AGW Entertainment reporter Lynn B. saw a new action adventure film. Here are her thoughts on....

AGENT CODY BANKS

MGM PICTURES

Cody Banks drives a hot car and has trouble just walking up and talking to hot girls. According to Frankie Muniz, he does too. But, we understand 17-year-old Frankie has a girlfriend and so will Cody by the end of this spy kid action flick…. "Lizzie McGuire"'s Hilary Duff.

Cody Banks (Frankie Muniz) is an outwardly average, skateboarding 15-year-old who is a whiz in school but a total flop at dating. He just gets tongue-tied around girls. But, even his parents don't know that Cody's summer camp adventure was really a secret recruiting and training mission for the CIA and Cody is a full-fledged junior spy just waiting for his first mission.

Totally Charlie's Angel-style hot agent Ronica Miles (Angie Harmon) is sent to be Cody's contact in his first mission. He must get super friendly with Natalie Connors (Hilary Duff) a popular girl at a prep school and the daughter of a scientist. The rookie spy is to find out what her scientist dad is inventing that a group of evil bad guys (Ian McShane and "The Mummy's" Arnold Vosloo) want to develop to facilitate their latest world domination scheme.

There are a lot of comparisons here to Spy Kids but with less tongue-in-cheek fun. Cody is really a pint-sized James Bond complete with sleek cars, great clothes and tons of cool gadgets. In fact the cars and the gadgets are the best thing about this film. Some of them, a cool BMW skateboard and a one-man helicopter are actually real and, in the case of the copter, in use by the military. The nanobots..trapped in ice cubes (don't ask) are kinda fun and it's a kick to watch Malcolm in the Middle jump around like Jet Li and Jackie Chan and kick up a spyfest storm when he's not taking out the trash at home.

The problem with making a kid James Bond film is that you've mostly seen it all before if you've gone to the movies or rented the tapes and DVD's. Even the stunts and sets seem too familiar. Whether we've seen Pierce Brosnan, Sean Connery or Roger Moore going through the paces, we feel like we've been there and done that. The take over the world plot is kind of lame (freezing nanobots in ice cubes? Who is to say they wouldn't melt before the bad guys could ever deliver them to their targets?)…But hey, rocket scientists aren't the target audience for this flick. There is a lot of action and a fun soundtrack to keep you interested and Frankie is sweet and believable as the kid superagent. For your guy pals you've got curvaceous Angie and Hilary so there's a little something for everybody.

If you like Frankie and watch "Malcolm" or "Lizzie McGuire" on Disney, you've got to see this one. For a not too deep but entertaining Saturday afternoon, also take your younger siblings. You'll all probably have a good time.

Rated: PG-13

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