The Spy Next Door Movie Review
Release Date: January 15, 2010
Studio: Lionsgate
Director: Brian Levant
Screenwriter: Jonathan Bernstein, Jim Greer
Starring: Jackie Chan, Madeline Carroll, Alina Foley, George Lopez, Billy Ray Cyrus, Amber Valletta, Katherine Boecher
Genre: Action, Comedy
MPAA Rating: PG (for sequences of action violence and some mild rude humor)
The Spy Next Door is an annoyance
The Spy Next Door. This is a movie with Jackie Chan Billy Ray Cyrus, so you can probably guess that its a comedy. The website for the movie The Spy Next Door is, so far, the most annoying website of 2010. But! There are some activities to do on here so don’t write it off yet. The problem with this movie website right off the bat is the beeping sound when it loads. You might think I’m just being picky, but I’m not! Every time you go to a new section there is this awful alarm clock sounding beep, beep, beeep, beeee! The beeeeping is not the only problem either. There is an audio track that plays while you navigate the website, the clip is the most obnoxious piece of sound that loops over and over and over at the most annoying part of the music. This music has it’s place so don’t get me wrong, I dont mind rock and roll or alternative music. But all music has it’s place and if you are trying to get visitors to stay on the website don’t put racket!
On to the The Spy Next Door activities. In the downloads section you can get some free wallpapers, screen savers of the movie, and aim icons. There are also some pleasant games to play, although they are by no means complicated, if you have a moment to waste (and I mean waste) you can waste it here. They have an iPhone / iPod touch app to download too. There are some activities that are printable if you want to keep the kids busy on a Saturday afternoon.
Overall The Spy Next Door official movie website is terrible. The audio lay over is annoying, and tries (but fails) to be spy-ish sound. The games are fairly lame, but do pass for (having) games, the activities look meh, and the loading page is absolutely a major turn off. The website is so poorly put together and managed that the loading sound doesn't even happen on every page, at the least be consistent! come on! ...
SMR's recommendation: If you need some activities to print out for a day to keep the kids busy then you might think about checking out this movie website. If you do visit for any reason I suggest turning off the sound, which at least they managed to put a on and off switch. If you are wanting to see this movie, are excited about it’s release, don’t visit! You might end up disappointed.
