My Spy: The Eternal City (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – It follows a teenage Sophie as she convinces JJ to chaperone her school trip where they both end up as pawns in an international terrorist plot targeting CIA Chief, David Kim and his son, Collin – who is Sophie’s best friend.

My Take – Released amidst the COVID-19 pandemic on Prime Video, My Spy (2020) worked as a formulaic yet enjoyable enough family action-comedy that certainly packed more laughs than I expected, but in the end was too tonally uneven to succeed as anything other than a passable popcorn flick on the lines of films like Kindergarten Cop (1990) and The Pacifier (2005).

Nevertheless, the chemistry between Dave Bautista‘s hardened CIA operative and Chloe Coleman‘s precocious preteen terror managed to be the highlight of the surveillance-gone-wrong plot.

our years later, the duo are back for a brand-new adventure that takes their act to the picturesque streets of Italy. With director Peter Segal (Get Smart, 50 First Dates) back at the helm, who this time around also co-writes with returning writers Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber, the sequel is bigger and better than the original yet still nowhere near as good as it could have been.

With a better villain and a more ambitious plot, the film once again benefits from the presence of its returning stars, including the likes of Ken Jeong and Kristen Schaal, as it evolves into a much different story from what we saw in its predecessor.

Yes, it is highly predictable and doesn’t shy away from its familiarity. Instead, it embraces it, delivering an action-packed silly narrative that doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel, particularly with a plot that turns to clumsy espionage clichés.

Taking place a few years after the events of the first film, the story once again follows JJ (Dave Bautista), former Army Ranger soldier turned CIA operative, who has switched to a desk job to spend more time with his new family, Kate (Parisa Fitz-Henley) and Sophie (Chloe Coleman).

However, Sophie is no longer the precocious elementary-schooler JJ had met all those years ago, now she is a snarky 14-year-old, who wants a bit more freedom. And is visibly mortified when JJ signs up to chaperone Sophie and her school choir group on their Italian tour culminating in a performance for the Pope in Vatican City.

But while JJ was hoping that a trip through the Venetian canals, across Florence’s renowned bridges and into Rome’s most famous historic sites would help him in bonding with his new stepdaughter, his plans go for a toss when the duo unwittingly become pawns in a terrorist plot that could end the world as we know it.

As one would expect, the screenplay doesn’t offer much to rave about, but it manages to keep you engaged for most of its 112-minute runtime. The story moves on a familiar trajectory, with the characters facing a series of escalating threats that test their bond and compel them to work together to save the day.

Here, director Segal maintains the lighthearted tone established in the first film. The European jaunt allows for much more action and spy craft than we got before, including car chases, fights, and hacking as bomb detonators count down. While they don’t quite reach the adrenaline-pumping heights of other action franchises it shows strengths in its character-driven moments and comedy.

Sure, the sequel is fun to watch but is still largely forgettable due to the by-the-numbers plot that does not do much we have not seen in countless films before. There is potential to shift this franchise into a memorable series by keeping the core characters but doing away with the pretext of them leading normal, mundane lives and embracing global action sequences with a solid amount of comedy mixed in.

Performance wise, Dave Bautista continues to surprise with his comedic timing, effortlessly transitioning from the tough-guy persona to a bumbling, yet endearing, guardian figure. Bautista delivers some solid sequences throughout but never loses the humanity of who JJ is as a person and his reluctance to beat people up.

Chloe Coleman is still a fine foil for Bautista. She has grown into her role, showcasing a more mature Sophie while retaining the character’s endearing quirks. Their chemistry is palpable, making their on-screen relationship believable and heartwarming.

Kristen Schaal also returns as the delightfully awkward CIA analyst Kim, offering comedic relief with her sarcastic one-liners. Ken Jeong is the best part of the film. Unlike its predecessor, the script corrects its mistake of under-utilizing his character by giving him more screen time. His one-liners, punchlines, and expressions all hit the mark perfectly, leaving one in stitches.

Among the new additions, Anna Faris appears in a slightly different role from what we are used to seeing her, and yet nails it appropriately. Flula Borg is solid as the over-the-top comedic villain. Sadly, Craig Robinson gets little opportunity to showcase his talent. On the whole, ‘My Spy: The Eternal City’ is a light-hearted entertaining sequel that provides a undeniably familiar action comedy ride for its target audience.