Get Smart (2008) User Reviews

Fun, light summer entertainment

[keiichi73 · 7/10 · 20 June 2008]

As I was watching Get Smart, I came to the delighted realization that the filmmakers weren't trying to do a spy spoof here, but rather a loving tribute to spy movies with a lot of comedy thrown in. This is the right approach, as the now-tired Austin Powers franchise has pretty much run the spy spoof idea into the ground. Director Peter Segal (a veteran of many past Adam Sandler comedies) tries and succeeds at doing something rare. Get Smart is silly enough to work as a comedy, but at the same time, contains some truly impressive action sequences that would be right at home in just about any summer blockbuster that had a slightly more serious mind.

I cannot claim to be an expert on the original 1960s TV series created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, but I do have enough knowledge to know that this is a fitting and loving tribute that won't insult fans of the show, or alienate newcomers with countless in-jokes. The casting of Steve Carell as the well-meaning and often bungling secret agent, Maxwell Smart, was a great decision. Carell is able to capture the spirit of the performance of late actor, Don Adams, while not trying to ape Adams' distinctive voice and mannerisms. He fits comfortably into the role, and does not make Smart into an incompetent goof. He plays the part as a man with some obvious intelligence, but things don't often go the way he intends. It's a very likable comic performance, and Carell even gives the character a lot more personality than I expected walking into the film.

As is expected, the plot is mainly something to hang a lot of situations for Smart to be in over his head. He starts off as an analyst for CONTROL, a top secret government spy organization devoted to thwarting the terrorist designs of the evil organization KAOS. Smart dreams of being a field agent, and has even taken the test eight separate times, only to be turned down each time by the Chief (Alan Arkin), who thinks Smart belongs as an analyst. When KAOS launches a surprise attack on CONTROL headquarters, killing most of the field agents, the Chief has no choice but to promote Smart, and send him off on the latest mission. He is teamed up with Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway) to travel to Russia and uncover a secret weapons factory where the evil organization is developing nuclear weapons to target America. With the aid of Agent 23 (Dwayne Johnson) back at the base, Smart and Agent 99 will attempt to stop head KAOS agent, Sigfried (Terrence Stamp), from carrying out his master plan of destruction.

Get Smart is breezy, frequently very funny, and never once slows down enough to become dull. This is one of those movies where you can tell that the cast is having a great time, and that joy carries through on the screen. The movie is a comedy, but the action scenes and stunt work on display are truly first rate. What's perhaps most impressive is that the movie finds a perfect way to blend the silliness and the spectacle, so that the two halves never seem out of place. The entire cast play the comedy as if they are smart people who can't believe what they've just done, or what is happening to them. This is a comedy that laughs with the characters, not at them. There's a scene where Maxwell and Agent 99 have to crash a lavish party being thrown by a suspected enemy agent, and Smart winds up dancing with an obese woman. A lesser movie would have mocked the woman, but here, the movie finds humor in the situation in other ways. The fact that the woman winds up with the final laugh, and that it's not at her expense, was very welcome.

Aside from the very strong lead from Carell, Anne Hathaway brings a certain sexy yet vulnerable charm to her role. She's a good match for him as a co-star, and they create a good "buddy" chemistry as the film goes on. They're slightly less successful when they're asked to bring romantic chemistry into the relationship, but it's not really their fault, since the film does seem to be trying to start a franchise, so I'm sure there's time for it to build in a sequel. Former pro-wrestler Dwayne Johnson drops his "the Rock" title for the first time, meaning he's finally serious about moving beyond his past and becoming a real actor. He manages to get some laughs here, and even has some charisma, leading me to believe he could be the rare wrestler to move onto an actual career in films. There are even some fun cameos, including James Caan as the President of the United States, and Bill Murray turns up as a fellow field agent who has the unfortunate task of having to pose as a tree while undercover. There are some more to look for, some for fans of the original show and some for fans of Saturday Night Live, but I'll leave those for you to discover yourself.

Get Smart is probably one of the stronger TV-to-film adaptations to come along in a while. It's not Earth-stopping entertainment, and it never pretends to be. It's merely a light and simple summer comedy that's a great way to kill an afternoon. We need those during the summer as much as we need the big blockbusters, so it's fortunate that this is a very good one. And despite the film's PG-13 rating, I can't imagine any parent being offended by letting their kid watch it. Get Smart is harmless and entertaining, and sometimes, that's all a movie needs to be.

Entertaining stuff, a few good LOLs, hilarious cameos, great cast.

[rooprect · 7/10 · 18 July 2019]

Right off the bat, if you're the kind of person who hates all remakes then of course you'll hate this movie. But if that's you, then why even bother reading reviews?

