Spies in Disguise movie is a delightful take on the world of the spies, and all those 007 cliches that it tries to overcome with a concept whose mere mention would draw out instant guffaws. The movie pulls our attention toward pigeons, those literally invisible birds that are breathing among us invariably and yet we somehow do not register their existence, not until of course, they shat all over the place.

There are so many pigeons in the world, we barely take a breather to notice. Gladly, Spies in Disguise, even though, focuses on entertainment, somewhere educates us as well, by basing itself around the inevitability of these birds. I mean, at the end of the day, you are thinking about pigeons, I guess, so mission accomplished?

Blue Sky Studios (Spoilers)

Another great deliverance by Blue Sky Studios after we witnessed one of their extraordinary products two years ago in the form of Ferdinand. They are on a roll after 2016’s debacle Ice Age: Collision Course. Making careful moves now, it seems. Finally, on the right track!

What happens in the submarine, stays in the submarine.

Studios’ primal focus remains entertainment, and Spies in Disguise is no different. They walk in with a plot that’s quite unique per se. However, in doing so, they romp around on the storyline, since there are a lot of things in the flick that you have already witnessed in many movies in the past.

The timing of this movie could bug you a little since they bag a villainous concept very similar to what we had seen in Spiderman: Far from Home. The way the movie had leveraged on its drones, this movie feels to have adopted a very similar stratagem. That’s where things might feel quite a bit cliched. But if you are fine with such banality, you are still going to thoroughly enjoy the movie.

Voiceovers, CGI, Screenplay, Direction and Cinematography

Fantastic voice overs by Will Smith and Tom Holland iced with some brilliant CGI. You get a feeling as if the actors are literally acting things out. It’s almost a perfect blend.

The movie carries some great cinematography throughout. Angles that are chosen remind you, the takes of a good movie. If those scenes are live-animated you would realize how great those shots really are.

Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t gain a good score in the Screenplay department. It’s mostly all the modern-day stuff you hear every day. Nothing remarkable that tries to rivet you or has the power to reduce you to tears.

That being said, a lot of things could have still been improved in its direction. Directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane need to be open for more quality stuff. Writers Brad Copeland and Lloyd Taylor need to introduce some more intelligent jests.

Lance Sterling in Spies in Disguise

Will Smith makes Lance Sterling a real life-like character. You can feel the tangibility, experience the smugness and taste “the sassy” on him.

There is nothing this guy can’t do. He is the coolest spy you have ever come across. So the storyline demands, and there are extraordinary things that you literally have to pause the screen for. For they are brimming with action and style.

Despite everything, there is some vile meanness in him that comes with being the best, of going solo always, taking challenges as if every challenge is vanquishable. He has yet to learn an important lesson on teamwork, and how there are certain things in this world that are way beyond his radar.

“Pigeons are rats with wings.”

All the things that he hates end up changing his perspective. So you know it’s one of those movies that plays that “change of heart” card, and for that very reason, it shows the disregard he has for all the things that he hates.

Most of the jokes get driven after he turns into a talking pigeon. Copying mannerisms of a pigeon yet not leaving his original characteristics automatically delight conversations.

Why am I eating food off the floor? Why does it taste amazing?

Walter Beckett

Tom mostly plays himself whilst presenting Walter Beckett. His mannerisms are pasted with Peter Parker characteristics from Spider-Man. But the great part is that he is really cool.

Nerdism is strong in him, but even so, his hobbies always come first. Be it be watching Korean soaps or inventing new gadgets.

The best part, however, is the way he chooses to fight the world. His head is full of optimism even for the bad guys. He is a pacifist who believes that the very reason Lance’s job exists is, in a way, unjustified.

I should have a codename. Bond. Hydrogen Bond.

Walter’s weaponry carries hugging towels or glitter or some out of the box pacifist invention.

Good luck fighting crime with that!

But the creators try to prove that, all that hugging weaponry can bring an enemy down too eventually. So the movie reduces itself from being all cool, explosive and badass to all cute and cuddly. You can say it is a spy movie, sans all the explosion owing to Walter’s pacifist beliefs.

Killian – Spies Disguise

What remains, however, a complete knockout is Ben Mendelsohn‘s character – Killian. He brings the much-needed solemnity to the movie by doing things a real villain should do. He is sheer badass in his voice-over not to mention the impeccable artistry that complements his voice.

There is an aura to his style, and if he were leveraged properly, could have gone to become one of those memorable ones that you often look back on.

Let the beat drop.

Unfortunately, he gets vanquished pretty easily for a villain toward the climax. It’s a shame if they don’t use him somewhere again.

Adorable Dovey

Another highlight of the movie is Lovey. She is just adorable, almost like a great supporting character who speaks pigeon through her acts, although she has every characteristic of a smitten lover.

Her primal job is to get on the nerves of Lance and make his pigeon life more miserable. But it is a wonder how she manages to uplift every scene with her onscreen presence. The rest of the gang are hilarious too but they seem quite deliberately planted.

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The Final Verdict

Spies in Disguise movie ensures you have a good time, if that’s what you are looking for in a movie. Even though the jests are not out of the ordinary, it still ensures you wield that smile throughout its 1 hour 42 minutes of run time.

With the absence of their lady interests in Spies in Disguise, and it being a bro movie, this film remains open for sequels now that they have so many directions to gallop toward. With that, the future for Spies in Disguise looks promising.

It’s all casual fun pigeonholed in there. Just go watch!

Check out the trailer of Spies in Disguise here: