International criminals tracking a stolen military chip pinpoint its location to the suburbs of Chicago. The spies brazenly start a door-to-door search in broad daylight, their thinking being that "It's the suburbs; nobody's home." Nobody except for a chicken pox-ridden boy named Alex ("One Fine Day's" Alex D. Linz). Once Alex figures out that his new "neighbors" are up to no good and that his house is their next target, he makes plans to protect his turf. With only one night of preparation, Alex puts together several complex booby traps to thwart the criminals and to prove to the adults that the supposed "figments of his imagination" are real.
   Instead of simply relying on the slapstick humor from the first that became silly in the sequel, audiences are made to believe that the new villains are a real threat. The highly-trained spies are professional and systematic as they use state-of-the-art surveillance equipment and fancy gadgetry in their attempts to complete their malevolent mission. But all of their training didn't prepare them for a school kid home sick and his armory of plaster-filled balloons, a hair-cutting lawn mower and flying flower pots.
   Combining some old antics with a lot of new pranks, director Raja Gosnell revives a dying franchise. This refreshingly funny film rekindles excitement and produces more laughs than its predecessors. Starring Alex D. Linz, Olek Krupa, David Thornton, Rya Kihlstedt and Lenny Von Dohlen. Directed by Raja Gosnell. Written by John Hughes. Produced by John Hughes and Hilton Green. A Fox release. Comedy. Rated PG for slapstick violence, language and mild sensuality. Running time: 103 min.