Spy Kids: Armageddon | |
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Directed by | Robert Rodriguez |
Written by |
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Produced by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | Robert Rodriguez |
Edited by | Robert Rodriguez |
Music by |
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Distributed by | Netflix |
Release date |
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Running time | 97 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Spy Kids: Armageddon is a 2023 American spy action comedy film co-produced, shot, edited, co-composed, and directed by Robert Rodriguez, who co-wrote it with his son, Racer Max. It is the standalone sequel[1] to Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011) and the fifth main installment in the Spy Kids film series. Produced by Skydance Media, Spyglass Media Group and Troublemaker Studios, the film stars Gina Rodriguez (no relation to the director[2]), Zachary Levi, Connor Esterson, and Everly Carganilla.
Spy Kids: Armageddon was released on September 22, 2023, by Netflix. The film received mixed reviews from critics.[3][4]
When the children of the world's greatest secret agents unwittingly help a powerful game developer unleash a computer virus that gives him control of all technology, they must become spies themselves to save their parents and the world.[5]
A reboot of the Spy Kids franchise was revealed to be in development in January 2021, with a film involving a plot that centers around a multicultural family. Series creator Robert Rodriguez returns as writer and director; the project is a joint-venture production between Skydance Media, Spyglass Media Group, and Double R Productions.[8][9][10] Netflix acquired distribution rights the next year in March, making it the second Spy Kids project produced for the platform, while David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Racer Max (Rodriguez's son), and Elizabeth Avellán (Rodriguez's ex-wife) joined as producers.[11]
The title was revealed to be Spy Kids: Armageddon, which was the original name for the previous film installment, Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011).[10] Along with the announcement of Max co-writing, and Rodriguez producing, the film's cast was revealed in the summer of 2022: Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Everly Carganilla, Connor Esterson, Billy Magnussen and D. J. Cotrona.[12][13][14] Production wrapped in late August that same year.[15][16][17]
Spy Kids: Armageddon was released in the United States on Netflix on September 22, 2023.[11][18]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 54% of 35 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "Spy Kids: Armageddon offers solidly diverting action for younger viewers, even if it's starting to feel like this franchise has run out of reasons to continue."[19] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 55 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[20]
Samantha Bergeson of IndieWire says it "will certainly appeal to kids today, the kind that fall into the pre-tween age group who still dream about joining the CIA. As spy boss Devlin says at the end of the film, it’s simply onto the next mission for the 'Spy Kids' family. Will that sequel rival 'Spy Kids 2'? Stay tuned."[21] Maggie Lovitt of Collider says it "may never be the generation-defining cult classic that its predecessors were, but it is still a long-overdue return to an unparalleled universe. In Rodriguez’s world, hopepunk rules, and very few storytellers feel compelled to tell stories where there’s unwavering optimism and hope for the future."[22]