Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)

Director:

Robert Rodriguez

Writer:

Robert Rodriguez (script)

Release Date:

25 July 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The Game is over

Plot:

Carmen's caught in a virtual reality game designed by the Kids' new nemesis, the Toymaker (Stallone). It's up to Juni to save his sister, and ultimately the world.

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Virtual Reality | Trapped | Mission | Villain

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Antonio Banderas	...	Gregorio Cortez
Carla Gugino	...	Ingrid Cortez
Alexa Vega	...	Carmen Cortez
Daryl Sabara	...	Juni Cortez
Ricardo Montalban	...	Grandfather
Holland Taylor	...	Grandmother
Sylvester Stallone	...	Toymaker
Mike Judge	...	Donnagon Giggles
Salma Hayek	...	Cesca Giggles
Matt O'Leary	...	Gary Giggles
Emily Osment	...	Gerti Giggles
Ryan Pinkston	...	Arnold (as Ryan James Pinkston)
Robert Vito	...	Rez
Bobby Edner	...	Francis
Courtney Jines	...	Demetra
Cheech Marin	...	Felix Gumm
Danny Trejo	...	Machete
Alan Cumming	...	Fegan Floop
Tony Shalhoub	...	Alexander Minion
Steve Buscemi	...	Romero
Bill Paxton	...	Dinky Winks
George Clooney	...	Devlin
Elijah Wood	...	The Guy
Selena Gomez	...	Waterpark Girl
Evan Sabara	...	Creepy Kid
Camille Chen	...	Processor
Steve Wertheimer	...	Agent Hot Rod
Alejandro Rose-Garcia	...	Edog
Lane Turney	...	Logos
Glen Powell	...	Long-fingered Boy (as Glen Powell Jr.)
Bob Fonseca	...	Agent Damage Report
Peter Marquardt	...	OSS Agent #2
James Paxton	...	Dinky Winks Jr.

Directed by
Robert Rodriguez

Writing credits
Robert Rodriguez		(script)

Produced by
Elizabeth Avellan	....	producer (as Elizabeth Avellán)
Robert Rodriguez	....	producer
Bill Scott	....	line producer
Bob Weinstein	....	executive producer
Harvey Weinstein	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Rebecca Rodriguez
Robert Rodriguez		(score by)

Cinematography by
Robert Rodriguez

Film Editing by
Robert Rodriguez

Casting by
Beth Sepko
Mary Vernieu

Production Design by
Robert Rodriguez

Art Direction by
Jeanette Scott

Set Decoration by
David Hack		(as David S. Hack)
Jeanette Scott

Costume Design by
Nina Proctor

Makeup Department
Melissa Forney	....	hair department head
Ermahn Ospina	....	makeup department head
Scott Patton	....	special makeup effects artist
Joe Rivera	....	assistant hair stylist
Joe Rivera	....	assistant makeup artist
Stacy L. Hodgson	....	makeup artist: Mr. Stallone (uncredited)

