Upping the antics from the first film, My Spy: The Eternal City is brimming with big action, rowdy teenage humor, and heart thanks to the bond between its found family.
My Spy The Eternal City Review
It's a fun concept– take a Hollywood tough guy and put him in charge of wrangling a precocious child. When I think about this trope The Game Plan, The Pacifier, and The Spy Next Door immediately come to mind. In 2020, Dave Bautista joined those ranks with the likes of Jackie Chan and The Rock when My Spy released. In it, the former wrestler and Guardian of the Galaxy starred as CIA field agent JJ who was tasked with surveilling a single mom and her nine-year-old daughter, Sophie (Chloe Coleman). My Spy became a hit with families, offering laughs and spectacle during a time when everyone was stuck at home.
Fast forward and the challenge becomes maintaining that cutesy dynamic when its child star and core audience have grown up since the last outing. The Eternal City tackles this by building in her aging and accompanying attitude into the screenplay. Sophie no longer is a wide-eye little girl who thinks JJ is the coolest person on the planet. She's a 14-year-old moody girl who has other things on her mind besides spy training. JJ meanwhile has become Mr. Mom, opting to work in the office rather than the field because he is worried about the danger. This version of the tattooed, big muscled, super spy is a far cry from where we saw him last time and everyone in the film practically points it out. This serves as the basis for the conflict between JJ and Sophie but being an espionage-action-comedy, there has to be a bigger threat at play as well.
In an attempt to bond with Sophie, JJ volunteers as a chaperone for her choir's trip to Rome. It sounds like it should be easy enough but any teacher/parent/guardian on this planet knows that's most definitely not the case and none of us envy JJ at that moment. They might be singing at the Vatican but these kids are determined to be less than holy. Sophie tries to evade JJ as she sneaks around, anxious to spend time with her crush Ryan (Billy Barratt). As the two butt heads, Sophie's best friend Collin (Taeho K) is kidnapped, leaving them no choice but to work together. Oh and there is a group of terrorists looking to take out the Vatican. They're going to need some help. Enter JJ's boss (also Collin's dad) David (Ken Jeong) and their friend, the tech whiz, Bobbi (Kristen Schaal).
Peter Segal, returning to direct with a script co-written with Erich and Jon Hoeber, makes the most of the bigger budget by ramping up the action (although still with very little gadgetry) including an especially exciting car chase scene in the final act. The location is grander and there are additions to the cast that are big wins in my opinion. As with the first film, the mystery and twists are very James Bond-lite and the action tracks in the expected pattern but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. With this group of comedic talent and the sheer nonsense of it all (suitcase bombs from the old USSR days have gone missing), it's hard not to have a good time.
As far as its leads, Bautista is just as lovable and charming as ever toeing the line between devoted dad and a lethal weapon. Coleman plays the grouchy yet nervous teen well. The strong bond they built in My Spy carries over here, even when she is not so nice and he looks like a big sad golden retriever. Then there are Schaal’s inappropriate one liners which are made better by the addition of Jeong. He may have been in the first film, but he really gets to show off now that they have moved him from behind the desk. Newcomers include Anna Faris as the no-nonsense teacher in charge of the class trip. Don't let her strict demeanor fool you, this is Faris we are talking about. Flula Borg's villain who is quite the quirky bad guy with some interesting morals. And finally Craig Robinson who is essentially playing himself but who thinks that is a bad thing?
There is a lot to juggle here with the expanded cast and their respective motives. Not everything is handled well and sometimes the story contradicts itself. At some points JJ seems to be the only parent around to wrangle the entire choir class and at others he is leading their tour. Despite all that, his chaperoning duties are easily cast aside when the plot requires it. Then there is the conflict between Sophie and JJ. Is she against fieldwork or relishing the chance to participate in it? Does she want to be left alone or be a partner to JJ? For JJ himself, is he determined to safeguard her life or have her work by his side? Although I had those thoughts watching it, it never hindered my overall enjoyment. And besides, my kids were having a great time watching it and since they are the target audience, I'd say it's a win. Side note: some of the humor is definitely more adult skewing and you might be a little surprised by what they snuck in there!
Verdict
Ultimately, My Spy: The Eternal City is another fun, action-packed outing for families and anyone looking for something entertaining to watch. Bautista remains charming and I think we should see him in more roles like this. Coleman continues to show she has what it takes to go far in this business and the ensemble cast comes together well. Someone should seriously get them together in another comedy asap. Yet despite the over-the-top scenarios and rowdy teenage humor, the story itself is sweet, grounded by the love a parent has for their child. When JJ and Sophie's inevitable reconciliation comes, it is enough to make you want to hug your kid or your parents tight.
My Spy the Eternal City starts streaming on Prime Video on Thursday, July 18. It is rated PG-13 for violence/action, some strong language, suggestive references, teen drinking, and a nude sculpture.
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