by Brenna Henderson ‘21

“Spies in Disguise,” released on December 25, 2019, is an animated movie that follows a smooth spy, Lance Sterling (Will Smith), on a quest to defeat a cybernetic terrorist, Killian (Ben Mendelsohn). Unfortunately for Lance, not-so-smooth scientist Walter Beckett (Tom Holland) accidentally turns him into a pigeon. Now the duo has to race to stop Killian from destroying all agents while finding a cure for Lance. Though the script was written for children, Holland and Smith’s comedic voicing turns the PG movie into one teenagers would enjoy. 

The duo of Holland and Smith provides back and forth commentary that all ages will find humorous. For example, after Walter turns Lance into a pigeon, Lance says, “I just found out that number one, and number two, come out of the same place so no, things are not ok!” The often hilarious chemistry Holland and Smith have is shown off through their characters. Besides the actors’ chemistry, the script itself subtly incorporates many interesting facts about pigeons, which adds a fascinating educational aspect. 

Although featuring known action actors, the movie isn’t one for thrill-seekers and doesn’t have much of an “edge-of-the-seat” effect, but the slower pacing allows the audience to enjoy the plot and comedy more. The soundtrack also adds to the relaxed and cheerful nature of the movie, featuring mostly upbeat and lively songs. 

Along with the energy, the movie is inspiring to the audience. Holland’s character, Walter, spends most of his life as an outsider and is seen as weird by all of his co-workers; however, he manages to stay positive throughout most of the movie. A lot of teenagers have faced loneliness or sadness at some point in their life and can relate to the feelings Walter displays in the movie. Walter staying positive through his ordeal is a motivator for those teens and leaves them feeling inspired. 

“Spies in Disguise” is a must-see for anyone looking for a hilarious and jubilant movie. 

Grade: A