This is a film that would love to be 'James Bond for teenagers', but falls short of the mark. For one thing, Alex Pettyfer is no Sean Connery. For another, it follows the Bond movie formula a bit too closely. You've got the opening action sequence, the gadgets exposition scene with a surrogate for Q, a homicidal billionnaire with a private army and a ridiculously complicated plan, and even a burly Asian bodyguard who throws his hat (though not as a weapon). It's just all a bit like eating the same leftovers for the fourth day running. Tasty enough in principle, but a bit unsatisfying.
Which is a shame, because most of the cast is very good. Missi Pyle, Bill Nighy and Mickey Rourke are all hugely entertaining in their roles, and there are nice small pieces from a bunch of other familiar faces (including Stephen Fry as not-Q. I dubbed his character 'QI').
I got this in a double feature with "Spy Kids", because I liked the other film and was mildly curious to see this one. I don't regret having seen it, but while I am sure that "Spy Kids" will find its way back into my DVD player sooner or later, I doubt that will be true of this film.
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