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FILM: AGENT
CODY BANKS
2
BY JACOB ZHIVOV
MARCH 18, 2004
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Like many films made for the teenage market, Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination
London takes a popular idea and tries to "wacky it up" for
the kids.
The plot is piss-weak: Cody Banks (Frankie Muniz) must
go to London to stop the man who trained him from using a mind control
device from taking over the world leaders. To do so he must pretend
to be a clarinet player at an elite music boarding school, he also
can't play the clarinet. He also gets a wacky new handler, Derek,
(Anthony Anderson), and help from the sexy British Secret Service
Agent, Emily (Hannah Spearritt).
Now I'll admit I enjoyed the first film and not just
because Angie Harmon and Hilary Duff were in it, I actually enjoyed
it for it's over the top James Bond style but this time round they
left the James Bond stuff and tried to make it more of a comedy and
that's where this film really sucked. What really got annoying was
the need to show London landmarks to make sure that you, the audience,
knew they were in London. I started a drinking game to keep myself
amused.
<NOTE FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR: Actually, they keep
showing the landmarks to prove they actually filmed in London. If
they only use shots of hotel lobbies and road signs, they didn't get
their money's worth, did they?>
Anthony Anderson can actually be funny unfortunately
he keeps getting crappy roles and I guess this will allow Hannah Spearritt
-- who 'til now is probably only known for being part of S Club 7
-- a way into the American movie market.
This could have been a really good sequel if only they
kept it like the first one, James Bond for juniors. I don't think
kids would even like it.
AGENT CODY BANKS 2: DESTINATION LONDON stars Frankie
Muniz, Hannah Spearritt and Anthony Anderson. It runs 100 mins and
is rated PG.
