Review: Spies in Disguise

Hey there everybody welcome to another review! Today I will be taking a look at the newest animated film made by Blue Sky, the studio most well known for their Ice Age movies. Though over the years they’ve proven themselves more than capable of producing successful original projects with most of them being quite good I may add. Now I’ve always found them to a be an underappreciated animation studio as they’ve been putting out quality stuff consistently ever since they first came to be and they have shown that they are a lot more than just the Ice Age franchise. That continues to be the case with this movie right here which is based off of the short film from 2009 titled Pigeon Impossible, which I do recommend checking out as it is a very funny, and clever short, and from the trailers it looked like it was going to be a different kind of movie compared to their previous works as they’ve never really done a full on spy, action movie before and I was eager to see how they would pull it off. Happy to say that they did as it may be my favorite film from them yet. Lets take flight and see why that is, shall we?

Thanks to his slick fighting skills, a multitude of gadgets, a suave personality, and a very destructive way of getting things done, secret agent, Lance Sterling, is known as the world’s greatest spy for good reason. He is constantly saving the day, and stopping the bad guys (with mostly violent methods) and is always one to complete his mission successfully. That is until one assignment that has him confronting a cybernetic ally enhanced terrorist named Killian who proves to be quite the match for the experienced agent. But he seemingly wins in this encounter recovering a powerful weapon from his hands though he barely escapes thanks to his usual gadgets being switched out for something a little weirder (not gonna give it away but it is a neat gag). This was thanks to M.I.T. graduate who works in the tech innovations lab at H.T.U.V., Walter Beckett, a social outcast who specializes in making non lethal weapons which doesn’t sit too well with Sterling (or anyone else for that matter). Even as Walter tries to convince Lance that there are more peaceful ways of ending conflicts, he still ends up getting fired from his job though things don’t get much better for Agent Sterling either. Turns out that Killian really did steal the weapon and framed Sterling for the crime. Now labeled as a criminal, he is on the run and has no choice but to go to Walter for help as he apparently has something that can make him “disappear”. But that something doesn’t turn out quite what he expected it to be and now Lance is stuck in the form of a pigeon! So can Lance in his new form, and Walter have to now work together in order to defeat Killian (AKA Robo-Hand), and stop him from enacting his evil plan upon the world, but can they be able to cooperate and stop him in time?

While watching this movie I coudn’t help but be reminded on some of Dreamwork’s very best movies from the late 2000’s, and early 2010’s (which is of course a good thing) in that it succeeds not only as a great kid friendly comedy, but also as a real example of the genre it is in which in this case is a spy movie. Similar to how Kung Fu Panda is an awesome kung fu flick, Puss In Boots is a really fun spaghetti western, and How to Train Your Dragon is a dynamite fantasy film. Same applies here as while it has plenty of comedy to please those in the mood for such a movie (more on that later), it’s also not afraid to actually be a fun action movie that is often quite violent, is not afraid to deal with some dark subject matter, and is very up front about its messages. Speaking of which that is where the movie really shines as it has some very important, and not too common themes dealing with how government security can often just cause destructive carnage to take care of problems (fighting fire with fire as Lance calls it), the importance of finding peaceful ways of dealing with said problems in order to make the world a better place, and its also a bit of a celebration for how the weirdest ideas can often end up being great solutions to problems. All of it is handled very maturely, and gives the film a nice sense of optimism even as it is (understandably) cynical at times. It also helps that the film is well paced, and investing throughout with some legitimately surprising plot points, and subversion here and there that actually kept me on edge at times. I also appreciate the use of visual storytelling at times since some recent animated movies (and really recent movies in general) have a habit of just constantly telling us what is going on at a given moment, and it makes certain scenes a lot more effective. But again for those who are here for some good laughs the film contains plenty, as there are plenty of hilarious jokes, and slapstick comedy that come from Lance in his newfound pigeon form (and no he’s not in this form for the whole movie for those wondering if this was a Princess and the Frog like scenario, although I still love that movie) especially with his interactions with the other pigeons he meets and there are also quite a few adult jokes that worked as well. But it makes the smart decision of not necessarily being a parody of the spy genre but more of a homage that contains everything people like about them but also standing on its own two feet. While there are times where it just spells out its message a little too much, and there are some cliches that come from this type of buddy movie (though some I feel made sense given the proceedings and the characters), the story still manages to fly high nonetheless.

