The Spy Next Door (2010) User Reviews (119)

Mr Cyrus may not win any acting awards but he wins the award for Spy With the Best Kept Highlights

[michawheeler · 6/10 · 21 May 2010]

I'm not about to contradict anyone who says that 'The Spy Next Door' is a bad movie but I cannot say that I didn't enjoy it. From the moment that Bob and Gillian wake up with those serene smiles on their faces (Gillian had been woken up by a squealing pig and screeching kids) you know what you're in for and the movie certainly doesn't disappoint, in that it does exactly what you expect and follows every cliché there is religiously. For me this is what actually allowed me to enjoy it, the movie seemed to tell me, 'I am a bad movie, don't try to take me seriously just laugh at every possible opportunity! I promise you I'm not harmful and I will be over before the stupidity gets the better of your suspended disbelief.'

The film rests on Jackie Chan's shoulders and there's no denying that he is a very charismatic man, very good with physical comedy and at 55 and after all those injuries, still impressively fit. I can't say the same for the kids, the youngest one (Alina Foley) is cute but the other two were a bit annoying although this may be the script's fault. What can I say about the villains; Creel wore red lipstick and black from head to toe and just in case we missed she was the villain she also wore a frozen sardonic smile too, the Russian guys wore heavy overcoats and beards and all of them spoke in this hilarious accent...I enjoyed every bit of it. In fact I think the parts with the villains were my favourite.

I think the movie did what it set out to do and entertained me, I actually burst out laughing many times. One of which was when Billy Ray Cyrus's faced popped onto the screen, don't judge me I didn't know he was in the movie and the image took me by surprise!

Jackie Chan's The Spy Next Door was a nice harmless diversion

[tavm · 6/10 · 19 January 2010]

All right, I'll admit right off the bat that I didn't expect a high quality movie when I picked this one and I didn't. What I did get was a harmless 90 minutes with Jackie Chan doing what he does best, which was executing his creatively funny stunts to entertaining effect. There's also a filler story of him being a retiring spy who falls for a divorced woman with three kids who, for the most part, don't think much of him since they mainly think of him as a loser. Oh, and some bad stereotypical Russian accents for the male and female villains too. Still, like I said, Chan provides the main reason one would watch and enjoy this movie and it's nice to occasionally see the supporting cast also get in on the action. Besides, any movie where Chan sings a lullaby to the youngest daughter in Chinese and a former resident of my current hometown of Baton Rouge (Johnny Rivers) is heard singing "Secret Agent Man" during the beginning can't be too bad...

The Spy Next Door

[jonathanruano · 6/10 · 29 October 2010]

There is something strange and irrational about the human psyche that draws us to films that we know are absurd and bad, but in spite of the glaring flaws of such films we get drawn in anyway because the experience is pleasurable. One of those films is "The Spy Next Door." It was obvious to me that "The Spy Next Door" had almost nothing to offer its audience in terms of a plot or even characters that could transcend their stereotypes. These stereotypes include (1) All Russians are evil; (2) the female love interest always finds an implausible reason for dumping Bob Ho (Jackie Chan)before she later reconciles with him; (3) If you want to gain the respect of bullies, you have to beat someone up - preferably an evil Russian who is storming throughout your house looking for a secret formula; (4) If you have Jackie Chan in your film, give him lots of choreographed karate or agile tricks to do; and (5) If you want to win over kids who are not your own, you better be a great action hero. I also realized that this film was trying to get by on Jackie Chan's personality and the characters of the kids.

Yet I did not care because up to a point reliance on the Jackie Chan persona, which this film was clearly doing, actually worked. The reason is that Jackie Chan is a good natured guy, very modest and very nice. It is to an extent amusing watching Chan perform his tricks as he copes with babysitting and then takes on the bad guys. The action scenes were, in my mind, not like the ordinary, overly violent action scenes where the good guy shoots up a bunch of bad guys. They are dance routines, some of them plain silly and others that are pretty good - and you get the impression that even if you are a bad guy you are unlikely to get badly hurt. Jackie Chan himself has often said that he abhors violence and his Bob Ho character is not a violent man. He gets involved in action scenes reluctantly and, even as he wins his little battles, one gets the impression that they were all a lot of fun. Now this is not to say that I can guarantee that you, my readers, are going to like this film. You may dislike it for many sound reasons, but for me "The Spy Next Door" is one of my guilty favorites.

Chan Plays a Cool Funny Spy in a Done-to-Death Story

[Chrysanthepop · 18 May 2010]

OK, where story is concerned, there's nothing new here. Chan plays a spy on the verge of retirement because he wants to settle down with his girlfriend Gillian (Amber Valetta) and her annoying kids. Now the kids hate Chan and Gillian has to leave for a couple of days in order to spend some time with her ailing father. So who offers to look after the kids? It's not hard to see how clichéd the story is but it is Jackie Chan with his creative stunts who makes this a fun watch. The actor's flair for comedy has become common knowledge and he is as energetic as ever. Moreover, his pairing with the beautiful Valetta is refreshing. Valetta doesn't get much to do other than play the usual girlfriend/divorcée/mom of three but she holds her own. The rest of the cast is forgettable. The child actors are initially very annoying. They sort of grow on you as the film proceeds. Overall, the film is nothing out of the ordinary. It doesn't even compare to a majority Chan's superior works but at best it's an amusing one-time watch.

No chemistry between Jackie and Amber

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 27 December 2014]

CIA super agent Bob Ho (Jackie Chan) has been dating Gillian (Amber Valletta) for three months. Her kids Farren (Madeline Carroll) and Ian (Will Shadley) hate him. Little Nora (Alina Foley) thinks that he's a cyborg. He is retiring for Gillian but she doesn't know his secret life. Glaze (George Lopez) is his handler and Colton James (Billy Ray Cyrus) is a fellow agent. His Russian nemesis Anton Poldark escapes from capture. While the kids snoop around in his house, Ian downloads a file from his secret computer. Poldark tracks it down and comes after Bob and the kids.

There is absolutely no chemistry between Jackie Chan and Amber Valletta. The kids have better chemistry with him. Maybe they could have made up a story about him being a secret nanny instead. That's where the comedy is anyways with him as Mr. Mom. The movie almost works with him and the kids. Many comedians have mined that rich vain and Jackie could easily do that too. Also I don't know why he has to wear those glasses. It's not like he's Superman and this is his secret identity. The rest of the movie is a bunch of unfunny cartoon characters. It still has Jackie Chan doing his acrobatic fights. That's impressive at his age. With a few changes, this could have been a passable kids movie.

Damn my eyes!

[loogenhausen · 2/10 · 8 November 2011]

Are people sniffing glue these days? Terrible, terrible excuse for a movie. Its not OK to excuse this as good old fashioned family entertainment. If you do, you are committing child abuse and I want to report you to the authorities. The characters are all completely unlikable, one-dimensional and above all, one hundred percent idiotic. Not one line of dialogue feels right, not one single scene worked at all. The mother is a complete imbecile and the children all deserve a punch in the face. Poor Jackie Chan needed some money, that is the only reason he was in this - and not to entertain your little dimbulb rugrats who couldn't tell the difference between a good movie and static in the first place. There are hundreds of great family films out there to expose your kids to. This is not one of them. Demand more out of your entertainment and maybe your kids won't grow up to be so stupid. If that makes you mad or offends you, then you're probably to blame.

I spy a cute, cute family film.....the latest Jackie Chan movie!

[inkblot11 · 7/10 · 20 January 2010]

Bob Ho (Jackie Chan), a very successful CIA spy, is retiring from the business. Although he likes his co-workers, including Colton (Billy Ray Cyrus) and his boss (George Lopez), he want a "normal" life. Cornering a Russian gangster will be his final "hurrah". In truth, Bob has fallen in love with a beautiful divorcée, Gillian (Amber Valletta) and wants to marry her. Trouble is, she has three cantankerous kids, Fallan (Madeleine Carroll), Ian and Nora. Whenever he arrives at their house, they find ways to humiliate him. So, when Gillian has to leave town to attend to a sick father, Bob sees an opportunity for him to "get closer" to the children. He'll babysit for them! After all, as Bob says, he has brought down dictators so he can certainly deal with three kids. Ha! Things go wrong almost immediately. Bob can't cook breakfasts the kids will eat, he has trouble stopping squabbles and he finds bedtime rules are difficult to enforce. Most seriously, Ian downloaded a secret file from Bob's computer and now the Russian badguys are after them! Can Bob manage to dodge bullets as he carpools the kiddies to school? This is a cute family film that should please almost everyone. It has a fine story, a zippy direction, a lot of action, and a nice cast. Chan is, as always, a wonderfully comic performer whose smile can light up the world. His inventive martial arts movements are mirthful, too. The rest of the cast, including Carroll, Cyrus, Lopez, and the others, are great, too. As for the settings, costumes, and production values, they are of the top-shelf variety. Especially beautiful is the suburban home where Gillian's family lives. All in all, everyone in the family will spy a winner here, during a showing, and be pleased as punch when the credits roll at film's end.

