Get Smart

[slickstu]

This new incarnation of the popular 60's TV series is easily the equal of the best Sean Connery 007 movies.
"I find that very hard to believe."
Would you believe the equal of an Avengers remake starring Vin Diesel and Pamela Anderson?
"No."
How about a Uwe Boll directed Inspector Gadget II?

The film begins nicely, recreating the iconic opening sequence from the TV series, expanding on its ideas just enough to distinguish itself from its source. The nostalgia drips readily from the screen but sadly it rapidly fades as its comic targets are struck only occasionally. All of Maxwell Smart's iconic verbal quips are here ("missed it by that much", "ah, the old.....trick", "sorry about that, Chief" etc) but they seem to be included purely for nostalgic reason, their delivery lacking the intended comedic effect. And political correctness wins again, relegating Asian villain, The Claw ("No, not da Craw, DA CRAW!") to a merely a handwritten mention on one of Agent 86's analytical notes.

Steve Carell concentrates a little too much on mimicking the late Don Adams' trademark dead-pan style that he misses the oversure cockiness required to make the character of Maxwell Smart work. Of course, Carell doesn't have Adams' voice either. Anne Hathaway fares much better, successfully transforming Barbara Feldon's doe-eyed Agent 99 into a modern day driven career woman unafraid to use her sexual wiles to influence people. Dwayne Johnson performs admirably as legend Agent 23.

That the film received a PG classification is a little surprising given the frequency of inappropriate language and violence. Such a rating earns the movie a default kiddie audience and you can almost hear the squeaks of parents squirming in their seats at various points.

Far from being an abject failure, Get Smart is a moderately entertaining spy farce which captures the spirit of Mel Brooks' and Buck Henry's original creation with only limited success.

6 out of 10

[ozchips]

thought it was pretty funny , and if you grew up watching the show was a pretty fair modern take on it as well