Worth: $18.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Will Smith, Tom Holland, Ben Mendelsohn, Rachel Brosnahan, Rashida Jones (voice cast)
Intro:
…impressive visuals, high-octane action, humour, and strong performances from the voice cast…
For all the bonkers tomfoolery endured by Ethan Hunt, transforming into a fast-talking pigeon with a bow tie imprint emblazoned upon his chest is perhaps too overwhelming of a mission for a spy who has successfully gone knuckle-to-knuckle with Superman [aka Henry Cavill’s August Walker in Mission Impossible – Fallout].
Paying homage to spy flicks with a stunning blend of geometric animation and a feverishly high-energy hip-hop soundtrack, Blue Sky Studios’ action-comedy Spies in Disguise sets out on a mission to reinvigorate with a refreshing message of pacifism.
When a mysterious bionic villain (Ben Mendelsohn delivering on the menace with an Australian accent like nobody’s business) with a legion of killer drones threatens to wreak widespread havoc, the world’s greatest super spy Lance Sterling (Will Smith) reluctantly enlists the help of Walter Beckett (Spider-Man himself, Tom Holland), a clumsy young scientist whose go-to is peaceful resolution to conflict over Sterling’s blow them up mentality.
Hijinks ensue, with Sterling and Beckett going on a globe-trotting adventure to nab their perp and prevent global destruction. All this occurs while Sterling, following an experiment turned fowl (sorry), must navigate the mission as a blue pigeon with almost 360-degree vision; taking Sterling from 007 to double-o-avian (not apologising for that one).
Not even James Bond could match Sterling in the suave department, let alone command the respect he does amongst his fellow spies; the delightful likes of which include Rashida Jones, Reba McEntire, Karen Gillan, DJ Khaled, and a scene-stealing supporting cast of colourful, peculiar pigeons.
Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, who make their directorial debut, deliver on the zany premise thanks to impressive visuals, high-octane action, humour, and strong performances from the voice cast – Holland being a standout – who are in tune with the themes of compassion and understanding at the core of the film.
Like a tailored jet-black tuxedo with an accompanying bow tie to match, the message of non-violent conflict resolution at the centre of Spies in Disguise proves a stylish fit for a new era of animated filmmaking.