Good, you're still here, so we'll assume that you're willing to give this flick a fair shake. "Get Smart" (2008) is a reboot of the iconic tv series, and by "reboot" I mean that it doesn't necessarily follow the original storyline except that the characters share the same names. In this version, Maxwell Smart is a lowly analyst who gets his big shot at being an agent. Other than being a general nerd, his schtick is that, being an obsessive intelligence analyst, he knows the enemy inside out. So even though he may not be a dashing superhero, his intelligence is his strength. When he's not being a total clueless dolt, that is. I thought this was a great new angle.

His counterbalance is Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), an experienced field operative who has to put up with Max's quirky arrogance. She may possibly have some anger issues. Again, a really fun character to watch.

The plot? Not important. Like the original tv show, the plot is rather superficial with the real entertainment being carried by the gags. There were some nice nods to the original show, such as the ridiculous "cone of silence", the absurd gadgets crammed into common household objects, and of course some of the original trademark catchphrases ("Missed it by that much"). A few of the zingers were really funny and got some full belly laugh out of me. But they were sparsely placed, and that's my only criticism. Perhaps in an attempt to keep the plot moving, there were not enough bizarre wisecracks as I would have liked. One of my favorites was when Agent 99 somberly tells Max that if he gets caught, there's a pill in his belt buckle that causes death in 9 seconds. To which Max replies: "But how will I get them to take it?" This is the kind of humor that made the original so fun and makes this version a worthy homage.

The cameos are awesome with fleeting appearances by Kevin Nealon (from SNL), Patrick Warburton (Elaine's weird boyfriend "Putty" on Seinfeld), James Caan as "the president" (who can't pronounce "nuclear" - I wonder who that is), and none other than Bill Murray as Agent 13.

Dwayne Johnson practically steals the show as Agent 23, a caricature of every action hero he's ever played.

A final note worth noting: the technical consultant mentioned in the credits is THE Mel Brooks. It didn't surprise me because at times this has a somewhat Brooksian flair, especially in the hilarious ballroom dance number, oddly reminiscent of "the czardas" dance in Dracula: Dead & Loving It. Bottom line, if you are ready for a good time you'll have a good time.

Exhilarating action, good comedy

[gridoon2024 · 7/10 · 20 June 2008]

The first 10 minutes or so of "Get Smart" are kind of disappointing, and I thought "here we go, another trailer that makes the film look better than it is". But it improves greatly after that point, mainly after the first encounter of Max with Agent 99. Anne Hathaway is in some ways the life of this movie: she is incredibly sexy, with a magnificent back and legs to die for (or by), and completely believable in all her action scenes. Steve Carell has good comic timing; he may at times remind you of Leslie Nielsen in "The Naked Gun" and "Spy Hard" mode, but beyond that he manages to make Max a genuinely likable and human character, not just a cartoon. The relationship Max and 99 have formed at the end of the movie seems to be based more on friendship than anything else. The rest of the cast is generally well-chosen (although I didn't get the point of Bill Murray's 1-minute cameo); there is a big plot twist that allows one cast member to play against type, and even Dalip Singh (aka The Great Khali in WWE) comes off well, playing a huge indestructible henchman in the tradition of Jaws of "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "Moonraker".

There are some good laughs in "Get Smart", but what pleasantly surprised me is how well-done the action is. From an exhilarating freefall sequence that was probably designed as a homage to the opening of "Moonraker" to Carell's and Hathaway's quick, efficient fight scenes (choreoghraphed by a veteran at this sort of thing, James Lew), and from the explosions at the "bakery" factory to the incredibly kinetic final chase sequence involving various means of transportation, the action in this movie probably surpasses the recent James Bond pictures, helped by the fact that a lot of it seems to have been done by the actors themselves, willing to take some risks. So people who are more into action than into comedy should still get some satisfaction out of this.

Nothing brilliant, but a dependable crowd-pleaser nonetheless. I'd give it *** out of 4 stars.

Excellent comic timing by Carell makes this an entertaining watch

[long-ford · 31 January 2009]

It's amazing how good comic delivery can elevate mediocre material. Such is the case with 'Get Smart', where Steve Carell's excellent comic timing, and his chemistry with Anne Hathaway make for a very entertaining film, despite the at times clichéd script. Basically it's a light-hearted spy spoof with pot shots directed towards the Bush administration's War on Terror. Fans of wrestler Khali will like his appearance in the film. Dwayne Johnson chips in with a decent performance. The climax is surprisingly thrilling and works well in the film. A solid recommendation.

Overall 7/10

A nice little action-comedy.

[lewiskendell · 7/10 · 17 March 2010]

I enjoyed every minute of Get Smart. It's an agreeable and fun mixture of the action, spy, and comedy genres. Imagine a combination of Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Pineapple Express, with some Steve Carell-style comedy mixed in. It's not similar in story to either of those movies, but it does manage to blend action and comedy together in a comparable way.

The casting is perfect, and really what makes Get Smart so likable. There is a pretty amazing group of actors gathered here, especially considering the fact that these kinds of films do not often attract A-list talent. Everyone seemed like they were having fun and enjoying their roles, and it shows in their acting.

