“Spy Kids: All the Time in the World” is the fourth film in the “Spy Kids” series and the passing of the torch from the original Spy Kids (from the previous three films) to the new Spy Kids. Featuring a lot of action and good amount of humor, for the new generation of kids, this popcorn action film will definitely entertain them!
© 2011 Spy Kids 4 Spy, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
DVD TITLE: Spy Kids: All the Time in the World
FILM RELEASE DATE: 2011
DURATION: 88 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Color, Anamorphic Widescreen Presentation (1:78:1), Dolby Digital 5.1
COMPANY: The Weinstein Company/Anchor Bay Entertainment
RELEASE DATE: November 22, 2011
Directed by Robert Rodriguez
Screenplay by Robert Rodriguez
Producer: Elizabeth Avellan, Robert Rodriguez
Co-Producer: George Huang, Rebecca Rodriguez
Executive Producer: Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein
Associate Producer: Tom Proper
Original music by Robert Rodriguez, Carl Thiel
Cinematography by Jimmy Lindsey, Robert Rodriguez
Edited by Dan Zimmerman
Casting by J.C. Cantu, Mary Vernieu
Costume Design by Nina Proctor
Starring:
Jessica Alba as Marissa Wilson
Joel McHale as Wilbur Wilson
Rowan Blanchard as Rebecca Wilson
Mason Cook as Cecil Wilson
Jeremy Piven as Danger D’Amo/Tick Tock/Time Keeper
Alexa Vega as Carmen Cortez
Daryl Sabara as Juni Cortez
Danny Trejo as Uncle Machete
Belle Solorzano/Genny Solorzano as Spy Baby
Ricky Gervais as the voice of Argonaut
Elmo as Argonaut
The action packed franchise is back…with the next generation of Spy Kids! Marissa Cortez Wilson (Jessica Alba) has it all: married to a famous spy-hunting television reporter (Joel McHale), with a new baby and intelligent twin step kids, Rebecca (Rowan Blanchard) and Cecil (Mason Cook). When maniacal Timekeeper (Jeremy Piven) disrupts her domestic bliss–threatening to take over the planet–Marissa comes out of retirement as a top secret agent. With Armageddon quickly approaching, Rebecca and Cecil are thrust into action! With a little help from some familiar Spy Kids friends, Carmen (Alexa Vega), Juni (Daryl Sabara), and their faithful dog Argonaut (Ricky Gervais) and some mind-blowing gadgets, they just may be able to save the world!
Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez may be known for his action and violent films but he’s also known as family man who is dedicated to his wife and children and it led him to create a family action adventure film series known as “Spy Kids”. So far, three “Spy Kids” films have been released: “Spy Kids” (2001), “Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams” (2002) and “Spy Kids 3: Game Over” (2003).
All three films would do remarkably well in the box office and combined, have made over $460 million dollars worldwide.
While the third film was supposed to be a conclusion to the “Spy Kids” series, with the films doing so well, why not continue it, especially for a new generation of children. The idea of having to do another film was after Robert Rodriguez who was working on “Machete”, saw Jessica Alba (who also stars in the film) trying to take care of her one-year-old daughter Honor Marie and saw her diaper “exploding” and trying to change her daughter while trying not to get anything on her. So, the idea of “Spy Mom” came to mind for a new “Spy Kids” film.
Beginning in 2001, we were introduced to two children named Carmen (played by Alexa Vega) and Juni (played by Daryl Sabara) who find out that their parents were spies for the organization OSS (Organization of Super Spies). Through circumstances, both children find out their parents previous careers and now both are pulled into the world of being a spy and the kids take on various missions for the next three films.
With “Spy Kids: All the Time In the World”, consider this film as the passing of the torch as Carmen and Juni return to meet the new “Spy Kids”: Rebecca (played by Rowan Blanchard) and Cecil (played by Mason Cook) Wilson. And like the previous films, “Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D” did very well in the box office, making $70 million in the U.S.
Now “Spy Kids: All the Time in the World” will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on Nov. 2011.
The film begins with pregnant spy Marissa Wilson (played by Jessica Alba, “Sin City”, “Machete”, “Fantastic Four” films) trying to catch the villain known as Tick-Tock (played by Jeremy Piven). Knowing that this criminal is high priority, Marissa goes after the criminal despite going through labor pains.
She manages to defeat Tick-Tock and knows that family comes first, decides to put her husband Wilbur (played by Joel McHale, “Community”, “The Soup”) and her step children Rebecca and Cecil on top of her priority list and retires. Â Not long after, gives birth to a baby girl named Maria.
Fast forward two years later and Marissa tries to get close to her step-daughter Rebecca but Rebecca, who misses her mother, doesn’t want Marissa to replace her step-mother. There baby sister Maria is constantly passing gas and they are not sure what is wrong with their dog Argonaut because all he does is stare. Meanwhile, their father Wilbur is a spy-hunting reporter is too busy trying to work on a new reality TV show on spy-hunting, that he’s hardly home.
As Marissa tries to get close to her step-daughter, she gives her a necklace with a red sapphire that she got when she defeated Tick-Tock. Rebecca is happy and this may be the first time stepmom and daughter may bond!
But danger calls once again when a new villain named “The Timekeeper” (played by Jeremy Piven) has come onto the scene and Marissa knows that he is related to Tick-Tock and she may need to get back the necklace she just gave to Rebecca. Needless to say, Rebecca is angry that her Marissa wants the necklace back and once again, stepmom and daughter do not get along.