HK Neo Reviews: The Spy Next Door

[webmaster-3017 · 3/10 · 5 April 2010]

A Jackie Chan movie made for kids...

Unless I am a 5 year old kid roaming across the room with spy gadgets on my hand, I am not exactly qualified to criticise this movie. Jackie Chan has created a movie made especially for a target audience of 5 year-olds. In doing so, the adults or even teenagers will be left disappointed. Without forgetting the fact the Chan is fast approaching the age of a pensioner. A lack of action is not really a problem. Chan have always been a talented physical comedian and his ability to make someone laugh can be comparable to that of Buster Keaton. In his latest Asian venture, Little Big Soldier, Chan rarely fights, but it still manages to be one of Chan's most enjoyable movies in the last decade. So why did Chan tone down so much in Hollywood? Most likely to reach the greatest possible market and cater for his kindergarten fans. However, in essence, he reduced his market share of his paying audience, young adults. I wouldn't go to the extent as to say this movie is bad. It is a kind of movie where you get what you expect. At the end of the day, there are some moments of humour, but as a 23 year old, the jokes, the lame action can only go so far.

The movie is basically about a Chinese spy who is on loan to the CIA. Spy falls in love with next door neighbour and decides to retire from spy operations for good. Spy has to look after the lover's kids. Bad guys go after the spy. Thus endangering the kids and the bad guys are Russians. Then it all goes to hell with a final fight between the good and the bad.

Jackie Chan is always likable and the film relies on his back and shoulder to carry the film to the ending outtakes. It is a shame that Chan will never be able to shine in a Hollywood role. As mentioned before, a lack of fighting does not matter, but Chan have yet to come across a script that is worthy of showcasing his ability as a physical comedy genius. It is unfortunate that his latest venture in Little Big Soldier will not get much exposure in the West.

All in all, The Spy Next Door is hardly a bad movie, but one that offers nothing to its already crowded and cliché genre. While it may seem to be fun for a 5 year old, the same cannot be said for people who are coming of age. Sometimes, you got to remember that parents watch these kinds of movies with their kids too. If the movie causes boredom for the adults, they might not take their offspring to the next Jackie Chan movie. Don't say it isn't possible to appeal to both young and old. Think Avatar, Finding Nemo, How to train a Dragon are all movies that are successful in relating to the young and old. In essence, the box office receipts of just under US$30 million, just goes to show that the parents went shopping while the show was going on...(Neo 2010)

I rate it 3/10

• www.thehkneo.com

cute, funny movie

[cherold · 7/10 · 28 February 2011]

This is a very silly movie, but I quite enjoyed it. Jackie Chan doesn't do the crazy dangerous stunts he used to, but his brand of comedic martial arts is still entertaining. The kids are reasonably realistic, with only one being somewhat annoying precocious. There are some nice bits, like a running joke involving a criminal's wardrobe. The story doesn't make a lot of sense, especially since the McGuffin of the film would probably be far more lucrative in cleaning up the environment than for the impractical purpose the bad guys have in mind, but this movie isn't supposed to be anything more than a cute silly movie, and I thought it succeeded in that admirably.

Chan's weakest fare to date...

[namashi_1 · 4/10 · 11 May 2010]

Jackie Chan is an Icon, I am a fan of his... his films have always entertained, hell ya, he was entertaining even if the material wasn't. However, Chan's solo-hero return disappoints in 'The Spy Next Door'.

Chan plays a ex-spy who turns a babysitter of 3, the idea itself is a copy and paste 'Pacifier', which offers nothing new. The film begins well, but slips right after 30-minutes into the film. Brain Levant's direction is mundane, and the writing is flawed. Surprisingly, even the Action is is very okay. In acting, Chan looks least interested, though he can still pull of the stunts, at least, some of it. George Lopez is wasted. Billy Ray Cyrus throws a few expressions here and there. Amber Valletta is passable.

'The Spy Next Door' is a major letdown, it doesn't offer solid entertainment!

Better than the scores show

[brittlinder17 · 8/10 · 21 January 2010]

Wow, people need to get a grip when they review a kids film! Sure the premise has been used before & sure the bad guys are cheesy. They are supposed to be.

This movie has OK action, corny dialogue, and an absolutely wonderful message. Not every movie has to win awards to be great. Some movies are simply great because you get to spend time with your kids & the flick has a redeeming message.

