‘Spies in Disguise’: James Bond for kids with birds, Will Smith jokes and a message of nonviolence
If there was a big complaint over the plot for Spies in Disguise, it is the Utopian message of nonviolence. Despite the “politicing” of the film, it is fun and entertaining.
Will Smith voice the master spy, Lance Sterling, a James Bond-type, triumphing in the most impossible missions with style and humor. Walter Beckett, voiced by Tom Holland, is a bizarre scientist, creating “non-violent) gadgets, including a concoctions for invisibility. Sterling drinks the creation and is turned into a pigeon as the pair are then partnered to take on Killian (voiced by Ben Mendelsohn), who threatens to expose all the spies.
The plot is predictable, fun spy action and buddy comedic gags, but the animation is top notch and the film moves quickly to entertain the kids and adults.
Rashida Jones, Karen Gillan and DJ Khaled voice a trio of agents in search of the missing Sterling, prompting some “girl power” and a message about “fitting in” to supplement the Mission Impossible story.
The nonviolent storyline becomes quite absurd in many ways, but the kids will have fun as parents can dream about a world without evil people behaving badly.