Christian Movie Review: Spies in Disguise

Some movies are meant to make you think deeply about life and the issues we face, but others are just designed to just entertain. Spies in Disguise does both. You may think that since this is “just a kid’s movie” that it doesn’t delve into deep subjects, but you would be wrong. Before I go any further, it is important to know how I conduct my movie reviews. You can find my guidelines HERE!  Additionally, my movie reviews are performed from a Christian mom’s perspective, and you can find all the movie reviews I have done here!

 

Synopsis of Spies in Disguise:

The movie begins with a young inventor named Walter Beckett (Tom Holland) who is a geek. His mom believes that one day he will change the world. Quickly, we fast forward to the future where a super-spy named Lance (Will Smith) Sterling protects the world from dangerous, bad guys. Walter Beckett introduces Lance to a world of gadgets that are kinder and gentler because he believes you don’t have to resort to violence. Through a series of events, Lance drinks Beckett’s experiment and is transformed into a pigeon. 

Lance now has to save the world as a pigeon with Beckett’s help. Both Beckett and Sterling are fighting to save the world from their own perspectives. Can the world be saved through gentler means? And can Sterling learn to trust someone besides himself?

Christian Review of Spies in Disguise

The Good: 

This movie teaches kids that there are other ways to deal with “bad guys.” And in a perfect world, everyone would be a good guy, but there are also ways to deal with bad guys without resorting to violence. For the most part, the children watching this movie will only encounter bullies. Most bullies can be dealt with without violence.

Additionally, the movie teaches that each one of us has different giftings. Being smart or seeing the world differently doesn’t have to be considered weird. Walter’s mom says, “What’s wrong with weird. The world needs weird!” It is because of the people that think outside the box that we have some of our greatest inventions. Teaching children that everyone doesn’t have to look the same way and think the same way are excellent lessons to learn.

The Bad (or What Parents might want to know):

There is one scene where you see the backside of a naked man. (Totally not necessary for this movie, but it is an animated backside). Additional items you may want to know about include: While Lance is a pigeon he lays an egg. This is explained because when he drank the potion, it had been tested with a female pigeon feather. There are additional scenes that talk about pigeon anatomy and the fact that pigeons poop and pee out of the same hole. A character checks inside his pants to check his parts. 

There is a phrase uttered about a character – “He’s like a god of the asphalt.” There are also a few phrases that are not finished such as “son of a …” 

This movie is about spies and good guys and bad guys. There is plenty of animated fighting, violence, and things blowing up. The bad guy has a disfigured face that he keeps hidden most of the time. 

Teachable Lessons in Spies in Disguise:

As a homeschool mom and a Christian Movie Reviewer, Spies in Disguise is a pretty mild movie. I try to look at anything within a movie that can be used as a teachable moment (or lesson plan). In Spies in Disguise, there are several noteworthy events. 1) The art of negotiation is a valuable skill. 2) Understanding science and how things work can keep you safe and save your life. 

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Another point to talk to your children about involves good versus evil. While we want to think that everyone has the potential to be good, that may not always be the case. We do not fully understand the reasons why someone decides to do good deeds or evil ones, but we know there are people who grow up in difficult situations and they commit their lives to good. There are also people that grow up in what seems like an ideal family, and that person turns toward a life of crime.

I have told my children that life is like a giant baseball game and there are two teams: The Angels and The Devils. Each and every action you perform scores points for one team or another. Your actions have a ripple effect on other people and can influence the outcome of the game.

Recommendations for Viewing:

All things considered, this is a pretty mild movie. My age recommendation is 6 and up in the movie theater. Even the bad guy who is bent on destroying all the spies is pretty mild. This has the same level of violence as The Incredibles.

However, you may want to talk to your children about the reality of bad guys not always being able to be rehabilitated by cats and glitter.