Production Management
Larry Birstock	....	executive in charge of production
Brian McNulty	....	post-production supervisor
Bill Scott	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brian Bettwy	....	first assistant director
Vincent Palmo Jr.	....	assistant director
Romy Stevenson	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Marc Baird	....	storyboard artist
Dawn M. Baker	....	scenic artist
Ronn Basquette	....	set designer
Kevin Berve	....	prop fabricator
Brad Blei	....	set dresser
Kelly Bogdan	....	property assistant
Maria Bowen	....	texture painter
Virginia Capobianco	....	assistant props (as Ginnie Capobianco)
Debbie Cortez Haber	....	art department coordinator (as Debbie C. Haber)
Caylah Eddleblute	....	assistant property master
Troy Engel	....	prop fabricator
Steve Joyner	....	property master
Marcus LaPorte	....	assistant props
Joe D. Mack	....	assistant props
Joe McCusker	....	construction coordinator
Paul Mica	....	texture painter
Josef Alden Richardson	....	sequence lead
Steve Sawhill	....	set dresser
Christopher Stull	....	leadman
Christopher Telles	....	art department assistant
Mark Wallace	....	on-set dresser
Ellen Lampl	....	graphic designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Doug Andham	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Doug Andorka)
Thomas Appel	....	foley assistant
Dean Beville	....	sound designer
Dean Beville	....	supervising adr editor
Dean Beville	....	supervising sound editor
Stacy Brownrigg	....	production sound mixer (as Stacy F. Brownrigg)
Thadd Day	....	boom operator
John Dunn	....	sound editor
Brad Engleking	....	re-recording stage engineer
Paula Fairfield	....	sound designer
Paula Fairfield	....	sound effects editor
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound effects editor
Alex Herrera	....	utility sound technician (as Alex A. Herrera)
William Jacobs	....	sound designer
Nicholas James	....	dialogue editor
Carey Milbradt	....	foley mixer
Carla Murray	....	sound designer
Carla Murray	....	sound effects editor
John Pospisil	....	sound effects editor
Sergio Reyes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brooke Satrazemis	....	utility sound technician
Charles Ewing Smith	....	dialogue editor
Steven Ticknor	....	sound designer
Suren Wijeyaratne	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Everett Byrom III	....	special effects technician
Jason Gustafson	....	special effects supervisor
Mark W. Gustafson	....	special effects technician
Chiz Hasegawa	....	coordinator: KNB EFX Group
Anthony Ray Herrera	....	special effects technician
Grady Holder	....	mold/technical department: K.N.B. EFX Group
Carey Jones	....	key technician
Marcus LaPorte	....	mold maker
Preston Malott	....	special effects technician
Matt McDonnell	....	special effects foreman
Gregory Nicotero	....	special effects makeup
Corey Pritchett	....	special effects coordinator
Pierre Raymond	....	visual effects executive producer
Jeff Schwan	....	special effects technician
John L. Shank	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Danny Albano	....	digital effects artist
Toader Alex	....	visual effects
Jance Allen	....	compositing supervisor
Shadi Almassizadeh	....	digital artist: The Orphanage
Melissa Almeida	....	render wrangler: Hybride
Pastor Alvarado III	....	visual effects assistant
Jonathan Alvord	....	compositor
Velvy Appleton	....	visual effects producer: The Orphanage
Steve Arguello	....	digital artist
Jean-Yves Audouard	....	lead animator: Hybride
Kevin Baillie	....	sequence supervisor: The Orphanage
Jeff Barnes	....	executive producer: Computercafe
Patrice-Alain Barrette	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Michel Barrière	....	lead digital compositor: Hybride
Romain Bayle	....	digital artist
Romain Bayle	....	matte painter
Martin Beaudoin	....	3D modeler: Hybride Technologies
Olivier Beaulieu	....	production assistant: Hybride
Caroline Bélisle	....	administration: Hybride
Michaël Bentitou	....	digital artist
Sébastien Bergeron	....	visual effects production supervisor
Louise Bertrand	....	bidding producer: Hybride
Benoit Blouin	....	digital effects artist
Keefe Boerner	....	visual effects coordinator
Cédric Bonnaffoux	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Mathieu Boucher	....	digital artist
Marc Bourbonnais	....	3D lead technical director: Hybride Technologies
Xavier Bourque	....	digital compositor: Hybride Technologies
Kim Boyle	....	visual effects producer: CIS Hollywood
Mike Bozulich	....	lead compositor: CafeFX
Kirstin Bradfield	....	rotoscope artist
Danny Braet	....	digital artist: ComputerCafe
Caroline Brien	....	production assistant: Hybride
Wayne Brinton	....	digital compositor
Rodney Brunet	....	digital effects artist
John Cassella	....	CG artist: CIS Hollywood
Jeremy Cho	....	render manager
YouJin Choung	....	visual effects
Mark Christiansen	....	digital compositor
Katrina Conwright	....	animator: Hybride Technologies
Michael Cozens	....	animator: Hybride
Robert W. Crain	....	digital artist: Hybride Technologies
Sébastien Dalphond	....	technical support: Hybride
Jeffrey Dates	....	senior animator
Tom Daws	....	Inferno artist: CIS Hollywood
Thierry Delattre	....	visual effects supervisor
Luc Desmarais	....	technical support: Hybride
Mathieu Destrade	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Anouk Deveault-Moreau	....	visual effects coordinator: Hybride
Domenic DiGiorgio	....	character animator: ComputerCafe
Tim Dobbert	....	matchmove supervisor
Lafleche Dumais	....	technical director: Hybride
Mathieu Dupuis	....	lead digital compositor: Hybride
Chris Evans	....	digital effects artist
Mike Fischer	....	digital artist
John Ford Jr.	....	digital artist
Xavier Fourmond	....	digital artist
Alex Friderici	....	visual effects
Stephen Gaconnier	....	animation executive producer
Vicki Galloway-Weimer	....	visual effects producer: Cafe FX
Amy Garback	....	CG artist: CIS Hollywood
Yanick Gaudreau	....	digital artist
Larry Gaynor	....	digital paint supervisor: CIS Hollywood
Francois Gendron	....	animator: Hybride
Stephan Gervais	....	technical support: Hybride
Nathalie Girard	....	digital compositor