This movie has no sex, no language, and merely comedic violence. What a refreshing idea! I loved that my 13 year old boy & 10 year old daughter enjoyed it & both got the message that family is who loves you not whose blood runs in you.

I would highly recommend this movie to anyone with children or to anyone who is sick of Hollywood "morals" being forced down our throats. A very family friendly movie.

Come with a good attitude. Enjoy the popcorn & a coke. Watch a decent flick & enjoy time with your family.

The Spy Next Door

[nitinararidh · 7/10 · 24 January 2010]

The Spy next door was a pleasant surprise. After reading the countless negative reviews on the IMDb reviews, i thought it was going to be the worst 90 minutes in movie history. Although this movie is aimed at children, adults can watch it and have fun.

In the beginning i thought that this movie was a copy of the "The Pacifier" for sure, from the trailer it looked like both had the same plot, but after watching it I can safely say that this movie has a completely different plot, theme, and style than "The Pacifier." This movie has one action comedy that the whole family can watch together and forget about their worries, their sorrows, and the world outside the theater.

Doesn't get much worse

[Leofwine_draca · 3/10 · 17 September 2012]

Oh dear, Jackie. It's fair to say that the martial arts superstar's films have been of...shall we say variable? quality ever since he made it big in America in the late '90s, but THE SPY NEXT DOOR has to be one of his worst yet. It says something when you watch a film that makes the previous middling likes of THE MEDALLION look good.

THE SPY NEXT DOOR is a children's comedy that stars Jackie as an ordinary guy who just happens to be a spy. The plot sees him housesitting a trio of children, one of whom (the eldest) just happens to be one of the most obnoxious little brats I've ever seen grace a movie screen. You can just imagine the kind of lame, unoriginal and unbelievable comedy that follows on from there.

Now, like most people, I follow Jackie's films for his action scenes. They're barely to be seen in THE SPY NEXT DOOR, which suffers from a definite paucity of creative energy. The few fight scenes we're treated to are silly, half hearted and utilise way too much in the way of wirework. The climactic fight scene isn't so bad, but the whole film needed to be like that to make a difference. As it stands, it's too little, too late.

The cast are barely worth mentioning, not least the almost racist portrayal of the Russian villains or Amber Valletta as Jackie's utterly unsympathetic love interest (can you imagine a more unlikely couple?). As for Jackie, his glory days seem to be long in the past here, and it seems sad when one of his big "stunts" requires him to walk over a kitchen stool (and I'll swear they even used wirework for that insignificant step). Maybe I'll just go back and rewatch the ending of DRUNKEN MASTER 2 to remind myself of Jackie in his prime...

Not a Jackie Chan fan but enjoyed it

[ZR RIFLE · 17 January 2010]

Before taking the kids to see this, I read through some quick reviews online (such as RogerEbert.com, etc.), and groaned thinking about the 90 minutes or so I'd have to sit watching this...not to mention the annoying ads stuffed down your throat before the trailers even start.

You know, I'm not going to spend time trying to justify why I liked it, laughed at the corny scenes and dialog, slapstick, etc. - but the bottom line is I/we enjoyed it - despite it being a Chan film which usually I'll pass on. How refreshing not to get any propaganda thrown in your face, political innuendos/viewpoints - whatever, which unfortunately you have to bear in even many kids & 'family' films being pumped out these days ... just a basic family comedy which accomplishes its purpose - to simply entertain and nothing else. What's wrong with that, Mr. Ebert? I think you need to stay away from kids' films. Anyone?

So if you decide to see it, make your own judgment. The negative reviews I read before seeing it prepared me to expect the worst....which in turn actually helped it to be a quite a pleasant surprise. Go figure. So far I find it amusing how some of the reviewers on here spent so much time writing in detail how awful the film is, spending the time, space, and effort into dissecting & critiquing it as though it were the latest Coppola or Scorsese project. Who are they writing to? Those expecting a modern cinematic classic (via Jackie Chan) bringing them to standing applause ... or to parents like myself taking their kids out to have a little fun? Right! LOL.

A Nutshell Review: The Spy Next Dooe

[DICK STEEL · 5/10 · 24 January 2010]

While we anticipate Jackie Chan's Asian production with Little Big Soldier this Lunar New Year, he continues his journey in the West with yet another kid and family friendly production with The Spy Next Door, which would fit into the Disney Channel stable given Chan's penchant to appeal to the lowest denominator to draw in the family crowd, and you know just how safe the stunts of Hollywood tend to be when appealing to this demographic.