Get Smart has a basic spy-type plot that certainly won't be winning any awards for originality. At the same time, I never though the fairly typical story was detracting from the movie. You're probably not watching this for a deep and thought-provoking experience, anyway.  

And who would have guessed that Anne Hathaway would be so good in an action role? I'd love to see her do more of this kind of thing in the future, she has a bit of a talent for it.

A Pleasant Surprise!

[nmeyers-117-477966 · 7/10 · 7 September 2022]

OK, I'll admit I never expect much from remakes of classic TV shows. I chose to watch this while donating blood - a decision I reserve for movies I don't expect to be good enough to share with my wife. The surprise: well, it's actually pretty good!

First of all: great casting! Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway give performances that nicely reflect those in the TV series, without doing cheap impressions of the original actors. Their performances stand on their own, and Carell delivers all your favorite Max-isms ("Sorry about that, Chief", "Missed it by that much", etc.) with aplomb. But the real prize in this movie is the casting of Alan Arkin as the Chief of Control. Brilliant casting, great performance!

Even beyond the leads, the casting was outstanding - from old friends (Larabee, Siegfried, Shtarker) to new characters (notably, Dwayne Johnson as Agent 23).

In all, a fun 110 minutes that stands on its own while also paying tribute to a classic.

Suffers from a slightly muddled plot and not all of it is funny, but it is fairly enjoyable mainly thanks to Carrell and Hathaway

[jimbo-53-186511 · 6/10 · 9 February 2015]

I'm going to preface this review by stating that I haven't seen the original TV series upon which this film was based on. Therefore I'm unable to draw comparisons and will just stick to reviewing this film.

One thing I did think was really good about this film was some of the casting choices; Carrell is particularly good here and is very convincing in his respective role as the bumbling & inept rookie agent. He brings a sort of naïve charm to many of his performances and I can't think of a role I've seen him in where I didn't enjoy his performance. Likewise, I think that Hathaway is a perfect compliment to Carrell and their chemistry in this was great - Hathaway pulls off the sexy, sassy & ultra confident field agent with ease. Alan Arkin is a great actor and is always watchable. Likewise, I thought Terrence Stamp was a very effective villain and was quite menacing. Even Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson (who is not the best of actors) managed to also be quite good here.

I wasn't convinced by all of the characters however; I found Koechner & Crews characters to be more annoying than funny. The same could be said of the two nerds who were also annoying rather than funny (although not as much as Koechner & Crews). Bill Murray also has a cameo in this which seemed a bit pointless to me.

The one problem with this film was its rather muddled plot- I found it to be very unfocused and it seemed to jump around from place to place and the narrative seemed to jump back and forward which made the story hard to follow at times. Although this was a problem for me, thankfully it wasn't a huge problem as I still found that I enjoyed the film as a whole even if the plot was a little scattershot at times. The main reasons that this film works is due to the excellent chemistry between Hathaway and Carrell and their great interplay makes it possible to ignore some of the issues with the plotting.

Get Smart is funny, but it's not a film that's consistently funny but rather a film that is occasionally funny - although I must admit that some of the jokes were really funny so perhaps it's just a case of quality over quantity. Whilst I haven't seen the original TV Series the closest thing that this film reminds me of is Johnny English - therefore if you enjoyed Johnny English then you should enjoy this too. Nothing spectacular, but it's definitely worth a look.

A decent movie thanks to Johnson and Arkin

[brimatt2412 · 7/10 · 25 June 2008]

I was a big fan of the Get Smart television series as a kid, so I was looking forward to this. But if you come in expecting the TV show, you'll be disappointed. As a stand alone movie, its a decent comedy. But give me Don Adams as Maxwell Smart and Barbara Feldon's 99 any day. Thats not saying Steve Carrell and Anne Hathaway aren't watchable because they are. They just pale in comparison to their television show counterparts.

Dwayne Johnson and Alan Arkin were the highlights of the movie. Johnson, I was expecting. The role seemed tailor made for him and it was obvious from the previews that he was going to stand out. Arkin, I was surprised at. He was a lot funnier and livelier than I was expecting. The hot-headed aspect of the Chief added a new dimension which suited the movie well. Terence Stamp and Ken Davitian do a decent job as Siegfried and Shtarker respectively (but again, don't hold a candle to originals Bernie Kopell and King Moody), and the cameo by Kopell, was a nice touch, as well as the reference to the line "Shtarker, this is KAOS, we don't (insert various line/fake sound effect) here".

This movie was fun and decent, but the television show was definitely much better. Hopefully the interest in this movie, will get the uninitiated to check out the television show.

By far the BEST adaptation of a classic TV series for the big screen.