Jeff Goldman	....	compositing supervisor: CafeFX
Victor Grant	....	digital effects artist
David 'Rudy' Grossman	....	creature supervisor
Jean-Sebastian Guay	....	technical support: Hybride
Myléne Guérin	....	visual effects coordinator: Hybride
Manuel H. Guizar	....	visual effects
Asa Hammond	....	sequence lead: The Orphanage
John H. Han	....	3D technical director: The Orphanage
Jonathan Harman	....	digital artist: The Orphanage
Nicholas Hasson	....	visual effects editor
Matthew Hendershot	....	CG supervisor: The Orphanage
Pierre-Simon Henri	....	render wrangler: Hybride
Pete Herzog	....	visual effects producer: Janimation
Gael Hollard	....	digital compositor
Nadine Homier	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Ki Jong Hong	....	creature technical director
Jean-Francois Houde	....	post production assistant: Hybride
Kenneth Jones	....	visual effects supervisor: CIS Hollywood
Grzegorz Jonkajtys	....	digital effects artist
Luc Julien	....	digital compositor
Joseph Kasparian	....	lead digital textures
Joseph Kasparian	....	lighting artist
Lyoung Hui Kim	....	digital artist: The Orphanage
Sungrae Kim	....	model maker
Yoon Bae Kim	....	model maker
SangHun Kwon	....	technical director
Alain Lacroix	....	technical director: Hybride
Mathieu Lalonde	....	modeler: Hybride
Franck Lambertz	....	digital artist: Hybride
Nicolas Langlois-Demers	....	technical director: 3D character setup, Hybride
Jean Lapointe	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Maryjane Layani	....	production accountant: CIS Hollywood
Evelyne Leblond	....	production assistant: Hybride
Daniel Leduc	....	visual effects supervisor: Hybride
Francois Leduc	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Woei Lee	....	compositor
May Leung	....	assistant CG supervisor: Hybride
Ann-Sophie Linteau	....	administration: Hybride
Steven Lloyd	....	digital artist
Martine Losier	....	visual effects coordinator: Hybride
Ethan Maniquis	....	visual effects editor
Stuart T. Maschwitz	....	visual effects supervisor
Ian McCamey	....	post production supervisor: The Orphanage
Barry McDougall	....	3D modeler: Hybride Technologies
John W. McInnis	....	animator
John W. McInnis	....	concept designer
Leslie McMinn	....	visual effects coordinator: Los Angeles
Brian McNulty	....	visual effects producer
Yvette Memory	....	visual effects associate producer: The Orphanage
Diana Miao	....	lead CG artist: CIS Hollywood
Suzanne Mitus-Uribe	....	Inferno artist
Suzanne Mitus-Uribe	....	Inferno artist: CIS Hollywood
Phillippe Montagny	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Robert Moodie	....	technical director
Stéphane Morali	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Christian Morin	....	digital compositor
Shelly Morrow	....	digital compositor
Phillip Moses	....	visual effects coordinator: ComputerCafe
Michel Murdock	....	visual effects financial controller: Hybride
C. Ryan Nash	....	digital compositor
Toby Newell	....	compositor
Luke O'Byrne	....	visual effects executive producer: The Orphanage
Gregory Oehler	....	compositing supervisor: CIS Hollywood
Andrew Ogawa	....	animator: Hybride
Chris Olivia	....	main title design
Chris Olivia	....	previsualization supervisor
Desi Ortiz	....	visual effects senior editor: CafeFX
Jonathan Paquin	....	3D animator: Hybride Technologies
Christian Paradis	....	lighting and texturing
John F.K. Parenteau	....	visual effects supervisor
JaeWook Park	....	lighting supervisor: The Orphanage
Steve Pelchat	....	digital artist: Hybride
Martin Pelletier	....	tracking lead
Eric Pham	....	2D supervisor
Patrick Piche	....	technical director: Hybride
Alex Prichard	....	digital artist: The Orphanage
Ralph Procida	....	digital artist: The Orphanage
Youngil Pyo	....	technical director
Joe Raasch	....	digital compositor
Jabbar Raisani	....	technical director
Pierre Raymond	....	visual effects executive producer: Hybride
Aaron Rhodes	....	roto/paint supervisor: The Orphanage
Robert Rodriguez	....	visual effects supervisor
Chris Ryan	....	CG artist: CIS Hollywood
Marc Sadeghi	....	executive visual effects producer: The Orphanage
Donald P. Sattler	....	digital compositor
Marie-Chantale Savard-Côté	....	visual effects coordinator: Hybride
Eric Schaechter	....	digital compositor
Stan Seo	....	technical director: The Orphanage
Fred Sicotte	....	technical support: Hybride
Joel Skeete	....	digital compositor
Daniel L. Smith	....	3D stereoscopic supervisor: ComputerCafe
Frederic St-Arnaud	....	digital effects artist
Guillaume St-Aubin-Seers	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Ken Steel	....	animator: Hybride
Sean Stranks	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Sean Stranks	....	digital effects supervisor: Hybride
Steve Switaj	....	motion control operator
Sylvie Talbot	....	communications: Hybride
Philippe Theroux	....	CG supervisor
Gaetan Thiffault	....	animator: Hybride
Vincent Toussaint	....	technical support: Hybride
Marco Tremblay	....	lead animator: Hybride
Trevor Tuttle	....	digital effects artist
Rig Valentin	....	visual effects assistant
Jean Frédéric Veilleux	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Jessy Veilleux	....	matte painter
Kurt Volk	....	visual effects coordinator
Christopher Walsh	....	animation supervisor
Sandra Warren	....	visual effects
Conal Wenn	....	technical director: Hybride
Alex Whitney	....	animator
Yanick Wilisky	....	computer graphics supervisor: Hybride
Steve Wright	....	digital compositor: Cinesite
Kyle Yamamoto	....	R&D programmer: CIS Hollywood
Andy Cockrum	....	visual effects assistant (uncredited)
Donald Fly	....	general manager: CIS Hollywood (uncredited)
Sean Hoessli	....	visual effects production assistant: The Orphanage (uncredited)
Luis Labrador	....	3D character scanning (uncredited)
Mark Moore	....	concept artist (uncredited)
Natalie Nolan	....	rotoscope artist (uncredited)
Mike Terpstra	....	technical director (uncredited)
Matthew Thunell	....	visual effects production assistant: The Orphanage (uncredited)
Corey Turner	....	digital compositor: Cinesite (uncredited)
Kristi Valk	....	digital artist: The Orphanage (uncredited)

