neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Spy Kids 2: The Island Of Lost Dreams
	Robert Rodriguez Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Steve Buscemi, Mike Judge, Danny Trejo, Cheech Marin, Matt O'Leary, Emily Osment, Ricardo Montalban, Holland Taylor, Alan Cumming, Tony Shalhoub, Bill Paxton 2002		The second "Spy Kids" film from writer/director Robert Rodriguez has a touch of sequel-itis — the bigger-is-better bug that can infect the follow-up to a hit. But it's still a fun-for-all fantasy. Carmen and Juni Cortez were so adept at rescuing their secret-agent parents (Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino) and saving the world in the first movie that U.S. intelligence has set up a worldwide network of spy kids. That spawns a rivalry between Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara) and agents Gary and Gerti Giggles, snooty son and daughter of the Secret Service director (Mike Judge). Hunting a device that negates technology, the siblings travel to an island rife with fanciful creatures created by a nervous, reclusive geneticist (Steve Buscemi). The film pays homage to stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen with digitally rendered beasts and sword-fighting skeletons straight out of his "Sinbad" films. When Rodriguez stirs in new gadgets, old friends and spy grandparents, there's no doubt that the "Kids" are alright.