By J1 Reporter Rylee Gregg

Spies are a classic American film subject. We can all imagine the mysterious people who take out the bad guys and save the day with awe-inspiring fighting skills and a cache of cool gadgets, but the movie “Spies in Disguise,”  shows viewers the other side of the equation. Someone has to make those gadgets, and it’s not always as glorious a position as it may seem. 

Walter Beckett, voiced by Tom Holland, is undeniably intelligent and crafty, but his mindset is different from others in the agency in that he doesn’t believe in hurting people. He comes into direct conflict with super-agent Lance Sterling, voiced by Will Smith, as a result of this. In a cruel twist of fate, Sterling has to go on the run and Beckett is the only one he can turn to, and despite their many differences, they have to learn to work together if they want to save the day.

I would definitely recommend “Spies in Disguise” to anyone looking for a humorous animated movie suitable for a wide variety of ages. It was a wonderful movie because it made me laugh as well as reminding me of a lesson that I had nearly forgotten about. It teaches viewers to be the bigger person and that even though others may have hurt you, it will not solve anything to hurt them back. This is especially important for younger viewers to learn, but older viewers have a tendency to push this mindset aside in the chaos of life.

Aside from the message, the other aspects of the movie were equally impressive. The characters were well developed, and I especially enjoyed Walter’s backstory. One critique here is that I would have liked to see a bit more backstory on the other main characters, like Lance Sterling and Marcy Kappel, voiced by Rashida Jones. The technical aspects were praiseworthy as well. I loved the animation style, though it took some getting used to. The sound was good, though it didn’t really stand out to me as fantastic. Also, the plot was interesting and kept me engaged, but it was a little confusing. It didn’t have a clear direction, which was good because I didn’t know what was going to happen next, but I think it could have been a little more clear. 

“Spies in Disguise” is a great film for the whole family to watch. While it may not be my favorite movie ever, it has a great message, animation, and characters. Following the story of Walter Beckett and Lance Sterling was a great way to spend an afternoon. I would definitely recommend this comical tale.  It was released on Christmas and has a PG rating.