As Marissa is called to OSS headquarters, an emergency voice begins talking to the kids, telling them to go into the secret room. It appears the Timekeeper has sent his soldiers to go to the Wilson’s home and find the sapphire. When they blast open the front door, the kids including their dog Argonaut immediately go to the secret passageway and are greeted by a video featuring Marissa who has created a secret room for the children, just in case her job has involved the family.
The kids find out that Marissa is a spy and that their dog Argonaut (voiced by Ricky Gervais) is a robot dog that can also talk. The kids manage to escape from harm by flying in escape rockets and are taken to OSS headquarters were they meet Carmen Cortez and later meet Juni (both from the first three “Spy Kids” films) and are trying to make sure the kids do not get into any harm.
But with Rebecca and Cecil being curious about a code that they uncover, the two decide to do their own “spy-ing” around. But are they up-to-the-task of taking on the Timekeeper?
VIDEO, AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
“Spy Kids: All the Time in the World” is pretty much a film where you know Robert Rodriguez loves to showcase a lot of CG, weaponry and cool gadgets via technology in his “Spy Kids” films. With that being said, every Robert Rodriguez film we have reviewed have been awesome when it comes to picture quality, audio quality and special features.
The same can be said for this fourth film. First, I must say that if you want the best version of this film, you definitely want the Blu-ray version! Otherwise, the DVD is presented in Anamorphic Widescreen (1:78:1) and in Dolby Digital 5.1. On DVD, picture quality is good, the picture quality is clear as one can expect on DVD but I can imagine that the special effects is possibly even more vibrant on Blu-ray.   It’s important to also note that if you have a 3D enabled Blu-ray player and television, by going with the Blu-ray 3D release, because this film was made with 3D in mind, it’s another reason to consider going for the 3D Blu-ray release.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 sounds great on DVD as you can hear the kids’ rocket flying in air, the weapons blowing up the front door… but if you want more of a punch and want an even more immersive soundscape, definitely go for the Blu-ray release!
Subtitles are in English SDH.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Spy Kids: All the Time in the World” comes with the following special features:
- Deleted Scenes – (8:12) Featuring a total of six deleted scenes:Â Trouble at School, Sneaking Around, Testing Lab, Spy Tracker 6000, Inside Argo, and Camouflage Poncho.
- Robert Rodriguez Interview with Kid Reporter – (6:58) A young girl interviews Robert Rodriquez about the film.
- Spy Kids: Passing the Torch – (7:59) For those who grew up with “Spy Kids”, Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara talk about working with the new kids, Rowan Blanchard and Mason Cook. But also what they will miss about being in the “Spy Kids” films.
- Rowan and Mason’s Video Diary – (4:52) The new Spy Kids visit various crew members on the set.
- How to Make a Robotic Dog – (3:46) A sort feature on the challenges of working with a live dog and a fake dog in the film.
- Ricky Gervais as Argonaut – (4:20) Ricky Gervais talks about his role in the film.
- Spy Gadgets – (3:51) A look at the cool gadgets featured in the film.
EXTRAS:
“Spy Kids: All the Time in the World” comes with a slipcover case.
A fun children’s film and a passing of the torch from the original Spy Kids to the new Spy Kids.
“Spy Kids: All the Time in the World” is a film that many children who grew up in early 2000’s have remembered watching as children. And similar to the original cast who started shooting the film when they were younger and are now adults (actress Alexa Vega is now married), it goes to show how quickly time passes by and that why “Spy Kids” is one of those films that probably can be made due to new technology, lasting potential as spy films, even children spy films will always have potential and similar to the 007 James Bond films, they can always be enjoyed from one generation after the other.
While the film stars Jessica Alba and funnyman Joel McHale, this is all about the new kids and of course, possibly seeing the original Spy Kids, now adults, one last time.
While the film wasn’t loved by film critics, I watched this film with my 8-year-old son and sure, as an adult, for me…the scenes with a pregnant Marissa (played by Jessica Alba) is quite absurd and I would have never imagined Jessica Alba and Joel McHale ever playing husband and wife in a film.
But watching my son smiling while watching the film, may it be the constant fart jokes or the robotic dog farting as well, needless to say, he enjoyed the film and wanted to see it again.
So, my feeling is that these popcorn action films geared for children, there is always a place for them. Whether or not the adults love the story or not, when you have a good balance of humor and action, the truth is that children, love it as indicative by looking at the box office returns. This film has been a box office hit because children want a film with a lot of action and just to sit down and have a fun and exciting time. And needless to say, these kids will laugh at anything that involves flatulence.
The film is rated PG and as a parent, aside from a pregnant woman fighting crime while in labor is a bit of a far stretch and with Alex Vega screaming “Holy Shi…taki Mushrooms”, I heard my son repeating those words quite a bit. So, I had to tell him…”please do not say this anymore and definitely not at school, because it sounds like the actual bad word”.
But other than that, for older children, I think they will love this film. For those who grew up with the previous “Spy Kids” films and are more conscious about character development and plots, sure they may find this film a bit too childish for their taste. But as a family film, I tend to observe my son and nephews when watching these films for children and whenever I can hear them laugh and smile throughout a film, I know they enjoyed the film and it’s all that matters.
For the young-at-heart, I know the grownups might not all enjoy the film but for those who do, I do recommend considering the Blu-ray release as it is more immersive and the picture quality is much more vibrant and detailed. And also, if you own a 3D television and Blu-ray player, the 3D version of the film may be what you are looking for.
Overall, while I found “Spy Kids: All the Time in the World” to be an OK family film with a lot of action and laughs, it’s a popcorn action film that is definitely for the children and if your kids love action and the constant fart jokes, they’ll love this film!
