I Spy (2002)

15% of critics liked it
(132 reviews)
39% of users liked it
(76,032 ratings)

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 intelligence agent who has been assigned to find a particularly expensive and valuable weapon which has gone… More 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 intelligence 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

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 37 min.
Directed By: Betty Thomas
Written By: Cormac Wibberley, Marianne Wibberley, Jay Scherick, David Ronn
Genres: Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

In Theaters: Nov 1, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Mar 11, 2003
Studio: Columbia Pictures

Critic Reviews

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.
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.
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly
Unexceptional espionage comedy.
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, Washington Post
Moves at a glacial pace.
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
Banal and predictable.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
TV classic remade as a forgettable buddy movie.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Serves up the expected gags and set pieces in service of a thoroughly been-there, done-that plot line.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
A ótima química entre Eddie Murphy e Owen Wilson rende bons momentos.
Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly
Murphy and Wilson seem to be having a contest to see who can be more obnoxious and, sadly, it's too close to call.
Harry Guerin, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
Credit to Murphy and Wilson for making the most of it, but for Thomas it's a case of must spy harder.

Read all 11 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Manu G

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… More
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 stealth 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.
Lucas M

More another worthless picture by Betty Thomas and Eddie Murphy.
Lenny M

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.
Richard C

C
Sanjaya &

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,… More
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 so beautiful on this movie...
KJ P

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!
Anthony L

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!
Thomas B

this film is only any good if you don't want to think about what you're watching
Film C

arhg a funny action film the two gr8 acotrs work asnd is a gd film very funny and action packed worth a watch!!
Jason S

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… More
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 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.
Curtis L

Somehow I saw this one, and somehow I forgot everything about it.
danny d

underrated and funny, ignore the critics on this one
Roy G

The jokes are flat, and the action looks fake.
Aaron N

It has its moments, and Murphy has moments of being funny again, but overall, nothing really memorable.
Steven V

It was alright, I thought the dialogue was excellent between Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson. The action sequences were a bit mind-boggling to accept, but I don't think the film was really supposed to contend with the action-blockbuster genre. It's more a spoof/spy/comedy film… More
It was alright, I thought the dialogue was excellent between Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson. The action sequences were a bit mind-boggling to accept, but I don't think the film was really supposed to contend with the action-blockbuster genre. It's more a spoof/spy/comedy film that all the family can watch.
Christopher H

Eddie Murphy delivers the performance that we have all grown to love him for, with smart talking and ranting throughout the entire film. Though I have had very little contact with the series that this film was based on, alone, this film stands strong as an outrageous buddy comedy.
Deb S

Starring Eddie Murphy, Owen Wilson, Famke Janssen, Malcolm McDowell, Gary Cole. Owen Wilson is Special Agent Alexander Scott. He risks his life daily to save the world but is frequently treated by his cohorts at the mythical agency as somewhat of a foul-up in comparison to super… More
Starring Eddie Murphy, Owen Wilson, Famke Janssen, Malcolm McDowell, Gary Cole. Owen Wilson is Special Agent Alexander Scott. He risks his life daily to save the world but is frequently treated by his cohorts at the mythical agency as somewhat of a foul-up in comparison to super smooth spy, Carlos (played by Gary Cole). On Scott's latest mission he's assigned to try and retrieve a sophisticated, top secret stealth-jet (which has the power to camouflage itself like the alien in `Predator') from evil arms dealer Gundars (Malcolm McDowell) who's about to sell the jet to terrorist bidders. Unfortunately for him, the only man who can help him sneak into the criminal's home to find out where the plane has been hidden is an arrogant, cocky, loudmouthed boxer Kelly, played by Eddie Murphy who's only in it for the fame and exposure. Naturally the two mix like oil and water but with time running out, both of the men must work together; unless they kill each other first along the way. Also along for the ride is fellow agent Famke Janssen (who seems to have ulterior motives of her own)!
Yinalí R

Cool...
Andrew P

Not as bad as people let on, then again not as good either. A decent story and two funny actors
Sean S

I wish they hadn't made this movie I really liked the TV show.