Spies in Disguise

Despite its persistent bombardment of whirlwind images and noise, Spies in Disguise doesn’t manage much coherence amid the mayhem.

This animated comedy essentially adopts the sensory overload strategy that has pervaded so many family films these days, apparently in a calculated attempt to cater to abbreviated attention spans.

In this case, that might have worked with the short subject that inspired this espionage caper. Yet at feature length, its labored gags and half-hearted narrative twists won’t keep the target demographic engaged once their concession-fueled sugar high wears off.

There are some clever ideas buried within this globetrotting saga of suave and cocksure secret agent Lance Sterling (voiced by Will Smith), whose latest mission winds up with an accusation of corruption.

With his career suddenly at risk, he finds an unlikely ally in nerdy gadget inventor Walter (Tom Holland) who idolizes Lance and isn’t afraid to say it. Walter’s lab becomes a perfect hideout for the exiled Lance until a chemical mishap turns him into a blue pigeon.

The film’s biggest laughs come from Lance’s subsequent adaptation to his new feathered frame. But there’s still a terrorist (Ben Mendelsohn) to stop, keeping the duo busy while Walter tries to find the antidote and Lance aims to clear his name.

Marking the directorial debut of veteran animators Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, the film obviously keeps the action moving while incorporating a familiar computer-animated style that elongates the physical features of the human characters in exaggerated fashion.

Children might gravitate toward the abundant slapstick, even when things become too low-brow, along with the heartfelt lessons about acceptance, humility and teamwork that are driven home in the final act.

However, accompanying adults likely will roll their eyes at the derivative nature of the screenplay, which settles for a predictably subversive James Bond parody with only a sporadically amusing mix of quirks, sight gags and one-liners.

Smith and Holland — the latter taking a break between Spider-Man obligations — make a charismatic tandem, while the supporting performers likewise contribute solid voice work.

Yet their efforts can’t boost the lackluster Spies in Disguise, which attempts to mask its lack of inspiration with constant chaos. It doesn’t take a seasoned investigator to decipher those clues.

Rated PG, 102 minutes.