[jcallows · 8/10 · 3 December 2007]

I just saw an advance screening of Get Smart and it was great! It was simply the best adaptation of a classic TV series for the big screen. I don't know how to explain it but it successfully carried the tone that the original series had. It was silly but not too silly and, at the same time, a little serious but not too serious. Familiar characters, props, music, jokes and lines all brought back fond memories of a delightful TV series. And there were plenty of new elements in this film that made it interesting and entertaining to watch. Steve Carrell was terrific as Agent 86 and seemed to capture the essence of Maxwell Smart. Not only did his portrayal of him resembled that of Don Adams' from the sound of Smart's voice to the delivery of Smart's lines, Carrell managed to inject a bit of his own personality to create a new Smart that didn't stray too far away from the old. Anne Hathaway was perfect as Agent 99. She did bear some resemblance to Barbara Feldon and actually delivered her lines in a similar manner as her at times. But more importantly, she had great chemistry with Carrell. A key ingredient to Get Smart's success was Maxwell Smart and Agent 99's chemistry and I'm glad the writers of this film didn't forget that. Feldon and Adams had terrific chemistry and so too did Hathaway and Carrell. Unlike previous film adaptations of old television series that only superficially resembled their TV series counterpart, this film can truly be considered a big screen version of the Get Smart TV series. Where Lost In Space, Mission Impossible, Charlie's Angels, Starsky and Hutch and (have I missed anything?) have failed, this film succeeded in maintaining the tone and style of the original series upon which it's based. Moreover, the filmmakers managed to bring Get Smart up to date without forgetting its roots. New ideas created for this film seemed to be natural extensions of those used for the original series. Jokes, props, music, characters and plot, old and new, all seemed to be born from the Get Smart world. I wish I could get into more details but I don't want to give anything away. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and highly recommend this to anyone, especially fans of the original TV series.

A solid blend of Comedy & Action

[AverageJoesDriveInPodcast · 7/10 · 24 July 2018]

This one is a really solid comedy with some fun action sequences. While the jokes are hit or miss, I feel like they do their job most of the time. There isn't a ton to say about this one other than its really enjoyable. It's a good flick to throw on when you don't want a straight up comedy but also not looking for a serious action film. It blends the genres seamlessly. None of it felt forced, and that's always key to a good story.

The film looks good, the performances are solid and like I said, the comedy works the majority of the time. If you're looking for a fun, easy watch, this one qualifies as such.

My Rating: 7/10

They missed it by THAT MUCH!

[jake-179 · 1/10 · 7 July 2008]

This movie sucked. The problem was not with the cast. I think the cast was great, lots of good talent, lots of great acting. But the script was TERRIBLE! It seemed to be mostly just a frame work in which Steve Carrell could do his improv. And that is what he does best, but it just didn't work here. The script was hard to follow, the story was non-sensical, and scenes were random and lacked direction. Also, much of the action was extremely contrived and poorly thought out. It was a good effort, but as Max says, they missed it by THAT MUCH! I am shocked to see how many glowing reviews there are for this stinker here on the IMDb. Obviously, the movie producers are getting people to write lots of positive reviews on their movies and fill up the entries on the IMDb. If you read the positive reviews and compare them to the negative reviews, it is pretty clear which ones are genuine reviews from normal users.

This movie was full of problems and jokes that just didn't work. I loved Steve Carrell in Anchor Man, and I like his comedy and style. But I will tell you that I never once laughed while I was watching this movie. Yes, I had a couple of light moments, a couple of chuckles, but no real laughs. Nothing that struck me at all.

Spoiler Alert! One ridiculous scene was when Max had his hands binded on the airplane and he goes to the bathroom to try to escape. He uses his special Swiss Army knife...but instead of just using THE BLADE OF THE KNIFE, he tries to SHOOT the binding with his miniature crossbow. And as the crossbow miss-fires and shoots little arrows into him over and over again (almost putting out his EYE), Max doesn't give up or try the blade instead...no, he just keeps shooting himself with the crossbow. What was he really expecting to do with that crossbow? It seemed to be THE WORST option on the knife to try to remove the bindings. It just made absolutely no sense.

That is a good example of the typical circumstances in the scenes that made up this movie. They were ridiculous, poorly thought out, poorly motivated, and made of pure nonsense. And that was truly distracting.

As I said, this movie was a big let-down, and I recommend you avoid it. A note to the IMDb: You should do something about these phony reviews that people are leaving. It degrades the authenticity of the site.

Just the right balance of comedy and action

[NavyOrion · 8/10 · 20 June 2008]

Yes, go see this movie. I know sometimes a preview looks pretty good and then the movie stinks (hello, Indiana Jones IV?) but this one does not disappoint.

I remember enjoying the "Get Smart" TV series when I was a kid, and like some other reviewers here, I feared the remake might screw it up (even though watching a couple of 5th-season episodes recently reminded me just how bad the show itself became late in the game.) But this movie version strikes just the right balance of action and comedy, while also balancing fresh ideas with welcome nods to the TV series.

After all, it wouldn't be "Get Smart" without "Would you believe...", "Sorry about that, Chief", or "Missed it by THAT much." It was also great to see such classics as the shoe phone, the Cone of Silence, Hymie the robot, and not one but two of the cars that Don Adams would have driven. But while some remakes mining the past for material have nothing new to say, and get stuck in paying homage to their predecessors, the "Get Smart" movie has a pretty good story of its own.