Which leaves The Spy Next Door pretty much a departure from contemporary adventure flicks which tend to draw upon violence and gore in its action sequences, to keep it within a safe, acceptable rating. Jackie Chan plays Bob Ho, a man with as much personality as his any of his past heroes, which tend to be cop / secret agent belonging to the Hong Kong / Chinese police / spy agency, and here he's on loan to the CIA because of warming Sino-US relations. For years he's been helping out and solving what the Americans cannot, keeping in line with Hollywood's trend of putting China in good light, and he does so undercover and under fake glasses, living next to a divorcée (played by Amber Valletta) whom he fancies, and her three kids.

They do not know his identity as his cover is as a geeky pen salesman, and like any super- hero film, has to keep his identity, abilities and tools a secret, which you know will be threatened for exposure as he grows closer to the family, wanting to take his relationship with Valletta's Gillian to the next step, and working toward seeking acceptance from her children, only for a Russian criminal to escape and threaten the world's oil reserve, and having to grapple with a mole within the CIA. Sounds complicated, but it actually isn't, really, especially when the main villain (Magnus Scheving) spends a lot of his time trying to look trendy and fashionable.

If there's something that will appeal, it'll be two items. First up the opening credit montage which played like a celebration to Chan's illustrious career as an action hero, where you get to see clips from classics such as Hong Kong's Armour of God when he was at his peak, to disasters like Hollywood's Tuxedo when he sold out to the West. Then there's even some drawing from Chan's own real life experiences in his character's monologue about love and family, exploited to add certain emotional gravitas in an otherwise empty film that spends fleeting moments in its underdeveloped subplots about the adventures in parenting/babysitting, from the youngest daughter with a fetish for anything pink, the only son who's a school-bully fodder trying too hard to be cool in school, and an eldest daughter with the usual rebellious teenage attitude problem.

With Jackie Chan growing older and slowing down, this shows up in the carefully crafted action sequences, which while I didn't notice any obvious signs of a stunt double, the stunts performed here are quite the walk in the park for Chan many years ago, where I remember being thrilled by the money-shot stunt sequences that each of his films would highlight. Of late there's none and he seems to be relying on his past laurels, though "improvised" fights and acrobatics that Chan is famous for, still has enough legs to entertain, especially when battling the bad guys in closed quarters using everyday household items. If anything, there's a number of obvious wire-work that you know Hollywood would dabble with, either for stunt safety reasons, for laughs, or just to plain exaggerate.

The Spy Next Door works as a family popcorn movie, keeping a lot of things safe and will entertain any 5 year old kid. Stay tuned during the end credits with hilarious outtakes from the film, and you see that JC still struggles with the English language.

A Follow up to "The Tuxedo" somewhat

[kiwilove2006 · 6/10 · 10 July 2010]

This is in much of a similar vein to the previous "The Tuxedo" Jackie Chan spy movie - though it is not an immediate followup/continuation of it. A Jackie Chan kids spy movie says it all - just don't expect it to reach the heights of the first "Spykids" movie, or at the same level as "The Tuxedo". It is a pleasant enough movie experience - and for me, there was not the kind of feeling of it not gelling together - it does, surprisingly well come together as an entertaining lightweight movie. In the absence of a new "Charlie's Angels" movie - and it does not reach new lows such as "Johnny English".

Jackie Chan is ageing well in this movie - at least he seems to fit into this role, and is not teamed up with a female, so much younger than himself.

Anyway this is good entertaining movie, that serves well as an intro to Jackie Chan - and is more together as a movie, than his "Rush Hour 2" and "Rush Hour 3" - newcomers to Jackie Chan, might want to see his earlier, more action packed movies, that were made before this one.

Well... that was bad.

[OddBallin · 2/10 · 9 January 2010]

I just got back from a free screening of this movie. I watched the trailer beforehand and I thought, "Wow, this looks like crap." But I went anyway, because it will probably be years, if ever, that I get a chance to see a movie before the general public does again. At first glance, it looks like a rip-off of the Vin Diesel movie, The Pacifier. While it does have some similarities, (a dude who kicks ass as some sort of government employee watching over a group of siblings while the mother is away, and the kids get in danger, and bad guys go raid the house), it actually isn't TOO similar. This is neither a good thing or a bad thing. Either way, unless you're 5, you've already seen this movie before.

