Get Smart (2008) Movie Information:

Get Smart (2008) Directed by: Peter Segal Get Smart (2008) Written by: Tom Astle, Matt Ember Get Smart (2008) Cast: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Terence Stamp, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Alan Arkin, Ken Davitian

Get Smart (2008) U.S. Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures Get Smart (2008) U.K. Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

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Get Smart (2008) Synopsis:

Inspired by characters from the classic television series "Get Smart," the film stars Steve Carell as secret agent Maxwell Smart; Anne Hathaway as his partner, Agent 99; Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Agent 23; Terence Stamp as Siegfried, a key KAOS operative; and Academy Award winner Alan Arkin as the Chief of CONTROL. The film also stars Ken Davitian as Shtarker; Masi Oka as Bruce; Nate Torrence as Lloyd; David Koechner as Agent Larabee; and Terry Crews as Agent 91.

Get Smart (2008) Movie Review:

I’ll admit to not being a die-hard Get Smart fan. In fact, it wasn’t until I had to write this review that I began to view clips from the Mel Brooks/Buck Henry classic. In the short amount of time I have had to compare both incarnations of Maxwell Smart, I have come to a much closer understanding of the film’s originality, or lack thereof. The film adaptation of the series originally starring Don Adams and Barbara Feldon depends on numerous antics straight from the show. Avid fans will either feel a sense of nostalgia or find the show’s use of the same gags much more witty. For those who are not familiar with the classic spy spoof, they will enjoy the jokes but miss many other inside ones.

Get Smart follows Maxwell Smart, a top-notch analyst who does his job so well that the Chief does not want to promote him to his longed for position as a field agent. After an attack by CONTROL’s archenemy, CHAOS, that compromises the identity of all current agents; the Chief has no choice but to do just that. As Agent 86, Maxwell Smart joins Agent 99, who recently went under the knife to provide herself a new identity. The two CONTROL agents travel to Russia in order to stop a massive nuclear attack. But can the experienced Agent 99 put up with the bumbling Agent 86 and his antics?

The plot is not the strongest, nor clearest. But the storyline for the film is not the focus for this piece. The film relies on its jokes to keep the audience’s attention instead of a suspenseful plot. Without a constant stream of humorous shenanigans the film would be in trouble. There are numerous plot holes throughout the film, along with several obvious continuity errors. These mistakes, however, are not as distracting as the many promotional advertisements plastered throughout the film.

As for the humor in the film, in true Mel Brooks’s fashion they try to push the envelope. However, without writing credit from either creator the film is not able to deftly handle all of the outrageous humor. Updating the Get Smart series causes the most problems with jokes. The American people no longer see Russians as a major threat. Also, the second half of the film contains numerous political jabs, mainly directed at our current President. James Caan plays a George W. Bush like chief of state, but without any makeup or accent to play off of as an imitation. However, the writers do take advantage of some modern day inventions and celebrities, such as cell phones, cruise control, and even Chuck Norris.

The film walks a thin line between a comedic film and an action one. The slapstick in the film is incredibly painful, involving such antics as a stapler to the head. These agents get kicked around as much as many henchman in other spy films. It becomes very clear why the film earned a PG-13 rating. Despite the level of violence in the film, without gore though, the action is shot smoothly. The sequences are not cut too fast, nor contain sweeping fast movements. Just as I didn’t expect as much aggressive slapstick from this film, I did not expect action sequences so carefully choreographed. As the jokes begin to wane in humor during the second half of the film, the adrenaline keeps on putting the pedal to the metal.

Get Smart contains a massive cast, consisting of numerous guest stars including Bill Murray, Patrick Warburton, Kevin Nealon, and Larry Miller. The main characters are well cast, though a few actors were obviously typecast and numerous roles were one-dimensional. The pairing of Steve Carrel as Maxwell Smart and Anne Hathaway as Agent 99 work as far as chemistry, but due to Carrel being longitudinally challenged there were numerous inconsistencies with their height difference. As one who has grown up watching Hathaway, it was nice to see a stretch in her character. Agent 99 can be quite bitchy and cold, a change from a majority of roles for which Hathaway is known.

In the supporting cast, Masi Oka of Heroes fame and Nate Torrance play two of Maxwell Smart’s fellow analysts. Think of them as the Revenge of the Nerds for the CONTROL world. Dwayne Johnson’s portrayal of Agent 23 isn’t much of a stretch for him, where his size is imposing enough. The same goes for Terence Stamp as the villainous Siegfried. Could anyone ever believe him to be a good guy? Alan Arkin, on the other hand, is able to play both outrageous and calm, creating a much more rounded secondary character.

The crew isn’t new to the spy spoof genre. Director Peter Segal previously directed Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult. More recently his work includes Anger Management, 50 First Dates, and the Longest Yard. The film actually has more hits than Segal’s recent career. Writers Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember may have had an advantage in adapting a TV show, as a majority of their careers have been spent writing for the small screen.

Get Smart is up for some tough competition this week. It opens against another comedy, The Love Guru, which has been advertised and marketed quite a bit more than Get Smart. Also, the films jokes will limit the attendance of the younger audience, who may not enjoy the second acts political turn or level of hostility.

Get Smart’s advantage is in its pacing. The film starts with jokes and doesn’t let go with the humor well into the film. It may not be as good as the original, but who can be better than Mel Brooks?

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Get Smart (2008) review written by: Lyz Reblin