All 5 Spy Kids movies ranked from worst to best

1. Spy Kids

Spy Kids premiered in theaters on March 30, 2001, and it was an instant hit with fans. There’s no doubt in my mind that Spy Kids is the best movie of the franchise. I feel like that’s usually the case with most of these movie franchises. It’s hard to reach the heights of an initial great idea and continue the story after that point.

Spy Kids tells the story of Carmen and Juni Cortez, played by Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara. They’re the children of super spies. After their parents go missing, Carmen and Juni channel their inner spy and use their parents’ gadgets to help rescue their parents and save the world.

Spy Kids is an iconic movie, and it doesn’t get better than this for the franchise in my opinion. Yes, there are great moments from the other movies, and fans get to know these characters and learn more about them. But, Spy Kids features the tightest story of the bunch, and that makes it the most rewatchable of the franchise, too, even after more than 20 years.

As of September 2023, you can watch Spy Kids on YouTube for free right now.

• Release Year: 2001
• Directed by Robert Rodriguez 
• Cast: Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Alan Cumming, Teri Hatcher, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Robert Patrick, Tony Shalhoub, Alexa Vega, and Daryl Sabara