I will say that this is definitely a kid's movie. Perhaps my review will be a bit too harsh for this movie, given the age group it's intended for, but the mark of a good kid's movie is the fact that adults can enjoy it as well. Maybe not as much as the kids will, but enjoyment nonetheless. Pixar is excellent at this. And even if it is a kid's movie, wouldn't you want your child to watch good, well-made movies? Don't you want your child to know what a real Russian accent sounds like, instead of the horribly overdone accents that were featured in The Spy Next Door?

The movie starts out with some shots of Jackie Chan doing some action stunts. It was very random, and it suddenly cut to him waking up. Then it cuts to another house, where kids are screaming at each other and the youngest child, Nora, played by an admittedly adorable Alina Foley, is chasing a pig around. The eldest child, played by Madeline Carroll, is screaming about something, possibly the fact that she was named Farren, while the middle child, Ian, played by Will Shadley, is arguing with Farren. He throws in the word "hypothesis" to show the audience that he's the smart one. Farren yells at the mother, Gillian (Amber Valletta), that her kids are weird. They scream some more, leave the room, and Gillian gets out of bed. With a huge smile on her face! It's almost creepy how smiley she is.

Oh, okay, it's because she's in love with Bob Ho (insert joke here), the next-door neighbor who works as a pen importer. They meet for dinner that night, and Ho wants to tell Gillian something, because it's their 3-month anniversary. But then his beeper goes off, and he rushes off to capture some evil Russians. The next time they see each other, Gillian and Bob discuss marriage. Wait, what? Marriage? But... but... they've been dating for three months. And he's a spy. And her kids hate him, because he's a geek! Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

Then Gillian's dad, who plays on some senior sports league, slid into third and now needs his hip replaced. She agrees to leave her kids with Bob. While Bob packs, the kids snoop around. Ian goes on his computer and downloads a top-secret file, because he's an idiot and thinks it's a concert. Then a whole lot of chaos happens, and bad Russian accents happen, and the kids are brats, and oh noooo, Farren's dad left Gillian, who's only her step-mom, and she doesn't fit in! Oh nooooo. Poor Farren. That TOTALLY makes up for her being a complete... runt... for almost the entire film. She just doesn't fit in! I think that's where the audience is supposed to like her more now. And a cute Russian spy tells Farren a knock-knock joke, which I couldn't even hear but apparently it was HILARIOUS. And then some more chaos happens, and George Lopez turns out to be a mole. Oh noooooooooooo. And Billy Ray Cyrus is in it. Oh nooooooooooooooo. =(

Some more chaos happens, and the bad guys seem to be winning, but of course they never do because it's a Jackie Chan movie and that just doesn't happen in Jackie Chan movies 'cause Jackie Chan is a total badass.

I won't spoil the ending for all you fine folks, but if you watch the first 15 minutes, you know what happens anyway. (Spoiler alert: Bob Ho's real name isn't Bob! OMG, I know! A spy with a fake name? Soo outlandish.)

Edit: I was reading some other reviews of this film, just for kicks, and I noticed 2 reviews defending the movie because, "not every movie is a Dark Knight". How is this a defense? Chastising people for giving a negative review for a movie because you assume that they were expecting something on par with a movie that the general public gets their pants wet over is quite immature. Of course we with the negative reviews were not expecting some masterpiece. The plot itself screams its inferiority at all who listen. But as countless of filmmakers have shown in the past, and will continue to show, it is possible to make a great, enjoyable movie without people walking out of the theatre going, "That was a masterpiece!" The Spy Next Door makes little to no attempt to even be a good movie. It's all recycled drivel, with nothing remotely original about it. And for anyone going, "If you didn't like it so much, why are you wasting your time nitpicking it?" Well, maybe it takes YOU a long time to type up a review but this is being done in about 2 minutes' time, during which I am multitasking by listening to a song and eating breakfast, as well as saving whales and giving Congress some helpful suggestions regarding health care and the climate change issue. I'm also playing Fur Elise on the violin while doing a wheelie, if it helps get across what little effort it takes to type a review.

A good family flick

[Em-Animator · 7/10 · 14 June 2020]

The first time I saw this movie I was like 5-7 years old. I'm a very nostalgic person, so I'm obviously gonna say that I like it no matter what anybody else says. I'm here like 9 years later and I can honestly say I've seen this movie 100 times or more!Lol! For people who would typically trust the critics,don't trust them! Embrace some B+ movies for once plz. And overall I think it is sweet how all the kids learn to love Jackie Chan as their new father in the end. I give this movie a 7.5/10!

