his 3 other personalities. Stallone proves he has a life beyond his days cutting throats in Rambo and knocking men out in Rocky in lighter comedic roles. He defys the average laws of film performances, and chews up the scenery 'till there's nothing left. Stallone is unafraid to play against type and make a fool out of himself, and you've got to applaud the man for that. "I'm taking this to THE. NEXT. LEVEL!"


I forgot to mention this, but Stallone truly impressed me with his performance in this movie, he was the best thing in the film.

[BannerXXX]

There are two things about the film that worry me. I took my nieces and nephews to see it, and found it entertaining but:

1. Animation has improved, special effects have improved, even photography has improved (though not enough for one UFO nut to get a clear shot) - but 3-D is STILL THE SAME? I mean they can float billion dollar telescopes above Earth and no one has improved the 3-D thing yet? The last 3-D movie I saw was a flick called "Parasite" (just after Friday the 13th 3D - yes, there was a Friday the 13th 3-D, no kidding) - and STILL those little glasses leave me with a headache. The kids loved it though.

2. Alexa Vega - I'm glad this is the last film of the series because poor Alexa is beginning to do an Annette Funicello. I don't think "Spy Teens" is going to work as well. I consider this important because I feel Spy Kids works because of the brother and sister relationship more then anything else. But the last thing we need is another Allysa Melano incident or Spy Kids four to have a line up of dirty old men going to see it (like Sugar and Spice or Bring it on.)

Its a decent kid flick, though. At least the nut bunch I had with me couldn't get enough of it.

[bowieee]

I had a blast watching this film. I sat about 5th row or so, so the 3d worked extremely well from there. I was extremely amused by this light hearted film. it's not trying to be requiem for a dream, it knows it's a gimmick movie so it takes that and just runs with it making sure to poke fun at itself while doing it. I found it to be extremely funny on a cheese level. When that kid said "With my power of cool" i swear I almost busted an intestine laughing. I for one am super stoked I saw this in the theatre because I know it won't be half as impressive watching in 3d at home.

[Mike]

DH, I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. Very nice review by the way! I'm glad you liked the 3-D aspect of it. Yours is one of the first very positive comments I've heard about it so far. Pretty much everything I had heard was that it was a horrible and painful experience.


I have a question: If watched without the glasses, would it really be all blurry and stuff? I don't think other 3-D movies were, and with the way technology has advanced, you'd think they'd only be able to improve on things, not make them worse. I think it would be dumb if you absolutely had to have the glasses on to watch it.

[dh1989]

Originally posted by Mike
I have a question: If watched without the glasses, would it really be all blurry and stuff? I don't think other 3-D movies were, and with the way technology has advanced, you'd think they'd only be able to improve on things, not make them worse. I think it would be dumb if you absolutely had to have the glasses on to watch it.

Yeah, Mike, when you take the glasses off the images that would be 3-D are slightly blurred, minus the shots where the glasses are off. (BTW, the "GLASSES ON" thing was made easy by the strap on the glasses. You can just put them around your neck and pull them up when told. I was grateful for that, since it eliminated having to unfold and put on the glasses everytime.)

***

For those who have seen the movie, what was your favorite 3-D image?

***VERY MILD SPOILERS***

Mine was the "MEGA-LEGS" icon, mainly because of how it long it stayed in your face, and the way the actors interacted with it. I also thought the butterfly was bad-ass. My favorite scene overall was the LEVEL III duel.

[ANTBond007]

My favorite 3-D scene involved the sort of "liquid bubbles." They really struck out and made me say, "Woah."

[Jerk Shapiro]

This...is number one movie...that's...pitiful.

[bowieee]

Dh I really liked the whole pop up book intro effects.

[Schatten]

Originally posted by ANTBond007
My favorite 3-D scene involved the sort of "liquid bubbles." They really struck out and made me say, "Woah."

It was one of my favorite 3-D scenes too, it really seemed like the liquid bubbles were right there in front of your face, same with the metallic floating head that would talk to Juni during the movie, unlike a lot of the 3-D scenes.

[DevilMonkey]

Oooo I saw this last night before Bend it Like Beckham and it was major kickass fun! The opening was awsome with Alan cummings telling the story and explain how it would all work. He would be a great Willy Wonka. And the 3d was brilliant. A few times my eyes would get tired and I would take them off and I could still watch the movie fine. The best 3d part was when Juni lost his first life and all the metal goey stuff was there and I actually tried to touch it. (Geez I'm dumb :)) But I would have to agree with DH about the ending. But it seemed like something for the fans. I even stayed for the credits because it was in 3D then I thought there would be something after the credits and there was! The auditions!

8/10

[dh1989]

One thing I dislike about the Spy Kids movies is how they treat the villians in the end. ***SPOILERS*** They always seem to be completely forgiven, and they even welcomed the Toymaker into their "family." WTF? :rolleyes: Still one of the best of summer 2003, but the last 10 minutes DID suck royally.

[DevilMonkey]

Originally posted by dh1989
One thing I dislike about the Spy Kids movies is how they treat the villians in the end. ***SPOILERS*** They always seem to be completely forgiven, and they even welcomed the Toymaker into their "family." WTF? :rolleyes: Still one of the best of summer 2003, but the last 10 minutes DID suck royally.

Yeah I don't like that either. It would have been funier or more enjoyable to see the toy maker put into some sort of crazy level in the video game with a big monster or something. But the toy maker didn't do anything bad that I know of beside take away Grandpa's ability to walk and lie.

[dh1989]

Originally posted by DevilMonkey
But the toy maker didn't do anything bad that I know of beside take away Grandpa's ability to walk and lie.

And plan to imprison the minds of millions of innocent kids.

[DevilMonkey]

Originally posted by dh1989
And plan to imprison the minds of millions of innocent kids.

Oh yeah. . . :p

[EDsoulsurvive*]

I saw thi smovie tonite, solely for the 3-D factor and I have to say I was slightly disappointed. Overall, the movie was decent, but i dont think they took the 3-D aspect to its full advantage and the ending sucked big time.

All in all - 6.5/10

[DevilMonkey]

I sa wthis again and hated it the second time, I'm still sticking with my first grade though. . . :)

[spacemonkey]

Saw and hated it! I only went for the 3-d aspect of the movie....and was hugely dissapointed.

The 3-d is not very effective. Theres huge chunks of the movie were I found it wasnt necessary to wear the damn things because nothing really 3-d happened. Ill tell you what did happen though...I huge headache the size of Nebraska!

That and after I saw the movie I could see blue through my left eye and red through my right...without the glasses...weird.