Ìý We thought the third instalment in Robert Rodriguez's miniature spy series was "brash, bright and barely coherent", but that there was "some fun to be had playing". There's definitely plenty of fun on the DVD - as always, Rodriguez has supervised the whole disc, which means we get to enjoy his unique and ever entertaining insight into filmmaking.
Once Upon The Best
This DVD is not quite in the same solid gold league of interactive enjoyment as Rodriguez's recent Once Upon A Time In Mexico disc. Some of the smaller featurettes are a bit weak, and the 'making of' programme has a slight veneer of promotional cheese about it. Those are minor complaints though, as this otherwise slick product boasts a stunning digital transfer to max out the 3-D effects.
Perfect Ten
The highlight of any Rodriguez DVD is his Ten Minute Film School. As always he manages to cover more ground in minutes than most other discs achieve through hours of special features. It's not unusual for Robert to show off how he managed to complete scenes without actors ever meeting, but this time he seems to have managed to make an entire movie that way using only a small green screen as a backdrop. The process is incredible, and his ingenuity quite inspirational to watch.
Respect
Rodriguez offers up another packed commentary track, and for this he spends some time enthusing about talents that others can only sneer at as washed-up. His respect for Ricardo Montalban is touching; he's amusing when talking about using Stallone; and laments not being able to shoot a scene with Roger Moore. It's the mark of someone who is entirely confident of what he does when Hollywood and critics try to dictate otherwise.
Whether Spy Kids 3-D is in the same league as the first two films is debatable. Rodriguez, though, tackles his DVDs with such enthusiasm and respect for his audience that it's hard not to be won over, or at the very least understand and applaud his intentions. So not the best Rodriguez DVD, but wow does it entertain better than most.
EXTRA FEATURES
This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-N5 DVD player.
