Does Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams hold up?

Let’s find out:

 So we start off by reuniting with Carmen Cortez (Alexa Vega/Alexa PenaVega). We also reunite with Juni Cortez (Daryl Sabara). Gary (Matt O’Leary) and Gerti Giggles (Emily Osment) save the president’s daughter/Alexandra (Taylor Momsen). 

The Magna Men are after the Transmooker. The Magna Men get the Transmooker and Gary throws Juni under the bus for the incident.

Carmen and Juni look for the Transmooker. They stumble upon an island. We then get the famous camel poop scene, and…

Detractors of the Spy Kids franchise point to this scene and I would be lying if I said that I couldn’t understand why. 

Anyway, we then meet Romero (Steve Buscemi). Romero is creating animals that look like Jeff Goldblum in The Fly and, would the real Transmooker please stand up?

Gregorio Cortez (Antonio Banderas), Ingrid Cortez (Carla Gugino), Grandfather (Ricardo Montalbán) and Grandmother (Holland Taylor) search for Carmen and Juni.

A flying pig carries off Carmen, and…

There is a sentence that I thought that I would never write on this blog.

…and Gerti lets her in on the “secret” that Gary is not a good guy; so, Carmen helps out Juni against Gary. Romero starts to re-enter society.

Carmen and Juni reunite with their parents. Donnagon Giggles (Mike Judge) tries to destroy the Cortez family with the Transmooker, and…

That sounded worse than I intended.

…but Gerti stops him. The president demotes Donnagon, demotes Gary and promotes Gregorio. The president tries to promote Juni; but, Juni refuses because it makes no sense/spy movie logic.

Isador “Machete” Cortez (Danny Trejo) gives Carmen a dance-enabling belt. He also gives her a singing-enabling microphone. He gives Juni a self-playing guitar. Carmen then sings “Isle of Dreams” because Alexa Vega/Alexa PenaVega (apparently) wanted to launch her singing career. Also, all kids movies that came out after Shrek needed a dance party ending. Regardless, this is a fun ending.

Second ending: Dinky Winks (that sounds bad) (a fun and campy Bill Paxton) tries to do business with Romero.

Random thoughts:

1. I tried to copy so many of Carmen’s moves when I was a kid.

2. The scene where Gregorio treats his mother-in-law like a horror movie monster is funny.

Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams is a nostalgic ride to me. Yes, some of the moments in it are cringe-y to me as an adult. Yes, the special effects are clearly from 2002 and not that good for 2002. Yes, some of the moments do not work and some of the more kiddie elements will get on your adult nerves.

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