JP/16/NOW

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Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (Fantasy/Adventure, 99 minutes) Starring Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Daryl Sabara, Alexa Vega, Steve Buschemi, Mike Judge. Directed by Robert Rodriguez.

Delightfully colorful follow-up to 2001's surprise hit will please children and adults alike with eye-popping visual effects and exciting story.

The Cortezes are back. This time, they do not only have to solve the mystery of a Bermuda Triangle-like area where ships and planes disappear but also have to face a rival family of spies, the Giggles.

Rodriguez made effective use of special effects using references to many adventure classics from King Kong to Jason and the Argonauts.

Fast-paced and full of laughs. A real good time at the movies.*** (Out of ****)

Thunderpants (Comedy/Adventure, 87 minutes) Starring Bruce Cook, Rupert Grint, Adam Godley, Ned Beatty, Stephen Fry. Directed by Peter Hewitt.

Patrick Smash (Cook) has a dream to become a spaceman but he is physically and intelligently inadequate. The only thing he can do at the scale of ten is farting.

His nerdy best friend, Alan A. Alan (Grint), seems to be the only one who believes that someday Patrick will turn out to be someone useful for human kind.

Unfortunately, they are then separated. However, Patrick is determined to find his buddy whatever it takes, including singing through his arse!

Supposedly interesting idea is bogged down by a very uneven treatment.

Kids with low attention spans may love it though a scene in which a kid is about to be gunned down by a firing squad may be too much for most audiences.**

Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever (Action/Sci-Fi, 91 minutes) Starring Antonio Banderas, Lucy Liu, Gregg Henry, Ray Park, Talisa Soto. Directed by Kaos (Wych Kaosayananda).

Critics and audiences hissed at this numbing, extremely loud and boring movie about a mysterious woman (Liu) who kidnaps a boy who has to face a mysterious FBI agent (Banderas), something like that.

Subplots including the agent's missing wife whom he thinks has died but turns out to be very much alive.

The movie is riddled with absurdities tangled in an incomprehensible plot. Lots of explosions and chaos accompanied by a really annoying soundtrack.

A disastrous American debut for Thailand director Kaos.

Based on a video game and should have stayed there.*1/2