Now this isn't Robert Ludlum material, and I doubt anyone is real surprised to see who turns out to be a bad guy, but it's a lot of fun along the way, with either a sight gag or surprisingly good action (and often both at the same time) coming down the pike every few minutes. There just aren't really any slow spots. I'm sure a lot of funny stuff got left on the cutting room floor (surely they didn't put Carrell in a fat suit for a mere ten seconds of film) but the pacing felt just right. We can catch all that other stuff when the DVD comes out at Christmas.

Steve Carrel plays Agent 86 almost exactly the way he portrays Dunder-Mifflin's Michael Scott. He comes off as basically well-meaning and earnest, and although a bit bumbling at times, his Maxwell Smart is thankfully not Don Adam's version. Neither was this one of those "Naked Gun" characters who stumbles into success despite his incompetence; Smart has some hilariously bad moments, but is never made out to be simply a lucky fool.

Carrell and Anne Hathaway have surprisingly good chemistry, and Alan Arkin is perfect taking over Edward Platt's role as "the Chief." Former wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson does a good job as Agent 23, and an even larger wrestler (7-foot 2-inch, 387-pound Dalip Singh from "The Longest Yard") is well-cast as a KAOS underling, although most of the other main bad guys are rather forgettable. Even TV-series KAOS agent Bernie Koppel shows up for a cameo, as does Patrick Warburton (who will be terrific in the inevitable sequel) and Bill Murray (almost unidentifiable hiding in a tree.)

Bottom line: you won't come out of this movie feeling as if you were cheated out of your money. Judging from the laughter in the theater and smiles in the lobby as we left, a lot of folks agreed with me. This is going to make a ton of money, and deserves it. Look for "Get Smart II" in a couple of years, and let's just hope it is as good as this one.

P.S. - It's rated PG-13, but there's very little that's objectionable for even younger viewers (Carrel rips the seat out of his pants.) Take the kids, and have a good time!

A fun underrated film

[jcucchisi-77-755989 · 7/10 · 28 July 2019]

Get Smart is a very funny action packed film. As always Steve Carell is very funny and this film and has great chemistry with Anne Hathaway.

The audience barely chuckled

[Richard-Nathan · 1/10 · 20 July 2008]

The audience sat in silence through almost the entire film, with only a few, rare, occasional chuckles. The character of Maxwell Smart was so inconsistent, I felt whip-lashed. When it is convenient for the plot, Smart behaves like a master spy. At other times, he acts like an imbecile. They lift many classic lines from the television series, but they don't work in this version. The classic "missed it by this much" is funny if it is spoken with attempted braggadocio by someone who is an obvious failure - but it loses all humor when spoken by someone who is qualified. To a slightly lesser degree, many of the other characters move at a dizzying pace from skilled to cartoonish incompetent. Siegfried, the main villain, would seem to be intelligent, but he makes decisions that make no damned sense at all. Still, none of the characters in the film is as incompetent as the writers of this mess. I am utterly depressed that so many IMDb users think this was good.

A superb updating of a classic production!

[erapka · 27 June 2008]

The new "Get Smart" does a masterful job of capturing the style, tone and humor of the '60s series, while transporting it into a modern sensibility. I had hopes for this film after seeing the two leads doing a 30-second skit on the Academy Awards show and thought they were dead on. So I invested $11.50 and was proved right.

First, this is no cheap knockoff. The production team captured Buck Henry's creation very credibly both in tone and substance. It reminded me very much of the late '80s homage to "Dragnet," which was executed with love and great attention to detail (right down to the product placement of Camel cigarettes and a photo of Jack Webb on the Dan Akroyd's desk). It's no small feat updating something as much a part of its era into a modern sensibility. There were even echoes of the early James Bond films (especially in The Rock's ladykiller character flirting with CONTROL's "Miss Moneypenny" and in some of the musical cues). On the other hand, the production values were all first-rate and contemporary, including a CGI effect of an aerial fly-around and push-in to a 747 that was reminiscent of the key shot in the pilot of Star Trek.

Steve Carrell makes a very reasonable Agent 86; where Don Adams played the character as a bumbling naif, Carrell makes him into a goodhearted wannabe who, despite having the kind of personality that renders him invisible in society, still has intelligence and an earnestness that can make him into hero material when he works at it. He reminded me of Jim Varney's portrayal of Jed Clampett: pure of heart and belief in his fellow man, yet with a bit of chops in dealing with the dark side of society. He fumbles around a lot getting his sea legs after years of being an ineffectual fatso (viz. impetuously slamming a fire extinguisher into the noggin of his boss at one point) but in a pinch, he's quickwitted and moves with decision. (He also quite reasonably feels more secure in briefs than boxer shorts; I don't know what Adam's take on this issue was).

