To his family and friends, Cody Banks is a typical teen–he loves to skateboard, hates math, and feels like a complete idiot around girls. But Cody's got a secret–he's actually part of a secret teen CIA program. Cody's living every boy's dream life–he can drive like a stuntman, has an incredible arsenal of cool gadgets, and his agency mentor, Ronica Miles, is totally hot. But Cody's training is put to the test when he's sent to pose as a prep school student and befriend fellow teen Natalie Connors in order to gain access to her father–a scientist unknowingly developing a fleet of deadly nanobots for the evil organization ERIS. From runaway cars and high-speed snowboard chases to a spectacular final mountaintop showdown, Cody has to use everything he's learned to prove himself as an agent and stop ERIS from completing their mission–and, maybe, even get the girl. A government agent trains a typical teenager Cody Banks who loves to skateboard, hates math, and feels like a complete idiot around girls, in the ways of covert operations that require younger participants. But Cody's got a secret–he's actually part of a secret teen CIA program. Cody's living every boy's dream life–he can drive like a stunt man, has an incredible arsenal of cool gadgets, and his agency mentor, Ronica Miles, is totally hot. But Cody's training is put to the test when he's sent to pose as a prep school student and befriend fellow teen Natalie Connors in order to gain access to her father–a scientist unknowingly developing a fleet of deadly pair of twisted villains called the nanobots for the evil organization ERIS, which can destroy any carbon or silicon-based substance-to destroy the world's defense systems so he can threaten anyone who opposes him. From runaway cars and high-speed snowboard chases to a spectacular final mountaintop showdown, Cody has to use everything he's learned to prove himself as an agent and stop ERIS from completing their mission before their mission fails. Like any spy flick this one for kids is full of gadgets, martial arts, thrills and bad guys. It certainly is fast-paced and entertaining, and there are some funny bits. Muniz's Agent Banks character is engaging, but I found the negative aspects of the film to be too overwhelming. Knowing that most kids in North America will be seeing this film, I was offended by the constant cleavage shots of Angie Harmon's character, dressed in skin-tight skimpy clothing. Sure, she's sexy, but does my nine-year old have to be bombarded with that? I also found it a little scary that the whole spy thing happens without the parents' knowledge - like, are we condoning kids being in secret organizations engaged in dangerous activities without Mom and Dad even knowing about it? I know, I know, it's just a movie but I'm a parent and that's how it makes me feel. I'd say this movie is basically fine for older kids - 12-13 and up, but considering the violence and the sexy parts, pass on it for the youngers. MGM delivers its entry into the `Spy Kids' sweepstakes but the studio's own James Bond series is the real influence in Harald Zwart's adolescent spy picture, crammed as it is with explosive destructions of secret lairs, ski chases and cool gadgets. Yet, like the later Bond films, what it doesn't have is a whole lot of heart or care put into it–which is precisely where it differs from the warmth and originality of the family-focused `Spy Kids' series. Everything seems slapdash and rushed, designed to do little more than cash in. Frankie Muniz (of television's `Malcolm In The Middle') is the title character, a teenage CIA operative mentored by sexy ball buster Angie Harmon and assigned to develop a relationship with the daughter of a scientist (Hilary Duff, the Disney Channel's `Lizzy McGuire') being held by the bad guys. There's really nothing much to offend or involve anyone (which is odd because two of the writers, the team of Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, are responsible for some smart, funny screenplays, including `Ed Wood' and `The People Vs. Larry Flynt') and there are virtually no good laughs–it barely seems to want to take advantage of even the single obvious running joke, namely teenage ogling of the voluptuous Harmon. Muniz and Duff are likable enough and Keith David, as Muniz' and Harmon's boss, provides hammy support but they're hardly reasons to plunk down nine bucks at the megaplex. The generic intrigue and chase scenes take over, leaving poor Muniz at the mercy of stunt doubles and chintzy special effects.
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354 weeks ago