Stunts
Tony Lee Boggs	....	stunts (as Tony Boggs)
Mark Brooks	....	stunts
Chad Dashnaw	....	stunts
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunt coordinator (as Jeff Dashnaw)
J.J. Dashnaw	....	stunts
Dino Dos Santos	....	stunt double
Josh Kemble	....	stunts
Shawn Robinson	....	stunts
Jeff Schwan	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Ball	....	key grip (as Richard J. Ball Jr.)
Buzzy Burwell	....	company electrician
Cynthia Bystrak	....	company grip
Scott Conn	....	company electrician
Matt Fliehler	....	company electrician (as Matthew Fliehler)
Chris Hamala	....	company grip (as Christopher Hamala)
Robert Hicks	....	grip
Dale Hunter	....	technician: high definition
Robert Janecka	....	company electrician (as Rob Janecka)
Jimmy Lindsey	....	camera operator
Sean Maxwell	....	crane grip
Nate Nelson	....	grip
Vince Pace	....	additional 3D photography
Gabe Proctor	....	high definition production assistant (as Gabriel Proctor)
John 'Fest' Sandau	....	chief lighting technician (as John Sandau)
Mike Sheeren	....	dolly grip
Todd Smiley	....	best boy electric (as Todd E. Smiley)
Rico Torres	....	still photographer
Steve Urban	....	company grip
Joseph Vasquez	....	second assistant camera (as Joseph A. Vasquez Jr.)
Sebastian Vega	....	first assistant camera
Sean Wright	....	best boy grip (as Sean R. Wright)
Ruhi Zandra	....	camera production assistant

