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Eddie Murphy, Owen Wilson, Famke Janssen, Malcolm McDowell, Gary Cole ... see more see more... , Phill Lewis , Viv Leacock , Darren Shahlavi

Yet another classic television series from the 1960s gets a big-screen update in this action-comedy inspired by the Bill Cosby/Robert Culp vehicle I Spy. Alex Scott (Owen Wilson) is a federal intellig... read more read more...ence agent who has been assigned to find a particularly expensive and valuable weapon which has gone missing: a special stealth fighter jet which can not only hide from radar, but also turn invisible to the human eye. Scott learns a rogue agent has sold the jet to Gundars (Malcolm McDowell), a powerful and unscrupulous underground arms dealer. After blowing his opportunity to catch Gundars in the act, Scott formulates a Plan B -- it seems Gundars is a rabid boxing fan, so in order to get inside his organization, Scott recruits Kelly Robinson (Eddie Murphy), a longtime middleweight champion whose ego nearly exceeds his talent in the ring. Robinson is excited by the prospect of a life of espionage, but Scott and Robinson's personalities are like oil and water, and matters are hardly helped by the efforts of less-than-helpful fellow agents Rachel (Famke Janssen) and Carlos (Gary Cole). This adaptation of I Spy was directed by a woman who starred in a memorable television series herself, former Hill Street Blues regular Betty Thomas, who has gone on to a successful career behind the camera. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

39% liked it

76,739 ratings

Critics

15% liked it

132 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: Betty Thomas

Release Date: November 1, 2002

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DVD Release Date: March 11, 2003

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Stats: 2,082 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,082)

  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    November 28, 2011
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    Get another field of view

    Not a very funny movie. The story really is weak and barely good action comes our way. I saw this film pretty much for Owen Wilson since i'm not a Eddie Murphy movie fan per se. Watch at own risk!

    When the Switchblade, the most sophisticated prototype ... read morestealth fighter created yet, is stolen from the U.S. government, one of the United States' top spies, Alex Scott, is called to action. What he doesn't expect is to get teamed up with a cocky civilian, World Class Boxing Champion Kelly Robinson, on a dangerous top secret espionage mission. Their assignment: using equal parts skill and humor, catch Arnold Gundars, one of the world's most successful illegal arms dealers, and foil his treacherous plans for the plane.
  • fb100002359227440
    June 20, 2011
    fb100002359227440
    More another worthless picture by Betty Thomas and Eddie Murphy.
  • Chiefilms
    January 11, 2011
    Chiefilms
    High School theater viewing, didn't like it at the time. Thought one scene was funny but was disinterested throughout. Watched it again recently and my opinion hasn't changed. Eddie Murphy is Chris Tucker in Rush Hour or Eddie Murphy in anything he has ever done.
  • bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    July 23, 2010
    bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    C
  • ajaymuthecooldevils
    July 15, 2010
    ajaymuthecooldevils
    Saw it accidentally on TV, it wasn't a bad movie but wasn't a good one too... But it was pretty entertaining... Especially for Eddie Murphy with his typical acting and Owen Wilson which is still on of my favorite comedian... Yet Famke Janssen is stealing my attention too, she's s... read moreo beautiful on this movie...
  • fb733768972
    March 10, 2010
    fb733768972
    Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson don't even mke the story any better than it already is, BAD! Some of the action scenes/thrills, are fun to watch, but other than that, it's a complete mess!
  • SirPant
    September 28, 2009
    SirPant
    Rubbish. It was about 15 years too late as these kinds of silly comedies belong in the 80?s. The invisible plane also really annoyed me!
  • TomBowler
    August 3, 2009
    TomBowler
    this film is only any good if you don't want to think about what you're watching
  • FiLmCrAzY
    January 1, 2008
    FiLmCrAzY
    arhg a funny action film the two gr8 acotrs work asnd is a gd film very funny and action packed worth a watch!!
  • superclerk25
    December 26, 2007
    superclerk25
    This movie is crappy with crappy acting. you would think that with all the "Names" in the movie it would have come to something some what entertaining. It doesn't.
    The story is plain and that isn't a problem really. The characters are. Eddie Murphy plays a guy I didn't really... read more like at all. Luke Wilson plays a guy that is borderline pathetic. Plus the fact that they both really think that everything they say is funny to the max really wears on you quick.
    I would stay away from this one.

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Critic Reviews

Ed Park
November 5, 2002
Ed Park, Village Voice

Though ample time is spent mingling Murphy's jabberjaw locutions and Wilson's curveball spaciness, the film leaves only the bitter reek of a botched chemistry experiment. Full Review

Richard Roeper
November 5, 2002
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

I really resent a movie like this that just looks like it's made by a committee when you have two such huge talents wasted like this. Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum
November 2, 2002
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

Unexceptional espionage comedy. Full Review

Robert Denerstein
November 2, 2002
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

The trappings of I Spy are so familiar you might as well be watching a rerun.

Michael O'Sullivan
November 1, 2002
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post

Moves at a glacial pace. Full Review

Stephen Hunter
November 1, 2002
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post

Banal and predictable. Full Review

Mike Clark
November 1, 2002
Mike Clark, USA Today

I cry for I Spy -- or I would if this latest and laziest imaginable of all vintage-TV spinoffs were capable of engendering an emotional response of any kind. Full Review

Geoff Pevere
November 1, 2002
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

The time has come to offer thanks to Owen Wilson. Full Review

Carla Meyer
November 1, 2002
Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle

A loose, lighthearted romp that's a notch above the usual buddy comedies. Full Review

Charles Taylor
November 1, 2002
Charles Taylor, Salon.com

Loud, brash and obvious. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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I Spy Trivia

  • Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Antonio Banderas & Carla Gugino I?  Answer »
  • Name the 2002 action movie starring Owen Wilson as Special Agent Alex Scott, Eddie Murhpy as Kelly Robinson, and Famke Janssen as Special Agent Rachel Wright.  Answer »
  • What actor has been in the movies You, Me and Dupree, Wedding Crashers, I Spy, Zoolander and Meet the Parents?  Answer »
  • What movie is this quote from: "What you know about leafy bug?"  Answer »
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