Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams

Theatrical Release Date: 2002 08 07 (USA)

UPC: 031398134466

Studio: Fox Home Ent. (lgf)

MPAA Rating: PG   Contains:[Mild Violence, Excellent For Children]

Summary: The prepubescent, globetrotting, super-spy sibling duo from director Robert Rodriguez's surprise 2001 hit Spy Kids is back to save the world for a second time in this bigger-budget, larger-scale sequel. Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams opens with our heroes Carmen and Juni (Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara), now official OSS agents, in the midst of another crisis situation: They have to reclaim to the powerful Transmooker Device from the clutches of those who might try to use it to permanently disable energy on Earth. Their quest leads them to the tropical lair of Romero (Steve Buscemi), an unhinged scientist who retreated into seclusion after a daring experiment backfired on him -- as well as on a whole breed of mutant creatures. As if finding the Transmooker weren't enough, Carmen and Juni have to contend with another set of mini-spies, Gary and Gerti Giggles (Matt O'Leary and Emily Osment), who are eager to one-up the world's most-respected spy kids. Returning to Spy Kids 2 are parents Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino, as well as the evil-doers of the first film, Alan Cummings and Tony Shalhoub. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

Category: Children's/Family

Features: Audio commentary by Robert Rodriguez
Robert Rodriguez ten-minute film school
A new kind of stunt kid
Lost scenes with optional director's commentary
"Isle of Dreams" music video
School at Big Bond National Park
Essential gear: the gadgets of Spy Kids
Behind-the-scenes montages
"Total Sccess 24/7": "A Dday in the Life of Spy Kids"
Trailers

Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams

Format: Blu-ray

Release Date: 08/02/2011

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Alternate Wide Screen

Audio: DHMA null

Runtime: 100 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,Spanish

Subtitles: Spanish

Region: Blu-ray region A (North America, Central America, South America, Japan, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia)

Perry Seibert

Spy Kids 2, Robert Rodriguez's follow-up to his hit family action film from the previous year, manages to achieve the sense of fun and wonder of the first film, even though it lacks the sense of discovery that the first film possessed. Rodriguez thrusts the kids into an adventure that recalls both The Island of Dr. Moreau and Land of the Lost. He relies on effects more than he did in the first film, which would be a problem if he were only interested in making a buck. Fortunately, Rodriguez's heart is in the right place once again. From the throwaway jokes about new amusement park rides, to the coolest new spy gadgets, to a serpentine water monster, Rodriguez never lets the effects be the point. He is so intoxicated with a sense of wonder and fun that his giddiness comes across in every frame. While the film looks remarkably expensive, Spy Kids 2 is a triumph of imagination rather than special effects. Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara are pitch perfect as Carmen and Juni. The script is smart enough to lessen the amount and the harshness of the bickering they engage in. They have learned their lessons from the first film, but still realistically get on each other's nerves. Disappointingly, there is much less of Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino in this film. Their scenes with Ricardo Montalban and Holland Taylor are funny, but they detract from the pacing of the kids' adventure. Those scenes shoehorn the family moral into the film, a lesson that was seamlessly woven into the first film. While it may suffer slightly in comparison to the original, Spy Kids 2 is superb family entertainment. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Christopher McDonald  Actor 
Bill Paxton  Actor 
Alan Cumming  Actor 
Taylor Momsen  Actor 
Tony Shalhoub  Actor 
John Debney  Composer (Music Score) 
Bob Weinstein  Executive Producer 
Harvey Weinstein  Executive Producer 
Robert Rodriguez  Director 
Robert Rodriguez  Composer (Music Score) 
Robert Rodriguez  Producer 
Robert Rodriguez  Screenwriter 
Elizabeth Avellan  Producer 
Antonio Banderas  Actor 
Carla Gugino  Actor 
Alexa Vega  Actor 
Daryl Sabara  Actor 
Steve Buscemi  Actor 
Mike Judge  Actor 
Danny Trejo  Actor 
Cheech Marin  Actor 
Matt O'Leary  Actor 
Emily Osment  Actor 
Ricardo Montalban  Actor 
Holland Taylor  Actor