Animation Department
Danny Laureys	....	digital color assistant
Andrew Ogawa	....	animator
Chris Olivia	....	main titles animation and design
Ken Steel	....	lead animator

Casting Department
Shalimar Reodica	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Betty Chlystek	....	stitcher
Mitzie Corbin	....	key set costumer
Crystal Falkner-Paysse	....	costume production assistant
Natalie Flores	....	costume shop supervisor (as Natalie C. Flores)
Esther Marquis	....	seamstress (as Esther Mary Marquis)
Lucy Moncado	....	seamstress
Claire Nicholas	....	set costumer (as Clare Nicholas)
Vanessa Nirode	....	set costumer (as Vanessa A. Nirode)
Nina Proctor	....	costume supervisor
M. Caroline Pruet	....	set costumer
Erin Randall	....	costume department intern
Rebecca M. Skelton	....	seamstress
John H. Smith	....	set costumer (as Johnny H. Smith)

Editorial Department
Linda A. Borgeson	....	executive in charge of post-production
Chris Jack	....	editorial assistant
Matthew W. Johnson	....	on-line editor
Jay Mahavier	....	first assistant editor
Jim Passon	....	color timer
John Persichetti	....	digital color timer
Hilda Saffari	....	digital intermediate producer

Music Department
Carl Thiel	....	composer: additional music
Carl Thiel	....	music mixer
Carl Thiel	....	music producer
George Oldziey	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Allison Baker	....	executive assistant to producers (as Allison Gay Baker)
Brian Bruskrud	....	production accountant
Anne Carr	....	post script supervisor
Anne Carr	....	script revisor
Diana Mia Cevallos	....	liaison: Chapman
Joshua D. Clark	....	location assistant
Andy Cockrum	....	non linear digital assistant
Bill Coffin	....	digital titler
Sandra Condito	....	publicist
Tiger Darrow	....	lead stand-in
Ryan Gaines	....	business/legal affairs assistant
Erick Garibay	....	production assistant
Ryan Gomez	....	assistant: Ms. Avellan
Jourdan Henderson	....	production secretary
George Huang	....	creative consultant
Kelly Kernan	....	location manager
Laura King	....	set medic
Dinah Lary	....	assistant: Mr. Banderas
Adria Later	....	studio teacher
Lauren Lindley	....	production assistant
Mike McCarty	....	on-set technician
Glen Moorman	....	production assistant
Edward A. Navarro	....	craft service
Lori Nobleza	....	digital titler
Walter H. Norris	....	additional set production assistant
Monika Petrillo	....	script supervisor
Dawn Robinette	....	payroll accountant
Michael Robins	....	key craft service
Brooke Satrazemis	....	replacement script supervisor
Merle Sharp	....	technical director
Nicole Sieber	....	assistant: Mr. Rodriguez
Mylan Stepanovich	....	first assistant accountant
Cynthia Streit	....	production coordinator
Joe Bob Struble	....	key office production assistant
Donna Waltemath	....	manager of operations
Cassandra Wiltshire	....	digital mastering producer
Travis Smith	....	additional production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
James Cameron	....	special thanks
George Huang	....	special thanks
Vanessa Thomas	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Dimension Films
• Los Hooligans Productions
• Troublemaker Studios

Distributors

• Miramax Films (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Dimension Films (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (non-USA) (all media)
• Asmik Ace Entertainment (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Italia (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cinergia (200?) (Ukraine) (theatrical)
• E Stars Films (2004) (China) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (200?) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• SPI International (2003) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2004) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• TFM Distribution (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2004) (Canada) (DVD)
• Avsar Film (2003) (Turkey) (all media)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Dimension Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• E Stars Films (2004) (China) (TV)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2006) (Taiwan) (all media)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Veronica (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)

Special Effects

• K.N.B. Effects Group (Carmen and Juni's game suits)
• Hybride Technologies (visual effects)
• Troublemaker Digital Studios (digital visual effects)
• Computer Cafe, The (digital visual effects)
• Orphanage, The (digital visual effects)
• Janimation (digital visual effects)
• CIS Hollywood (digital visual effects)
• CafeFX

Other Companies

• Cameron/Pace Designs  reality camera system
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color timing
• EFilm  digital intermediate
• Filmtools  expendables
• Fujinon  digital lenses supplied by
• Laser Pacific Media  HDTV video dailies
• Milan Records  soundtrack published by
• Panavision  specialised Sony cameras provided by
• Phoenix Soundworks  foley recorded at
• Post Logic Studios  color correction
• Post Logic Studios  digital cinema mastering
• Texas Instruments  digital projection system
• Troublemaker Sound  sound post-production

Also Known As:

Spy Kids 3: Game Over (USA) (video title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for action sequences and peril.

