The new Amazon release, My Spy: The Eternal City, is made for the 10 to 12 year old age range. Its easy-to-swallow plot (such as it is) and silly action moments are tailor made for “tweens” wanting to see something fun during the summer. While there are a few funny moments and Dave Bautista continues to charm with his unique screen presence, the film is an unfortunate hodgepodge of sloppy editing, lackluster direction, and the surprising inclusion of sexual references.

The first My Spy was harmless. Geared toward the kiddies, it had charm and was a pleasurable enough watch for families. My Spy: The Eternal City has the same screenwriters (Eric and Jon Hoeber) and director (Peter Segal), but stands as a low rent and overly-simplistic mess.

Not-so-covert spy, J.J. (Dave Bautista) is enjoying his new role as a stay-at-home dad for step-daughter Sophie (Chloe Coleman). J.J. loves fatherhood, as it is a long way from the tough guy spy antics his job called for. Sophie is now 14 and is annoyed by his desire to be in every aspect of her life and his helicopter parenting is not working for her.

As her school’s choir is chosen to perform in Italy, Sophie jumps at the chance to get some space from her stepdad and spend more time with her crush, Ryan (Billy Barratt). Her best friend Collin (Taeho K) has his own crush on Sophie and resents her time with Billy. So far, so good. It’s a simple set up and the young actors are charming enough. It is when the main plot kicks in, that the film begins its rapid descent into the chaotic mess it becomes.

Much to Sophie’s chagrin, J.J. signs up as a chaperone on the choir trip. Meanwhile, villains are about and evil is afoot. Slimy henchman Crane (an annoying Flula Borg) kidnaps one of Sophie’s classmates. Crane is working for an unnamed villain who only appears in silhouette and speaks through a voice changer. J.J.’s superior, David Kim (Ken Jeong doing his Ken Jeong thing), gets involved and the two dig deep into their spy skills to save the kidnapped child.

The fate of the world is in danger, as the bad guys are trying to steal nuclear launch codes. Father and daughter (who has been trained well by J.J.) jump into action.

The talented Anna Faris is saddled in a role that squanders her perky talents. The same fate befalls the usually hilarious Kristen Schall and Craig Robinson. Schall is forced to deliver the film’s most shockingly out of place line (hey parents, how are you enjoying those oral sex references?) while Robinson is unfairly sidelined.

The picture has a few pluses. Dave Bautista is great at comedic angst and delivers his snappy comebacks sharply. He is the source of the film’s best laughs. Chloe Coleman has real talent, as does Taeho K who is a complete natural on screen. Their scenes together are sweet and believable.

The subtle story of Sophie and J.J. working through her growing independence can be touching, but it is handled so bafflingly simplistic that the emotions don’t register. A disappointment, as Bautista and Coleman work well together.

It is a shame how so many kids films treat their intended audience as imbeciles. Children are smart. Give them something to work with and don’t insult their intelligence. Director Segal and his screenwriters talk down to the kids who will see their film, as they pummel them with one ludicrous scene after another. As for the parents who will watch this with their children, it is beyond rational thought how the filmmakers felt that crude sex humor had a place in this sequel.

My Spy: The Eternal City plays like someone threw a box of random scenes on the floor and said, “Here, throw all of this on the screen.” A good cast of talented folk is wasted on this brainless and disorganized cash-grab.

Kids will be bored. Parents will be appalled.

My Spy: The Eternal City

Written by Eric & Jon Hoeber

Directed by Peter Segal

Starring Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman, Kim Jeong, Taeho K, Kristen Schall, Anna Faris, Craig Robinson, , Flula Borg, Billy Barratt

PG-13, 101 Minutes, Dogbone Entertainment, Good Fear Content, Lupin Film