“Secret Headquarters,” from the administrators Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, is in essence a superhero film designed for youngsters — a lighthearted, low-stakes motion blockbuster through which a coterie of plucky tweens should defend the earth by wielding an array of otherworldly powers. The story is similar to “Spy Youngsters” (2001), Robert Rodriguez’s whimsical espionage thriller about preteen siblings who uncover that their dad and mom are world-class secret brokers. On this movie, a boy named Charlie (Walker Scobell, “The Adam Undertaking”) deduces that his absent father (Owen Wilson) has been dwelling a double life because the Iron Man-like hero named the Guard. Charlie discovers this after he and his pals encounter an underground lair beneath his dwelling; as in “Spy Youngsters,” the veteran guardian quickly finds want for junior backup, which the intrepid little children are all too keen to offer.
A film like “Secret Headquarters” appears to need to give kids a possibility to see themselves saving the day with superpowers, letting younger actors participate within the sorts of C.G.I.-laden fate-of-the-universe battles often reserved for adults. The hassle strikes me as considerably redundant. When the children are simply doing child stuff — taking part in softball, fretting about who to ask to the varsity dance — “Secret Headquarters” has the playful, mischievous air of one thing like “The Goonies.” When the children purchase a number of the Guard’s superpowers and begin flying round and preventing baddies, it has the air of … nicely, of simply one other superhero film. The similarities supply a reputable reminder of an essential distinction “Secret Headquarters” missed: most superhero motion pictures are already geared toward kids, even when they don’t star any.
Secret Headquarters
Rated PG. Working time: 1 hour 29 minutes. Watch on Paramount +.