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:All | Ireland:G | USA:TV-G (Disney Channel) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Brazil:Livre | Canada:G (Canadian Home Video rating) | Germany:6 | Netherlands:MG6 | New Zealand:G | Norway:7 | Peru:PT | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | Sweden:7 | UK:U | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

When Juni walks into OSS, shortly after discovering what happens in “Game Over”, you see Rocket Rodriguez, Robert's oldest son.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Towards the beginning of the movie, Toymaker throws the metal bird at his computer 'minion' and it goes through him. Later, he slaps him and it is as if he is real.

Quotes:

Juni: I can't beat you, Arnold!
Arnold: I know.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Good, the Bad & the Bloody: Inside KNB EFX (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Demetra's Theme

fun for the little ones, but the series is getting stale

Get your little ones ready for the game of their lives, cuz `Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over' will tickle their little bitty funny bones. This third installment of the popular `Spy Kids' series is like its predecessors in that it's high-tech, high-energy, high-fun, and high on the pro-family moral messages. What's more, it's in 3D, which requires disposable glasses, handed out at the theater. On the downside, the Spy Kids theme seems worn out, the actors have out-grown their roles, and the strong family-values messages are disingenuous and schmaltzy. In short, the cow's been milked for all its got.

But, anyway, back to the fun.

In this new adventure, Juni and Carmen Cortez find themselves on a mission to stop the release of a virtual-reality video game, aptly titled, `Game Over'. It is purported to be the best video game ever, and lines outside toy stores are growing around the country. But, the ISS has learned that the infamous `level five' captures the mind of the player, entrapping him eternally within the game. The threat, of course, is that `The Toymaker', played by Sylvester Stallone, is really out to control the minds of our youth, and thus, our future.

It turns out that The Toymaker himself is already entrapped in the game, so the only way to stop him is to actually play it. The movie begins when Juni, eager to be an `independent PI' at the age of 10, is called back to duty to the ISS to enter the game and find his sister Carmen, who had already tried to invade it, but was suspended in level 4. Juni catches up to her with the dubious help of a few experienced beta test players, who are determined to reach the 5th level on their own.

The true essence of the film is to simply show the video game, and with the 3D glasses, the 80% of the screen time that game consumes is definitely fun and worth the ride. The funny thing is, `Spy Kids 3D' makes no attempts to hide the fact that the only reason for the film is to show game. To wit, the plot points are meaningless, even to the point where the script itself acknowledges it: Juni asks why the Toymaker is caught in the game, and the answer is a humorous hand-wave, `Oh, it just happens.' The plot and characters are hurriedly scooted along to the start of the game, which then goes on and on and on, till the end, when scores of famous cameo appearances pepper the screen, all having fun and making statements about the importance of family, and yada yada yada.

Oh, it's not that there is anything wrong with such pro-family messages. But conspicuously downplayed are the genuine circumstances and feelings that were the impetus in the first, and best, of the Spy Kids trilogy.

The 3D aspect of the film involves wearing glasses that give depth to the objects on the screen. There are two ways to do this, and unfortunately, Spy Kids 3D uses the old-fashioned way, from the 1950s, where one lens is red and the other blue. The film is shot with the two colors shifted in opposite directions, and depth is perceived by the distance of the shift. Unfortunately, this mutes colors so much, that the beautiful and surreal colors expressed in the digital photography are lost. I can only assume that this was intentional, so as to give the video game its own sense of other-worldliness, which again, was nice.

With all its wild-riding and fun, Spy Kids 3D is just a movie for kids, unlike the first of the series, which was much smarter and hence, enjoyable by adults, too. So, best to drop off the little tykes at the theater with a baby sitter, and go shopping for a while. But, don't buy anything that's red and blue plaid, or your kids just may throw up on you.