Painfully bad, even if you see it just as a "kids film"

[johnnymonsarrat · 4/10 · 16 January 2010]

The Spy Next Door is a kids' fantasy in the same way that Disney films from the 1970s were. The badguys slip up and the kids learn to fight in a way that only a six-year-old would appreciate. We're just lucky that the film doesn't end with someone pulling a lever and dumping a ton of sugar on the badguys' heads.

Unfortunately, the film misfires in every way I can imagine, except that it is shot in color. The acting of the main stars as well as the supporting cast was rock bottom, with none of the timing that comedians are supposed to be good at. Instead of avoiding stereotypes, the film embraces them in shallow ways, such as the improbable Russian accents.

From an action movie standpoint, the film spends its tension unwisely. With the exception of a creative scene involving kitchen implements, when Jackie Chan is trapped in a corner, instead of fighting it out with martial arts, he reaches for a spy gadget. Somebody should have learned from the previous Jackie Chan film The Tuxedo that the guy does better without gadgets. In addition, the gadgets chosen aren't used cleverly and the special effects are unconvincing.

I'm sorry to say that Jackie Chan also does better without romance, at least in English language films.

On top of all the poor acting and writing, I'm afraid I need to add poor editing. I rarely seen a film these days where I'm confused as to what's happening where and when. There were several scene transitions in The Spy Next Door that jumped.

All of these things added up to constantly knocking me out of my suspension of disbelief. I was unable to let go and enjoy the movie.

Truth be told, kids will enjoy it because kids will enjoy anything. They're so young that they don't know the difference between good and bad media, and they have so little experience that everything seems fresh to them, even a retelling of "A Christmas Carol" yet again.

Still, in a world with The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Where the Wild Things Are, and Wall-E, why as an adult subject yourself to 90 minutes of pain? Choose a different film and breathe free.

Oh, and if you are a Jackie Chan fan, this film is worse than the Tuxedo. I've seen over 25 of his films, trust me, you don't want to see this one.

I'll give The Spy Next Door a rating of 4 out of 10, the highest rating I'll give a film that I watch all the way to the end.

Deserves more praise

[mattfrancis-83351 · 7/10 · 4 July 2022]

People are always quick to judge if anything is cheesy. The bad guys with their outrageous accent were awful the fight scenes too friendly, it was over the top and some of the chemistry wasn't right with Amber and Gillian in particular annoying me. But this was meant to be friendly, was meant not to scare a younger generation and the hidden messages were brilliant showing family values but also life values and lessons which more kids or teens these days really need. A family fun film with a few laughs but not too many to take you away from the drama.

Sorry to say most Jackie films are a bit sort of slapstick and cheesy. A guy his age doing his stunts and carrying the Film well he easily gets my vote. I think he has more in his locker in terms of acting.

Anyway I wanted to put on a family film that was about protecting children being a role model but something cool and this was exactly that.

If you're under 12 this is great. For adults .....

[curtis-8 · 5/10 · 17 June 2010]

I give this a 5 because the audience you're with will make a lot of difference. If you consider this as entirely a kid's movie, along the lines of the low budget Disney live action films of the late 60s and 70s like Herbie Goes Bannanas, then you've got a rating of at least 8. This is totally kid friendly in every way. BUT it is also really goofy and the predictability and sappyness borders very closely on the idiotic. So the idiotic fun of the thing will work for little kids, but for adults--the idiocy pretty much dominates. (in fact, the screenplay seems to be at least a quarter century out of date--the bad guys are all Russian for instance). This is obviously a very low budget project, and it bears many of the earmarks of a direct-to-video movie. The first half has a lot of stock footage and a lot of that really annoying digital "swoosh" editing as well as some very stiff acting and cheap sounding music. But it gets better as it goes along. For the first 40 minutes or so I was really afraid that Jackie's American movie career was degenerating into Seagal-VanDamme DTV hell (director LeVant's last and next films are made for video Scooby Doo flicks--not a good sign). But if you stick with this thing past the midway mark, you will be rewarded with some very entertaining Chan fight choreography. Because, even though Jackie now uses more stunt doubles, wires, and CG effects for the action sequences, it is still obvious that he is the one who choreographs these elaborate sequences. They all show his signature style--lots of props, flips, and unexpected physical wackiness.

So little kids will like it. Most over 12 will die of groaning boredom. Jackie Chan fans will find a few worthy rewards.

Excellent viewing for family...because it is a KIDS MOVIE!!!!!

