The movie opens on the discovery of the MacGuffin (an old term, but a very useful one in fiction: "a plot device in a work of fiction, often a physical object, that drives the plot forward ..."), "the Scarab." This short introduction also allows them to set up Susan Sarandon's "Victoria Cord" as the evil rich industrialist.

The movie opens - again - on Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) arriving back in his hometown of Palmera City (which is probably modeled on Miami?). His new university degree does him little good in saving his loving family from financial woes. He gets tangled up with the Kord family, and entrusted with the Scarab - which turns out to be sentient and decides it wants to attach to him (the bonding is ... messy, as seen in the trailer). Which puts him battling Kord's minions. Etc.

The movie is charming, partly a comedy of family love. Jaime wishes his family had money, but not only does his family point out that they get through everything together with their love (they don't quite say that, but the point is hammered home), Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine) is there to show that growing up rich doesn't mean you have loving parents (and don't worry, that point is hammered home too).

Unfortunately, Sarandon is a one-note evil, as is her side-kick. The movie is loaded with ludicrous co-incidence: the discovery of a bunch of convenient tech so the family can help battle bad guys, the fact that the crazy uncle is a tech genius, and the fact that the grandmother is extremely good with firearms because of her revolutionary history (a couple characters say "we'll talk about it later" but they don't). And also ... if the software in the Scarab is sentient and chooses its user(s), then wouldn't it do the same thing in the OMAC suits?

It's cute. It's not particularly good.