Review by J1 Reporter Megan Hoppe

On Jan. 3, 2020 at the AMC Westroads movie theater, I saw the movie “Spies in Disguise,” and it was surprisingly good. Before seeing the movie, it seemed like an okay movie, but not really one that I would want to watch. The trailers made it seem like just another kids movie that has the same predictable plot and jokes that only five year olds would like. However, my friends and I watched it any way and found out that it was a lot better than I thought it would be. This movie is directed towards children, and my friends and I were the oldest people there who did not have children with us. 

The story line is that a “weirdo” inventor named Walter Beckett, played by Tom Holland, turns a famous and arrogant spy named Lance Sterling, played by Will Smith, into a pigeon. They both have to track down a villain who is threatening the spy agency, while Walter tries to turn Lance back into a person. 

The movie had a lot of comedy in it that is directed at children, but older people can also find the jokes funny. A downside to the comedy is that many times pigeons would cough up something they swallow that they should not have. While I am sure that some 8 year olds probably loved that, it was kind of gross for that rest of us to watch. 

The actors in it did a good job and made their characters seem believable. The animation was done very well, but was just like a typical movie animation. The plot was not completely predictable which helps make it more interesting to the viewers, but there were not really any sudden plot twists. The tone of the movie did not really change. There was also a lot of action in the movie that keeps people of all ages’ attention. 

“Spies in Disguise” also has an underlying theme, that people should try and talk through disagreements and find other solutions than violence. Walter says “when you fight fire with fire everyone gets burned.” Because this movie has a lesson that children can take away from it, they hopefully will learn from watching this movie and it can remind everyone else that violence is not the answer. This theme was shown in subtle ways so the movie was not preachy, but just like any other movie.

Over all, the movie is directed towards children, and the children in the theater definitely liked it, I heard many children laughing, during the movie. I give “Spies in Disguise” 4 out of 5 stars, it has a lot of comedy in it and a message for children to take away, but I have seen better movies and the plot was a bit predictable. Children probably appreciate the movie more than anyone else, but if you are looking for a light-hearted movie to watch or one to take children to, this movie is a good option. The movie was released on Dec. 25, and is in theaters now. The film is rated PG.