On the other hand, Anne Hathaway nails Agent 99 with a performance absolutely capturing Barbara Feldon's creation, right down to the tone of voice, the raised eyebrows, and at least three different dead-on intonations of "Oh, Max!" Nevertheless, Hathaway moves the character beyond the pre-feminist liberation era and invests 99 with a believable 21st century sexuality and sense of empowerment. She's clearly in charge during the first half of the movie, only slowly yielding to an appreciation of Carrell's growing sense of command (and her own feelings toward him) as we move into Act 3.

Alan Arkin brings an odd turn to the Chief, playing him with a much-less-exasperated fatalism than did Edward Platt. In an interview, Arkin says he saw the character as a very good principal of a very bad middleschool. He comes across as a somewhat old codger closing in on retirement who's comfortably in charge and doesn't try to micromanage, and he has an important role in the climax piloting a Cessna over Disney Hall downtown, but I missed one of the catchlines they didn't include in this revision: namely, the Chief getting one of his headaches. (The other catchline they left out was 86's frequent "That's the second biggest (fill in the blank) I've ever seen.")

Everything else was there, though: We see the Cone of Silence (technologically updated), a very clever CGI revision of the entrance passage to CONTROL HQ, cameos by both Hymie the Robot and Fang, and there's even a passing utilization in this cellphone-obsessed society to the shoe-phone (appropriated from the Smithsonian institution display of the old "defunct" CONTROL). On the other hand, the agency is now under the Homeland Security Department and answers to the Vice President (when they can find him) and uses lots of high-tech, satellite surveillance and GPS gear. Chaos is in cahoots with terrorist organizations around the world and we know they're bad because they drive around in SUVs (the most satisfying and "green" event is seeing one of Satan's Sedans being demolished by a freight train).

Oh, and BTW, it's also a love story.

So few laughs that it was just okay

[judywalker2 · 6/10 · 22 June 2008]

Note to filmmakers if you use one of your best jokes as a commerical do not expect the audience to laugh at it during the movie. This is the problem with Get Smart; its not smart enough to be funny. I enjoyed the old TV show because it didn't take itself seriously and I guess it came at a time when spy movie were all the rage. That time has past but a new crop of movie spies has arisen and should have be taken advantage of. To be honest this movie might have been better if Daune Johnson had been cast as Smart instead of Steve Carrell. That would have had very funny possibilities, instead we get somewhat amusing mostly stupid Carrell and whiny Agent 99. Alan Arkin was funny as the chief and Terrance Stamps was amusing as the villain.

People who have seen the original Get Smart movies/series

[gamingenius · 6/10 · 21 December 2008]

PREPARE TO BE DISAPPOINTED. As a movie, it was funny, witty, and original (considering how few parodies are being put out for spy movies). I enjoyed it. But not as much as I would have had I not seen the previous classic Get Smart movies and series. This Get Smart movie was NOTHING at all like the originals. At all. Sure, they had the same names and numbers. That would be about it. Sadly. They tried to integrate the old inventive gadgets. They did alright. But they got everything else wrong.

Here's the blinding stuff not like the originals (if you even care): Agent 99 falls in love with Maxwell the first time she sees him. They always get along and 99 always follows Max.

Laraby is always stupid, but Max's friend. Not his antagonistic tormentor.

The Chief always trusts Max and knows that even while he's a klutz, he always comes through.

Smart...jeez, got just about everything off. He was never an analyst before he was an agent. He was/is their top agent. He was never fat. They don't give him his witty one liners either...gonna miss those.

As a movie, great. As an offspring from the original, an utter failure that makes me enjoy the predecessor that much more.

Not as funny as I was expecting, but still a fresh new comedy for the summer

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 7/10 · 26 June 2008]

Last year I saw the teaser trailer for Get Smart, Steve Carell throws a phone at the guy from Borat and it's on a wire and stops before it can hit him, I nearly died laughing and new I had to see this film. More and more trailers were released and this movie just looked more and more funny, I just couldn't wait to see it. I got to see it this week and I have to say that I was expecting this to be at least a nine out of ten rating. Steve Carell is such a great comedic actor and we had such a promising cast. Now I'm only 23 years old, so I haven't seen the series, but I know that it's a series that was made by Mel Brooks and was pretty popular back in the day, but I cannot judge it on what the series was. As a movie, I'd say it was good, as an all out comedy, I wasn't too thrilled. It has some really funny moments, I guess I've just seen all the screw ball comedies to the point where I am used to these stories by now.

Maxwell Smart works with a secret agency, he's got the smarts, but not exactly the skill to be a secret agent. But when hot Agent 99 is on the case, Max is given a chance to work with her. They have to stop a terrorist who is threatening to blow up a building with the president. But with Max and Agent 99 on the case, Agent 99 being good at the skills, and Max at least having the brains, with the feelings they're doing their best to hide, they stick together and learn a few new tricks.

