Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004): Dir: Keith Allen / Cast: Frankie Muniz, Anthony Anderson, Hannah Spearritt, Keith David, Cynthia Stevenson: Campy family fare with nothing to do with London other than its destination. It might have been fitting had the title bore some cultural reference but the film seems content with being simple. Teenager Cody Banks is sent to London to retrieve a disc that contains a mind control device. He is assisted by his handler, played by Anthony Anderson and sent undercover at the music academy even though he cannot play an instrument. Dull formula premise climaxing with kitty violence, as if these Conservative groups are suppose to applaud that. Director Keith Allen is backed by creative gadgets that assist Cody on his mission. Frankie Muniz is likable as Banks but he is merely repeating what he has done before with little new development. Likewise Anderson is a fine comic talent but he never rises above that into a broad three dimensional role. Hannah Spearritt plays a young British agent who deserves better than being a potential heart throb. Other roles are flat or downright stupid but that more or less what the plot boils down to. Pointless drivel becomes the typical sequel offering little more than an opportunity to cash in on previous success. Forget London. Its best destination will be any place where trash bins exist. Score: 2 / 10

Agent Cody Banks (Frankie Muniz) is at CIA camp. When helicopters come, he camp director Diaz escape. It turns out CIA was trying to capture Diaz for stealing a mind control chip. Now Banks has to go to London as an undercover musical prodigy to get close to a scientist who Diaz needs to perfect a mind control device. Banks gets a new wisecracking handler Derek (Anthony Anderson).I don't usually like Anthony Anderson, and I really really don't like him here. He's more annoying than usual. And going to London does nothing but create a whole bunch of idiotic stereotypes. Hannah Spearritt seems a bit to old to be a teen. As far as the production, it looks like a bad TV show inside the London residence. Cody Banks is a silly little teen movie. So that's to be expected in the sequel. But this is too silly. It doesn't even maintain the already low expectations.

Right, first things first, I enjoyed the first Agent Cody Banks movie, While silly and predictable, it was fun, entertaining and endearing. This sequel tries hard, but it could have been so much better. It does have redeeming qualities, such as the soundtrack, Hannah Spearitt in a chirpy performance as Cody's Scotland Yard counterpart and some cool stunts and action sequences. However, I really didn't care for the plot, not only was it predictable and lame but it took a while to get going. Then there was a weak script, that was filled to the brim with low-level humour and numerous clichés. To Paul Kaye's eccentric inventor and Mark William's police inspector, the film sometimes borders on being too stereotypical. The acting was okay at best, Frankie Muniz does his best reprising his cheeky and charming persona that he brought to the first movie, but let's face it, he was getting too old for the part. Anthony Anderson tries hard, but the humour here is so juvenile and generic that he can't do anything with it. The same goes with Anna Chancellor and Keith Allen, two very competent actors, but the weak material disallowed them to do anything worthwhile, so it was a waste of talent in the end. James Faulkner was merely okay, but he has been much better. The film also goes on for too long too, and further suffers from uneven pacing. All in all, a sequel that had potential, but falls surprisingly flat. 4/10 Bethany Cox

The first film was quite a kiddie spoof, or tribute almost, to James Bond, unfortunately, this sequel, even in James Bond's country, isn't as good. Basically Cody Banks (Malcolm in the Middle's Frankie Muniz) this time poses as a gifted cello playing pupil to attend a music school, and at the same time foil some bad guys who are creating some mind control chips. Joining Cody is less experienced Derek Bowman (Scary Movie 3 & 4's Anthony Anderson), and Scotland Yard counterpart Emily Sommers (S Club 7's Hannah Spearritt), and they go against rogue agent, now bad guy Victor Diaz (Keith Allen). That's really all I can say about the story, it really isn't that memorable. Also starring Cynthia Stevenson as Mrs. Banks, Daniel Roebuck as Mr. Banks, Four Weddings and a Funeral's Anna Chancellor as Lady Josephine Kenworth, Bridget Jones's Diary's James Faulkner as Lord Duncan Kenworth, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's David Kelly as Trival, Paul Kaye, aka Dennis Pennis as Neville Trubshaw, The Fast Show's Mark Williams as Inspector Crescent, Volcano's Keith David as CIA Director and James Dreyfus as Gordon. It may be in London (in my home country), Anderson may add some needed humour, the gadgets and special effects aren't as cool as before, and Muniz doesn't really do as well as he did previously, all in all, more for the kids who enjoyed the first one. Adequate!