Agent Cody Banks (2003)

38% of critics liked it
(99 reviews)
41% of users liked it
(399,520 ratings)

A teen learns that all the gadgets in the world can't help him overcome his awkwardness around the opposite sex in this big-budget family entertainment. In Agent Cody Banks, Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz plays a young man plucked from suburban obscurity to be trained as a CIA super-agent.… More A teen learns that all the gadgets in the world can't help him overcome his awkwardness around the opposite sex in this big-budget family entertainment. In Agent Cody Banks, Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz plays a young man plucked from suburban obscurity to be trained as a CIA super-agent. His mission? Get friendly with his classmate Natalie (played by another teen TV star, Lizzie McGuire's Hilary Duff) so that he can uncover her father's diabolical scheme to create indestructible robots. To compound his problems, Cody also has to deal with the same stresses as any adolescent: nagging parents, insufferable classwork, and a fragile sense of self-esteem. Agent Cody Banks was produced by MGM, not coincidentally the studio responsible for another popular spy franchise, the venerable James Bond series. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 42 min.
Directed By: Harald Zwart
Written By: Jeffrey Jurgensen, Ashley Miller, Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz, Scott Alexander
Genres: Action & Adventure, Kids & Family, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Mar 14, 2003 Wide
On DVD: Aug 5, 2003
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Critic Reviews

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
Agent Cody Banks has a TV movie feel to it. The special effects are kind of hokey, the jokes pretty lame and the stunts looked like they're performed by stunt performers.
Daphne Gordon, Toronto Star
Agent Cody Banks provides the kind of high-quality entertainment one would expect in an adult action adventure that is expected to rake in major bucks.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
An entertaining film for kids and young teens.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
The film is cute but never much beyond that.
Karen Heller, Philadelphia Inquirer
A listless, tween James Bond wannabe.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
Too violent for children and too recycled for adults.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Only a kid could love it, but they do.
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
Muniz and Duff seem to be two perfectly normal teenagers thrown in the midst of an elaborate fantasy, and they pull it off beautifully.
Dan Jardine, Apollo Guide
Dreadful, witless and pointless.
Steven Snyder, Zertinet Movies
A bland and condescending adaptation of an adult action film for a younger audience.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Zwart pulls out enough stops in action sequences involving jet-propelled skateboards, stunt drives and mountain rescues to keep the ball rolling nicely.
Ian Waldron-Mantgani, UK Critic
The movie is bouncy and colourful, and cheesy in a nice way, but it outstays its welcome in the last half hour.
Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly
A formulaic Hollywood 'crowd-pleaser' that can be summed up in three words ('Teenage James Bond!').
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
The youngsters will enjoy this action-adventure outing. It should make a fine DVD baby sitter.
Harry Guerin, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
This may be a case of mission unaccomplished, but the future looks brighter for Cody Banks than it does for Austin Powers.

Read all 15 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Brad W

Terrible film.
Alexander D

Bad+
Bethany M

Quirky and fun! A good film!
Matt G

I loved this in my younger days, it served as an appropriate "James Bond" for tweens. That's all it really has though.
Cassie H

A great action movie for all ages :)
Dead A

I like Hillary Duff. But this movie was not that good.
KJ P

This movie is enjoyable! It has just enough action and laughs to keep me interested!
Wahida K

A teenage acting like a James Bond?
Thomas B

grr, not another teen spy movie. frakie muniz is once again pretending to be a kid and being annoying doing it. hillary duff looks gorgeous as always, if only she could act
Dean M

Cleaver and awesome lively action-adventure with Frankie Muniz as a junior CIA agent that gives me big laughs. Cool gadgetry, exciting special effects and the best skateboard chase ever captured on this film.
danny d

hilary when she was cool. the future of james bond is secure in the hands of frankie muniz...not really
Jason S

Fun.
Sophie B

this was a bit weird if u get what i mean
Leigh R

It was okay.
Jose Z

i couldnt resist this movie, I watched it fo 30 minutes and i hated it, its so lame and ridiculous
Bradley W

Terrible film.
Dillon L

Saw it when I was a kid. Stupid, pointless, lame, and clearly made for children who have yet to hit puberty.
Bryce I

Nothing new, and mainly predictable. And though it contains child appropriate humor, it is too dark, and action packed for kids, and extremely too cliche and unenjoyable for others.
Juan C

as entertaining and fun filled like spy kids and it's humor like big fat liar, it's a plesent and fun family action film that has the similariy of a family friendly james bond. B+
Mike T

Might entertain the rowdiest kids for an hour, but it's completely obnoxious for the parents/babysitters subjected to it.