At my house, family movie night is one of our favorite activities. My son’s most recent pick for a DVD rental was Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World. This movie is the latest release in the popular Spy Kids franchise. In the theaters, this is the movie that was shown with Aromascope scratch-and-sniff cards.
The basic premise of Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World is that a villain known as the Timekeeper has a plan to steal time. People first notice that they are losing minutes, but the lost minutes quickly turn to lost hours and even entire days as the clocks continue to move faster and faster.
While not the best movie I’ve ever seen, Spy Kids 4 is a great story with appeal for the whole family. You’ve got Jessica Alba starring as ex-spy Marissa to keep hubby entertained, two adorable pint-size spies your kids will love, and a surprisingly sophisticated story line that reinforces the idea that spending quality time with your family should always be at the top of your personal “to-do” list.
The Timekeeper makes an excellent villain because he’s obviously evil, but not scary or violent enough to be upsetting to young children. I also appreciated that Cecil, played by Mason Cook, was hearing impaired. My son is not disabled, but I thought it was refreshing to see a character who turned what most people would view as a challenge into an asset.
For example, there is a scene in the movie where Cecil turns up the sensitivity of his hearing aids to allow him to crack a safe lock while he and his sister are in pursuit of the Timekeeper. My son thought this was just as impressive as the later scenes where Cecil and his sister are using their sophisticated spy gadgets to fight the Timekeeper’s goons.
Have you seen Spy Kids 4? If so, tell us what your family thought of this movie!
photo credit: Amazon
