The original film had Burt Reynolds and Norman D. Golden II as mismatched partners. The producers here have updated the idea by replacing the Southern Gentleman and African American boy, and added more fancy toys for the villain to play with.
The antics wouldn't look out of place in a Spy Kids movie; the adults are idiots and only tech savvy and self appointed Hall Monitor, Karina can put the pieces together to solve a vexxing case that is more about humour than anything too deadly, which given its audience is PG, that's not really a surprise. It just wouldn't work if there was a body count, and it could even have made better sense to include a reason why that was; the villain was just a rubbish shot or was searching for some targeting-thingy and then they'd be unstoppable. Instead you have early Bond style lucky escapes that look a bit cheesy.
Lou Diamond Phillips is not bad as the conflicted Detective, seemingly playing both the driven John McClane and the conflicted Al Powell roles. Adverse to new technology - still using a flip phone - and instead used to old school methods.
In contrast, Lulu Wilson is very animated. Practically practically always on her phone and able to pull the story along with sequential "Eureka" moments; something happens in her normal life that gives her an idea to crack the case.
Her phone itself is pretty amazing, and at times the action sequences and CGI were more believable than what she was doing with her iPhone.
Given the Captain was more mock hard ass, I wish it would have been Wendie Malick, though maybe that's because I remember Janet Kidder from her role in Arrow.
And I wish they'd included Gina Holden as Sarah Foley a bit more; yes, the main plot revolves around the relationship her daughter and Detective Simmons builds, but apart for maybe one scene, mom seemingly has no interaction with daughter.
An OK, gunge style, kids film that fortunately went easy on the cartoon sound effects and over the top make up.
