Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams
April 2003 Reviewed by: Anthony Di Marco Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

While bad films seem to be getting more expensive to make, independent filmmakers like Robert Rodriguez are producing smart and entertaining films on a sensible budget. His secret? Wear as many hats as you can by writing, directing, editing, operating the camera, writing the score, and handling production design. This is an operational philosophy that this director has lived by since his breakout hit El Mariachi.

Critics and audiences applauded the original Spy Kids for its creative spirit and unwillingness to follow common kiddy-film conventions. Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams follows the same formula. It opens with Juni and Carmen (now junior spies in the OSS) rescuing the President’s daughter. This is a children’s film so the rescue operation takes place in an amusement park. Rides that go by the name "Whipper Snapper," "The Vomiter," and "The Juggler" may ignore the laws of physics, but not the sensibilities of a child. These are rides only a child’s active imagination could dream up. Bill Paxton plays the park’s owner and ride designer, Dinky Winks, with impish flair.

The gadgets in the second film are even more fanciful than those in the first. Robot beetles, dragonfly submarines, inflatable scuba suits, and instant campsites in an orb all make significant appearances. But, as in the first adventure, the gadgets are not foolproof. They often get squashed, over inflate, or simply refuse to operate. It doesn’t help that a device on the island Juni and Carmen visit renders all technology useless, but it does play into the ongoing philosophy that this movie franchise professes: The strongest tool a child has is his or her mind. The gadget failures function as plot devices by forcing the young agents to rely on each other and their problem-solving abilities.

The visual effects and plot in Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams reminds me of Jason and the Argonauts and The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad -- two films that benefited from the work of stop-motion master Ray Harryhausen. The animated rawness of the spider monkey and skeletons in particular, suggest creatures dreamt up by a child rather than a computer. In another film, this lack of technical refinement might be a problem. Here it enhances the story’s character and spirit.

Despite a more ambitious storyline, there are details in Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams that do not improve on the original. Rodriguez has admitted that he likes using digital video because of its lower cost and convenience, but watching both features side-by-side shows the filmed original presents a more convincing illusion than its sequel. The effects in the first film appear seamless and believable, while elements in the second, such as the sea serpents and digital backdrops, have a flatter, two-dimensional look.

Also attributable to the use of digital video is a highly saturated color palette, which looks unnatural and badly lighted. Complexions and saturated colors are chalky and slightly blown out, while the depth of field often looks artificial and shallow. The well-produced DVD only enhances these flaws. Often I found my attention being diverted from the story because of visual differences between shots. The special effects were especially distracting during bright, sunlit scenes, where I could see the seams between live action and digital imagery.

The sound mix isn’t subtle, but it is an excellent example of what can be accomplished on a tight budget. Every speaker, including the LFE channel, is given a tremendous workout, with foley and sound effects filling in the aural environment of each scene. Sometimes the dynamic range sounds a bit compressed, but overall this mix is a fine effort.

There may not be a wealth of features on this disc, but those offered stand out as some of the best-produced I’ve experienced on DVD. Of special mention are the "10-minute Film School" and Rodriguez’s commentary. There is no extraneous fat here; both offer a wealth of advice and insight into filmmaking. It’s refreshing to hear such passion and openness from a filmmaker. Often commentaries are little more than vanity tracks meant to boost the egos of everyone involved. Here we have a filmmaker who is genuinely excited about discussing and sharing his art. Bravo!

Don’t let any fussy technical criticisms dissuade you from enjoying this film. It contains boundless creative energy and a spirit of invention that is sadly absent from the majority of live-action children films. It also proves how careless Hollywood has become with its checkbook. The best compliment you could give this film is by making it part of your children’s library.

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