Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams MPAA Rating: PG Entertainment: +3 Content: +2

In this sequel to last years surprisingly popular family film, the junior agents Carmen and Juni Cortez, played again by Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabra, are now full-fledged spies. But they find themselves upstaged by new models, Gary and Gertie Giggles, played by Matt O'Leary and Emily Osment. When a special energy-stopping device called the transmooker is stolen from the President, Juni gets blamed for the theft and demoted. And even worse, Gary and Gerties dad gets promoted ahead of Junis dad, Gregorio, played by Antonio Banderas. To clear Junis name and get the device back, Carmen gets them sent to a hidden island to hunt for the stolen transmooker. However, they discover all their spy gadgets dont work on the island. And its inhabited by strange genetic mutations like a flying pig, a half apehalf spider Spider monkey and a part snake-part lizard Slizard, all created by scientist Romero, played by Steve Buscemi, who also invented the transmooker. Its a race to retrieve the transmooker when Gary and Gertie show up.

Violence is limited to some humorous fight scenes between pint-sized agents and adult bad guys and one slightly tense battle between a couple of mutations. Carmen repeats a phrase from the first film using Shitak mushrooms in place of an obscenity. Family ties between parents, in-laws, siblings and kids are shown in humorous and positive lights. Like the original, SPY KIDS 2 can be a fun outing for youngsters and grown-ups alike.

Preview Reviewer: Paul Bicking
Distributor: Miramax Films, 375 Greenwich St., New York, NY 10013