Spies in Disguise (December 25, 2019)

This film was produced by Blue Sky Studios but is notable for being their first release as a unit of The Walt Disney Company, following their acquisition of Fox. Loosely based on the 2009 animated short Pigeon: Impossible by Lucas Martell, the story follows a secret agent who is accidentally transformed into a pigeon by a young genius scientist. The two must work together to stop a revenge-seeking cybernetic terrorist and return the agent to his human form. I love that the beginning (after the opening credits) and ending takes place in Washington D.C., my home city. It is rare to see it featured in an animated film and I easily recognize the basic layout and famous layout. The next location, Venice, is also one I have visited and enjoyed exploring. The animation is cute and stylish, allowing for great actions sequences. Walter, the young scientist, is adorable, sweet and kind and above all, super weird. But this film celebrates weirdness because the world needs weird. Normal people do not make history. This oddity coupled with his advanced intellect caused him to become alienated from his peers. The only person who appreciated his weirdness, his mother, sadly died in the line of duty (she was a police officer)- a point which the movie expertly shows instead of tells. The other protagonist, Agent Sterling, is a charismatic and self-assured secret agent who is framed for stealing drone tech and valuable intel on the members of his agency. He and Walter make a fantastic duo, playing off each other well and injecting a lot of humor and heart to this, fairly predictable, plot (Though Walter’s non-violent creations are an incredibly unique element). Lastly, Tom Holland and Will Smith, the voices of Walter and Sterling respectively, do a fantastic job bring these characters to life and are largely the reason the movie works so well. Overall Spies in Disguise is an entertaining romp that was unfortunately largely overlooked in a crowded holiday season. I highly recommend giving it a second look; the message of the film is that the line between good and bad is not so defined; its not black and white. We are just people who all deserve a chance to be saved because we are capable of change. While idealistic, this sentiment is wonderful, and I wish the real world had more Walters.

Final Rating: 7.5/10