Agent Cody Banks (2003)

Cody Banks

Plot: Cody Banks (Frankie Muniz) learns he is a secret agent and he is brought in for training by Ronica Miles (Angie Harmon) who ends up his sidekick. He meets the CIA Director (Keith David) and prepares on his first mission while his parents, Mrs. Banks (Cynthia Stevenson) and Mr. Banks (Daniel Roebuck) along with his younger brother Alex Banks (Connor Widdows) have no idea what is going on. His mission is to get close to Natalie Connors (Hilary Duff) in hopes that she will invite him to her birthday party so he can use the opportunity to spy on her dad, Dr. Connors (Martin Donovan) because he is under suspicion for working for ERIS an illegal corporation. Complications arise when Natalie is kidnapped and Cody must rescue her.

The Good News: Right away the film starts with a big action sequence and it's a very impressive one at that. There is so much to like here it's a wonder that this series has never gotten as much attention as the Spy Kids series even if the second film is lousy. Director Herald Zwart brings a lot of flair to this film as the film is shot beautifully and never looks cheap or boring. The script by Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz, Scott Alexander, and Larry Karaszewski is never boring and never loses your interest when nothing is happening. The acting is great, long time friends Frankie Muniz and Hilary Duff star and Hilary Duff shows the talent that would carry her through the next few years and Frankie Muniz is no slacker in the role of Cody Banks and it's no surprise that he would go on to be a star even if he never got as much fame as Hilary. The best supporting roles go to Keith David as the CIA Director and it's not a wonder that he returned for the sequel and the other one goes to Angie Harmon as Ronica Miles. She is energetic on screen and you fell her presence throughout the film. The plot, while nothing new proves you don't have to always have a fresh plot to make the film enjoyable. The film's tag line is one of the best and it sets the tone for the film, the running time is 102 minutes, but it seems a lot shorter than that and has a high re watch-ability factor. The action scenes are outstanding and the two that come off as the best are the diner scene and the ending. There are more such as when Cody is at Natalie's birthday party and he's spying on Dr. Connors and the beginning, it's really hard to pick a favorite one, but the diner scene and the ending come off as the best. I also recorded a few good laughs here and there between the action breaks. One of the biggest laughs is Ronica's first appearance, I don't want to ruin it for you as it is the biggest laugh our of the entire film. I'm also not a big fan of the boyfriend and girlfriend situation, but here is works well and flows well with the plot. The film is not as good as Alex Rider Stormbreaker, but its still a great action move.
The book however let it down, the Alex Rider, Jason Steed and Cherub books are far better than the two Cody banks book. September 15, 2008

Fun for the kiddies and adults alike!!!

This is a great spy film for both kids an adults alike!!! Probably not the most complex story line,buts it's aimed mostly at younger viewers!!And it's got Frankie Muniz & Hilary Duff for the kids/teens and Angie Harmon,Arnold Vosloo,and Ian McShane for us adults,I have two nephews and they loved it,and so did I,heck my my 60+ parents seemed to enjoy it as well!!! Recommended!!!Great picture and sound (in BOTH Standard Full Frame and Anamorphic Widescreen versions so all will be happy!!!),and some nice bonus features are included on this dual sided DVD!!! A+ September 14, 2008

Cody banks, teen spy

A great fast, fun, clean and enjoyable movie. Its a shame the book was not as good, but this film is great, yes the actor does a big part in the movie and carries the film. It may not be a classic, but is full of fun and well worth watching. Cody is like Jason Steed, Alex Rider a young 007, teen spy.
Agent Cody Banks deserves much more attention than it gets

Plot: Cody Banks (Frankie Muniz) learns he is a secret agent and he is brought in for training by Ronica Miles (Angie Harmon) who ends up his sidekick. He meets the CIA Director (Keith David) and prepares on his first mission while his parents, Mrs. Banks (Cynthia Stevenson) and Mr. Banks (Daniel Roebuck) along with his younger brother Alex Banks (Connor Widdows) have no idea what is going on. His mission is to get close to Natalie Connors (Hilary Duff) in hopes that she will invite him to her birthday party so he can use the opportunity to spy on her dad, Dr. Connors (Martin Donovan) because he is under suspicion for working for ERIS an illegal corporation. Complications arise when Natalie is kidnapped and Cody must rescue her.

The Good News: Right away the film starts with a big action sequence and it's a very impressive one at that. There is so much to like here it's a wonder that this series has never gotten as much attention as the Spy Kids series even if the second film is lousy. Director Herald Zwart brings a lot of flair to this film as the film is shot beautifully and never looks cheap or boring. The script by Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz, Scott Alexander, and Larry Karaszewski is never boring and never loses your interest when nothing is happening. The acting is great, long time friends Frankie Muniz and Hilary Duff star and Hilary Duff shows the talent that would carry her through the next few years and Frankie Muniz is no slacker in the role of Cody Banks and it's no surprise that he would go on to be a star even if he never got as much fame as Hilary. The best supporting roles go to Keith David as the CIA Director and it's not a wonder that he returned for the sequel and the other one goes to Angie Harmon as Ronica Miles. She is energetic on screen and you fell her presence throughout the film. The plot, while nothing new proves you don't have to always have a fresh plot to make the film enjoyable. The film's tag line is one of the best and it sets the tone for the film, the running time is 102 minutes, but it seems a lot shorter than that and has a high re watch-ability factor. The action scenes are outstanding and the two that come off as the best are the diner scene and the ending. There are more such as when Cody is at Natalie's birthday party and he's spying on Dr. Connors and the beginning, it's really hard to pick a favorite one, but the diner scene and the ending come off as the best. I also recorded a few good laughs here and there between the action breaks. One of the biggest laughs is Ronica's first appearance, I don't want to ruin it for you as it is the biggest laugh our of the entire film. I'm also not a big fan of the boyfriend and girlfriend situation, but here is works well and flows well with the plot.

The Bad News: I couldn't find anything wrong except a few logical errors which every film has

Conclusion: If you like action or adventure movies then this film is definitely for you and if you haven't seen it already grab yourself a DVD copy today! Recommeded September 12, 2008

Great Movie

This is a great movie. We own the first and second ones. My kids love them! April 16, 2008

Fun, funny and entertaining.

This movie is fun, funny and entertaining, even for adults. The plot is ok, the special effects not so much. There were some cool gadgets introduced; very James Bond for a James Bond-wanna be.

There wasn't that much character development (especially of the doctor and the villain), but it's not supposed to be a deep and thought provoking film. The movie is like Spy Kids and Disney movies in it's presentation. I liked the movie. Angie Harmon and Frankie Muniz were pretty good in it. February 18, 2008

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