AGENT CODY BANKS 2: DESTINATION LONDON (2004) ** Although packed with action of a sort, it does leave you time to ponder. Frankie Muniz, at least, the lead. In all likelihood he's a nice person, and he's far better than a terrible actor. His charisma levels, however, might seem dubious if inflatable. So what's the problem, is the world not full of extraordinary people who seem something less at first light, and vice versa? Why not, then, in film. Problem 1: this is hardly realism, and so such defenses could only be substantive to the extent that the ruse adds to the action, and so inapplicable here. Problem 2: Well, there are so many problems really, and the question is so dull. Suffice to say that however villainous the villain might be, and quite obviously is, one could not but at least consider empathy for his ultimate goal of bringing "the CIA to its knees." Of course it would probably be easier to make it do what it's supposed to be doing, and that wouldn't be easy at all. Back to issues more relating to the levels of this incidence of film-I suspect that there was concern that young Mr Muniz had been somewhat dwarfed in the initial offering of Agent Cody Banks , by Hilary Duff no less, and so he is here paired with a lesser known thespian of the blonder distinction. Not a stratagem from hell, perhaps, but no better in realisation: Hannah Spearritt is three times over enough to deliver them both to the shallows of shadows if she's half enough to stand near enough the camera for recognition. Unlikely that's she a seedling to sprout akin to Glynis Johns, but more than enough to withstand the pressures of acting like she knows what's going on when Agent Banks does not. Light sport for adolescent intellectuals, and no heavier for their filmier counterparts really.
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