[jc2ar · 10/10 · 14 January 2010]

Seriously, people are so affected by reviews of films that if anything comes out, it has to be the new Avatar or Dark Knight. The minute they hear Jackie Chan in a kids movie, they already hate it! What gives? Yes this movie is a kids cliché movie...but it has Jackie Chan in it! This man has more charisma than any other actor that I know of. Last year he made a violent dramatic film called Shinjuku Incident and now he plays like a father character in this one! Now that's good transition into being an actor! Anyway, don't want to spoil anything - it really is a fun movie. Ignore the other reviews because they are fan-boys expecting Jackie Chan to fight in Drunken Master III or Police Story 6 or Project A III etc etc etc.

10 out of 10 easily for me...and I yawned during Avatar!

Derivative but fun action film

[andyajoflaherty · 7/10 · 13 September 2023]

The Spy Next Door is about a young mother and her 3 kids, the former of which is dating her next door neighbour, Bob. Bob constantly tries to bond with the kids, but they are having none of it. However, unbeknownst to them, Bob used to be a spy for the CIA... and when his arch nemesis comes after him, the whole family soon discover there is more to Bob than meets the eye....

Anyone who has seen any western made Jackie Chan film will probably know exactly what to expect here. I must say though that I'm a big fan of Chan, with his amazing stunt work and martial arts skills, and I always know that regardless of the quality of his films, the fight scenes will always be incredible. The plot of this film will never win any awards for originality, but the parts are acted competently and it's just about interesting enough to maintain engagement. The fight scenes are the usual Chan affair, using random environmental items to inflict maximum damage, and even though Jackie is getting on a bit he is still convincing. Overall its a passable film with great action, so you'll probably already know if this interests you or not...

I want that portion of my life back.

[dakotawarcollege · 1/10 · 27 February 2010]

I love Jackie Chan, and will actively seek out his films.

Until today. I just got out of that movie, and the best thing about it was the opening credit sequence. It went downhill from there.

Bad acting. Terrible and unfunny dialog.

This isn't B-Movie enjoyable bad. I'd say it was "Master of Disguise" bad, but it failed to rise to that level. Many of the main characters in "Master of Disguise" were capable of acting, unlike the people who populated this movie.

We've all seen the same plot elements time and time again. Except they manage to pull it off on Gilligan's Island. Not here.

I want that portion of my life back.

'Larry I have two words for you ... thir-teen.'

[TxMike · 30 January 2013]

When you consider what this movie was made for, its target audience of mainly kids and their parents, it succeeds very well. It is slapstick comedy at its finest, with a bit of family values thrown in while Russian gangsters are after Ho.

Jackie Chan, getting very close to 60, is still his youthful self as secret agent Bob Ho. He is retiring from the business, but as we know from watching many TV shows and movies, it is almost impossible to just retire from that kind of business. Your former work has a habit of following you.

One thing Bob wants to do is get to know his neighbor Gillian ( Amber Valletta) mom of two girls and a boy. But he really wants to get to know the kids better, they seem to 'hate' him but he needs to get them on his side if he is to marry their mom.

The oldest daughter at 13, Madeline Carroll is Farren, who is particularly troublesome. She is rebellious and insists on calling her mom 'Gillian.' We eventually realize it is because Gillian is her step-mom, her dad has left without a trace, and she is an unhappy teen.

Perhaps the best actor among the three kids is Will Shadley as Ian. But the youngest, Alina Foley as Nora, who was probably only 5, is maybe the smartest based on interviews in the Blu-ray extras. When asked if she wanted to be an actor when she grew up her answer was straightforward, "I am an actor, and I believe you already know that", with no trace of 'cuteness', just a matter-of-fact answer. But what else would we expect of the daughter of actor Dave Foley?

The story gains momentum when Gillian gets word that her dad had to be hospitalized for surgery, she needed to fly out of town, and Bob convinced her he could take care of the three kids. He would just get a few things and move in for a few days. A task he was totally unprepared for, but he learns quickly.

At the same time Russian gangsters are after a computer file that was believed to have been sent to Bob's computer by co-worker Billy Ray Cyrus as Colton James. (Cyrus is surprisingly good in this role.) So Bob must both take care of the kids while evading the Russians. Yes, it is an absurd premise but they handle it well for comedy. At the end there is a brief message about "family" being more than just who you are related by blood, as Farren decides to start calling Gillian "mom."

This move is not high art, it is not very memorable, but for what it sets out to do, it does in a mostly entertaining way.