Agent Cody Banks MPAA Rating: PG Entertainment: +3 Content: -2

Fifteen-year-old Cody Banks (Frankie Muniz of Malcolm in the Middle), in this comedy/action film, is a CIA agent in Seattle. His mission is to become the boyfriend of fellow teen Natalie Connors (Hilary Duff), but he becomes tongue-tied and klutzy whenever he tries to talk to girls. Natalies father is a scientist who has created nanobots, organisms that can consume anything, and plans to use them for cleaning up oil spills. But his employer, evil Dr. Brinkman (Ian McShane), wants to use the technology to overtake the U.S. strategic command. In order to discover Dr. Brinkmans plans, Cody must get close to Natalie. After failing miserably on his first two impressions, Cody rescues Natalie from a fall off a ladder and the two hit it off. Under the watchful eye of his handler Ronica Miles (Angie Harmon formerly of Law & Order), Cody begins his covert operations but must wrestle with his sense of duty and his feelings for Natalie as she is swept into a dangerous predicament.

Agent Cody Banks is a funny film with only a few vulgarities and mild profanities. It does, however, contain moderate violence mostly martial arts battles involving Cody and Ronica. Some are comical, as when Cody fights his way out of a restaurant kitchen with frying pans. As a man is shown being eaten from the inside by the nanobots, his body contorts and starts to implode. While there is no explicit sex in the movie, the special agent, equipped with his x-ray glasses, views women in their underwear a trick that another reviewer says promotes child pornography. A computer-animated woman in a tight, revealing outfit tries to pick up the teenager, and Harmons character usually wears stiletto heels and tight, revealing clothing that emphasizes her cleavage. While an entertaining film, Agent Cody Banks violence, sexual innuendo and sensuality earn it an unacceptable rating.

Preview Reviewer: Bob Nusser
Distributor: MGM