One of the biggest reasons why I find Blue Sky to so underappreciated is because they honestly make some of the best, and most unique looking mainstream animated movies around. I mean just look at Rio, The Peanuts Movie, Robots, Epic, and more and tell me if they all look the same? This movie continues that as this has a look that is different from their previous work. It has a nice slick look to it which is appropriate given the type of movie it is, and the lighting in certain scenes is very impressive as well. The backgrounds do a great job of capturing the many different places around the globe visited like Washington D.C. (which is looks a lot prettier here than in real life, lol), Playa De Carmen in Mexico, and Venice among others and are rendered beautifully. I also really love the character designs since each character looks different with his/her design capturing their personality very well like Lance has this suave, slicker look, or Killian with his hawk like appearance that makes him more menacing and is a nice little detail. As for the movements they succeed in that nice balancing act of being natural, and cartoony depending on what the scene is calling for and I must give major props to those who did the pigeon movements as they were very accurate to how the birds act and it was just fun seeing them interact with each other (also must mention that the many facts spouted about pigeons here are indeed accurate so kudos to Troy Quane, and Nick Bruno for that). Also love that James Bond style opening where it becomes very psychedelic, and stylized and it is very creative visually. Then there’s the action which like I said before is pretty violent but very creative, and directed very well with a chase sequences being standouts as well as the final battle which utilizes a lot of fun weaponry. Heck I also thought the original pop songs made for the movie actually fit in and are pretty catchy. Once again the animators at Blue Sky prove how much fun they like to have with their movies, and their unique visual flair.

What also makes this movie work is its fun cast of colorful characters, and some really great voice acting to go along with them. Of course the stand outs are our two leads with Will Smith as Lance, and Tom Holland as Beckett, and that was perfect casting right there. They both bring a lot of life into the characters with Will Smith being his usual cool self, and Tom Holland as his more geeky personality and they have excellent chemistry with one another (which is doubly impressive considering they recorded their lines separately). Heck it even kind of subtly comments on Will Smith’s legacy as an action star in some respects (similar to the recent Bad Boys For Life weirdly enough). It’s a lot of fun to watch their buddy cop dynamic as they have some great moments together that are hilarious, and often times quite emotional. It helps that they are both great, and fun characters in their own right and I liked where the direction in which their arcs were taken. I’d absolutely would see a sequel just to see these guys get into new adventures that’s for sure (Same goes for the three pigeons they encounter who are very cute and get some of the biggest laughs). The rest of the supporting cast may not have as much focus as the Lance, and Walter but their still a lot of fun. Rashida Jones makes for a nice foil to Sterling as Internal affairs agent, Marcy Kappel, and the writing does give her some reasonable motivation for being more than a little suspicious of the destructive secret agent. I also enjoyed her partners Eyes, and Ears voiced by Karen Gillian (using her scottish accent), and DJ Khaled (who isn’t as noticeable as I thought he was going to be) respectively and their designs are cool. Then there’s Killian voiced by none other than Ben Mendelsohn who seems to be going out of his way to play as many villains as he can and he is great in the role and gives one of the best voice performances I’ve seen all year. He makes the character really menacing and the movie ain’t afraid to show some of the evil things he does onscreen (there is a body count and he’s responsible for it). He too has an understandable motivation for doing what he does and he works well as a threat for the heroes to take on, although I would’ve liked for him to have a little more screen time (still a very good villain though). Other noteworthy mentions are Reba McEntire as the no nonsense director of the H.T.U.V., Joy Jenkins, who fits the character well, Rachel Brosnahan as Walter’s late mother, Wendy, who gets a sweet scene early on in the movie, and Masi Oka as Japanese arms dealer, Katsu Kimura, who is a lot of fun and is involved in a really funny scene. While the stars are undoubtedly Walter, and Lance everyone still gets some moments to shine and I would welcome their return in some kind of follow up.

Overall Spies In Disguise is yet another winning original film from Blue Sky Animation that proves that they are more than just Ice Age sequels. It’s works greatly as a family comedy, and a spy movie, with many powerful messages, beautiful animation, lots of creativity, a witty script, fun action, great voice work, and a compelling cast of characters with two extremely likable leads. It reminds me of last year’s Smallfoot in that’s a family movie that exceeded my expectations and turned out to have a lot to say in regards to it themes and both I find a little underappreciated. Still at least that film did well at the box office as this one sadly did not (which is surprising given the marketing push, and the solid reviews). This is one of my personal favorite animated films of last year and the last movie I would see in theaters last year and it was a very good way to end it I’d say. Here’s hoping for more original films of this quality in the future from one of my favorite animation studios working today.

Rating: A-

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