Get Smart is a good movie, I would recommend it, I would more so would recommend though that you wait for the rental, the funny parts were already shown in the trailer unfortunately. The cast though was excellent and did make the movie work very well, the strange thing was is that Dwayne Johnson actually did a good job, he's proving more and more that he's a decent enough actor for the characters he's portraying. Another thing I did like is that they didn't make Max into a total idiot where he is like Steve Urkel or something. It's just too typical, Steve made Max into his own and the movie does still deliver good laughs, just I wish it could have been a little more.

7/10

Awful, just awful.

[gevalero · 6/10 · 28 June 2008]

This is one of the most insipid movies I have ever seen. After about an hour and 20 minutes I just completely gave up and left the theater. Whenever I watch the old show I can't help but constantly laugh, as much as I tried to do the same with the movie I could not laugh once, not once. The only remotely funny joke was the one about Max asking how to get the bad guys to take the cyanide pill he is equipped with and guess what, they took that one right out of an episode I watched a couple of months ago. The theater I saw this was fairly packed and even the usual group of people who'll laugh at anything was pretty silent. Instead of wasting millions of dollars the producers would have provided audiences with a much better entertainment if they had simply edited about 4 old episodes and shown them instead of this piece of garbage. It's a shame Hollywood can be so good at blowing things up but so terrible at providing laughter and excitement. And regarding Hathaway as agent 99, my only recommendation to her would be to never again in her life try comedy again, ever. It's just not for her, period. After watching Carrell as 86 I would do the same thing but I realize this is what he does for a living and he has to live off something. At any rate, something good came out of this experience. By leaving early I was able to reduce the cost of parking to the exact amount of change I was carrying. Guess things could have been worse.

Mel Brooks in the Audience!--and loves the movie!

[rexmorgan-bcarlton7 · 10/10 · 13 May 2008]

I saw a preview of "Get Smart" last week at Warner Brothers, and all my worries about what they would do with the great TV series vanished in the first few moments of the movie as Steve Carell enters Control through the famous doors, and so began one of the most hilarious comedies I have seen in a long time. To my added delight, I recognized Mel Brooks himself sitting in the back row and laughing along with everyone else! What a thrill for me that not only was I seeing an early screening of the movie, but enjoying it with my hero, the co-creator of my favorite TV show of all time. Carell and Hathaway are perfectly matched. They have somehow channeled the essence of Don Adams and Barbara Feldon. Carell is drop-dead funny throughout but especially in a scene in the airplane. We all kept laughing right into the next scene, but my favorite is a dance scene with Carell and 99 that will go down in movie history as a classic. Also, I keep remembering the hilarious scene when a kid in a car tries to call his mom's attention to Carell flying outside across the car window and she testily dismisses him. At the end of the movie there was loud applause. This is a summer blockbuster. P.S. Real fans should stay through the end of the credits because the movie is dedicated to Don Adams and Ed Platt.

P.P.S. I just read the interview with Mel Brooks, and I'm delighted that he loves the movie made from the TV Series. He is certainly the best critic of it, and so it thrilled me, all the good things he said about it, because I felt the same way!

Missed greatness by that much

[Jay_Exiomo · 6/10 · 20 June 2008]

Watching "Get Smart", a big screen adaptation of a TV series that ran when I wasn't even a single cell, I didn't have the same kind of approach other members of the audience had in watching the film - mainly bordered more on nostalgia of a satire of the Cold War. Instead, I was geared more on a film that's supposedly a blend of action and comedy starring one of the more endearing actors active in the industry: Steve Carell.

Carell plays Agent Maxwell Smart, a hardworking analyst for the secret organization CONTROL, who's eager for a promotion as a field agent. When the existence of CONTROL is jeopardized, Smart is eventually sent to the field to investigate a suspicious activity by KAOS, CONTROL's archenemy. He is partnered with Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway) and together, they engage themselves in some explosive scenarios.

While Carrell fits the role well and manages to give the film most of its charisma, director Peter Segal and screenwriters Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember struggle to find the right balance between humor and action, never really gaining a foothold on either. There are intermittent laughs and the action scenes are somewhat diverting but the overall effect feels wanting. The twist is so painfully obvious you could see it a mile away.

Hathaway doesn't have the requisite chemistry with Carell for their relationship to ignite sparks and the supporting cast comprised of Alan Arkin as the CONTROL head, Terence Stamp as the KAOS head, and Dwayne Johnson as Agent 23 are wasted with hit-or-miss dialogs.

"Get Smart" doesn't end up as being a horrible movie as surely, there are some moments worthy of a matinée. But it's a material that smells like it could have gotten a better treatment.

Jaw droppingly bad!!!

[freeport777 · 1/10 · 29 June 2008]

This movie is in the same league as Ishtar. Lots of wasted talent. Who let this bomb escape? When Sigfried says an example has to be made, in reference to a nuclear bomb, I said "Please let it be this theatre!" Don't waste your time. Not even worth a free rental! And where did they get these shills to fill the comments section on IMDb? I can't believe that anyone who has ever seen the original series enjoyed this stinker. Steve Carell is not a physical comedian. If they removed the "comedy" and made it a straight action movie, it could pass. What the heck was the purpose of the dance scene? Also, the fat jokes and references were tasteless. This movie never missed a chance to go for the lowest common denominator and scenes just ended, it seemed, as if no one thought them through. Just awful! Save your time, if not money and give this movie a pass!

