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Parents' Guide to

I Spy

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

TV classic remade as a forgettable buddy movie.

Movie PG-13 2002 97 minutes
I Spy Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

Wydog09
Wydog09 Parent of 10 and 12-year-old
March 17, 2022
age 12+
Good movie.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

I SPY is a refresh of the classic 1960s TV series featuring a spy duo with a twist – one African American guy and one white guy. In this action-packed film version, egotistical heavyweight champion Kelly Robinson (Eddie Murphy) is teamed up with spy Alex Scott (Owen Wilson) on a mission to find a top secret military fighter jet (which can turn invisible), before unscrupulous black market arms dealer Gundars (Malcolm McDowell) sells it to the highest bidder.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (7 ):

This film version of I Spy fails to capture or re-create the coolness of the classic TV series. The show starred Robert Culp and Bill Cosby as smart, laid-back guys who traveled around to exotic and romantic locations saving the world. Instead, this is a forgettable buddy movie that feels like a rejected script for Rush Hour 3. Murphy mugs, Wilson pines for his beautiful fellow spy (Famke Janssen), stuff blows up, and the credits roll. This movie is designed to be forgotten before you get the popcorn out of your teeth.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why it was so hard for Scott to tell Rachel how he felt.

Movie Details

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