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‘Spy Kids’ finds itself being showered with unexpected praise by fans

A masterclass in compressed storytelling.

Image via Dimension Films

2001’s Spy Kids is a low-key classic. Prior to this, director Robert Rodriguez was known for his violent action movies, but somehow he managed to maintain his distinctive style even when making a movie for kids. Now the first movie is getting a moment in the sun on social media, with a short clip picking up a ton of praise.

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This is the flashback to Antonio Banderas’ Gregory and Carla Gugino’s Ingrid falling in love and getting married, which basically crams a whole damn rom-com into two minutes (plus a helicopter action scene!). It’s a masterclass of quick storytelling, editing, and acting. Check it out:

https://twitter.com/writtenbyirene/status/1523495112663216130?s=20&t=Ywes8XI0vSv4D9ac3z1g-g

Twitter clearly agrees. @TheDejaKing says that you simply don’t see movies shot like this anymore:

Others just want this clip to be expanded into a feature-length movie:

Some are pointing out the cool background details like the bridesmaid and a peek at the legendary Danny Trejo as Machete:

https://twitter.com/JRE_ESCO/status/1523795452558077953?s=20&t=Ywes8XI0vSv4D9ac3z1g-g

And, let’s face it, Gregory and Ingrid kinda make regular parents seem a bit boring:

Fortunately for all the nostalgic fans, Spy Kids will return soon. In March, we learned that Netflix is teaming up with Skydance and Robert Rodriguez for a reimagined new entry. The last entry was 2011’s Spy Kids: All the Time in the World, which didn’t live up to the quality of the original movies. However, things improved with Netflix’s 2018 animated show Spy Kids: Mission Critical, which bodes well for the future.

Here’s hoping the new version comes back with a bang and that Rodriguez can capture the same magic that made the original so special.

Spy Kids is available to stream at the usual places. More on the new entry as we hear it.