Instant Classic, Carell Rocks

[Ryan_Walls · 10/10 · 23 April 2008]

I was lucky enough to catch a screening of 'Get Smart' and absolutely loved it. I saw the movie in Manhattan and there's nothing tougher than a New York audience, and the whole room was dying laughing throughout the film. I don't know what church group these nay-sayers saw the film with, but it is hilarious.

Steve Carell is at his best. He is incredible as Maxwell Smart. He does channel Don Adams when appropriate, but really makes the character his own. His chemistry on-screen with Anne Hathaway, who plays Agent 99, is great. There's been some complaints about the age difference, but they clear that up in the film.

The story line is solid and helps introduce this great spy comedy to a new generation. The cast is absolutely stacked, Alan Arkin, the Rock, Dave Koechner all kick ass and help make 'Get Smart' an instant classic.

If you were a fan of the original 'Get Smart' series, there's no question you'll love this movie. Check it out.

Not bad, lots of fun

[Bravesfan17 · 7/10 · 22 May 2010]

Director Peter Segal's version of Get Smart is not as bad as many people make it out be. Steve Carell put his own touch on the character of Maxwell Smart. At times Maxwell Smart does seem like a dumbed down version of Andy Stitzer (Carell's character from The 40-Year-Old Virgin) or Michael Scott (Carell's character from The Office), but that is how Carell works this role. Anne Hathaway does a good job as Smart's female counterpart Agent 99. She is tougher and smarter side of Smart. Alan Arkin and Dwayne Johnson do fine jobs in their roles but are not given a whole lot to do. Segal does a passable job of mixing the action and the comedy, and it works. You'll get some laughs out of it and it is a fun movie to watch.

Shames the Timeless Comedy Gold of it's Namesake.

[blindbat2 · 3/10 · 21 June 2008]

In yet another miserable attempt to make a quick Hollywood cash-in of one of televisions greatest masterpieces, Peter Segal has created a monster. Taken out of context, if one did not know Brooks' work before viewing, the movie would be a lame big budget film that isn't sure if it wants to be fat joke and stupid comedy, or just an ordinary action film with nothing to move on. However, as a young generation Y'er who just recently spent two months obsessing over the five seasons of Get Smart, the 60's TV show, this movie pained me from the moment I entered and saw Steve Carell dumbing down the part. The backstories, agent 99 getting plastic surgery and 86 as an analyst who was formerly morbidly obese, shames the complexity of the original duo and paints a flat boring reevaluation of them. It seems the screenwriters, unable to be truthfully funny in both dialogue and situation, fell back on lame set-ups for Don Adams famous lines, flashbacks to fat camp, references to Carell's part in the office in the interview style camera angles they have, and a female chauvinism that falls flat on its face.

For those who have seen the original, the writers of this movie thought they'd include some memories. They mention Herbie, Fang (now a worthless tiny furry dog that Carell covets), the shoe phone, the cone of silence, and his classic red car and the doors and phone that intro'd the show. The classic music is back, but now everything is updated, generally for the worse. Cone of silence is now some weird blue telekinetic force field, control headquarters are right under a museum that preserves Control's past. The movie lacks any creative random tech, and replaces it with crossbows in swiss army knives. Lots of the "humor" in the movie is Carrel hurting himself, or another character being hurt, whether it be carrel spending two minutes shooting himself accidentally with the crossbow, or getting punched by security guards, or throwing up in airplanes. In the original, Smart would insult a big foe, attack him with no success, and try to buddy up with him before getting pulverized. In this one, he attacks without success and gets pummeled. It seems the screenwriters didn't understand the humor was established with the dialogue and not the pointless violence. It's like they took the names from the show, and cut out all that made it good in the first place.

The poster hides Carell's face beyond that of Hathaway's. The movie likewise, shies away from anything that could make it good. They intertwine the classic music with the over-dramatic action and romantic music in big-budget films. Whereas the original fed off a campy feel, this one replaces quality with massive doses of cgi explosions and pow sound effects. I was really looking forward to this, as I finished the original series just two months ago and it ranked in my top five shows of all time. However, this was a massive disappointment. The credits say they collaborated with Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, but in all the things I've read on the internet, they were largely left out of the writing process. In conclusion, if you want to waste your money on a cash-in with little value and no respect to its namesake, go for it. But be prepared that the ride is not how you remembered it.

PS: I almost forgot the George Bush humor. They mention "Nuculor", falling asleep at fine art, President's working for their vice pres, and appreciating tackles over solving real problems. If you're into hearing the same jokes you heard 3-4 years ago in big budget movie form, chuck your money here.