Agent Cody Banks

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

A clever and lively action-adventure with a warm sense of humor and smart dialogue that allows for an affectionate and fleet-footed satire of the classic elements of the Bond franchise.

Variety Scott Foundas

As a spy pic, it has more pizzazz than the last few Bond adventures, "The Sum of All Fears" or "The Recruit."

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

A high-speed, high-tech kiddie thriller that's kinda cute but sorta relentless.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Stephen Cole

Of course, none of the film's geopolitical subterfuge will matter a whit to Agent Cody Banks's audience: adolescent boys in need of a surrogate hero. They will respond enthusiastically to this boisterous, well-carpentered kiddy-flick.

USA Today Claudia Puig

As thrilling as the adventure sequences might be for kids, the better scenes take place on the high school campus.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

While Duff is fairly flavorless, Muniz proves that four seasons of "Malcolm" have made him a pro at navigating surreal silliness. Even when the script fails him, his well-honed instincts save the day.

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

Though the film lacks the frantic imagination of its inspiration, Robert Rodriguez's "Spy Kids" franchise, grade-schoolers should still enjoy its fresh-scrubbed humor and fantasies of youthful omnipotence.

LA Weekly Chuck Wilson

Unfortunately, two separate screenwriting teams...send Cody away from kid-resonant environs and off to exotic locales, culminating in an overproduced mountain-lair finale.

Entertainment Weekly Scott Brown

The real mission is product placement, of course: The movie seems to be set against the silvery backdrop of the Sharper Image catalog.

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

It's going to be a hit with libidinous boys, and their parents could do worse (see first review) than to watch the lavish, James Bondish gadgetry and cheerful anarchy of an action-adventure that's been made with all the finesse it needs, though not a jot more.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

The premise of Agent Cody Banks is more than a little bizarre.

TV Guide Angel Cohn

The young stars have considerable natural chemistry and do their best to make the rehashed material approachable and entertaining while maintaining their kid-friendly images.

Dallas Observer Luke Y. Thompson

Essentially the movie's an excuse to show off cool gadgets and co-star Angie Harmon's cleavage.

Chicago Tribune Allison Benedikt

With her low voice, jumpsuits, cleavage and Segway, Miles (Harmon) is all satire all the time, and we love her for that.

The New York Times Dave Kehr

This Frankenfilm comes lumbering out of the laboratory of the Danish director Harald Zwart, any trace of personality surgically removed and replaced by a fully road-tested cliché.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

An entertaining film for kids and young teens. It's also a product of the era in which we're living, and weird times make for weird movies.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Paul West

Everything in Agent Cody Banks, from tacky special effects, inscrutable action scenes and drab visuals (including substituting Vancouver for Seattle), panders to its audience.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

The generic intrigue and chase scenes take over, leaving poor Muniz at the mercy of stunt doubles and chintzy special effects.

Washington Post Desson Thomson

This movie is so wearying in its mediocrity, the inappropriate Ronica almost registers as dramatic relief.

Washington Post Rita Kempley

If you only live twice, spend both lifetimes avoiding it.

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

The repetitious script -- cobbled together by no fewer than five writers -- shows interest in nothing beyond action-centered plot gimmicks and tame romantic shenanigans.

Philadelphia Inquirer Karen Heller

Written and directed on autopilot, containing every cliche endemic to these movies: clueless parents, bratty brother, nasty rich kids, pool fight, food fight, girls who can't drive.

New York Post Megan Lehmann

The cheap-looking special effects, embarrassingly clunky attempts at humor and one-dimensional characters are bad enough, but the PG-rated movie's most offensive crime is its uncomfortably lewd interactions between adults and kids.

Austin Chronicle Marrit Ingman

Cody Banks would probably be appropriate for the 13-and-older crowd, but it’s far too dopey for teenage sophisticates.