Get Smart

Year: 2008
Director: Peter Segal
Cast: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terence Stamp, Ken Davitian


Get Smart is another film in the line of old TV shows being remade for the big screen, such as Mission: Impossible, Starsky & Hutch, S.W.A.T. and to some extent, The Incredible Hulk. I hear that The A-Team, one of my favourite shows, will be remade soon. Wonder how that one will turn out.

Anyway, back to Get Smart. I remembered watching this show when I was a kid, though at the time the show had probably been axed and was on reruns. It follows the adventures of Maxwell Smart, the bumbling agent working for CONTROL, a fictitious CIA type organization formed to stop KAOS, an evil terrorist group out to destroy the world. Smart is known for his clumsy antics and the infamous shoe-phone from which he communicates with his chief.

In this film, Smart is played by funnyman Steve Carell as a CONTROL analyst who aspires to become a field agent and get a piece of the action. He yearns for a chance to prove himself and stop becoming a laughing stock amongst his colleagues. However, despite passing his training courses with flying colours, the Chief (Alan Arkin) chooses to keep Max where he is. That is, until KAOS attacks CONTROL headquarters and learns the secret identity of all their agents.

The Chief needs to find out what's KAOS' next move, so he assigns the only two agents whose identities are still intact: the beautiful Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway) and Max, who has been promoted to Agent 86! 99 is reluctant to pair up with Max since the latter has no field experience, but she has no choice. So the two set off to Russia to follow up a lead on the theft of nuclear weapons by KAOS. Things get interesting and fun as the two argue, fight and compete with one another to overcome every obstacle in their path, and learn that they do make a great pair when they learn to work together. Eventually they find out about a plot by KAOS to attack the United States, and a possible double agent in their midst.

I gotta tell you, I haven't had this much fun with an action comedy for a long time. Director Peter Segal, who directed three Adam Sandler films, delivers the laughs effectively by making Max go through all sorts of mishaps, but never really lets him be as incompetent as say, Johnny English, thereby making Max a very lovable and more importantly believable character. Max may be clumsy and clueless at times, but he can fight and shoot competently, and defend himself when the need arises.

Casting wise, Carell is perfect for the role of Max. Not only does he look like the late Don Adams, who played Max in the TV series, Carell also has the ability to make fun of himself and keep a straight face. He shares great chemistry with Hathaway, whose Agent 99 is the perfect foil for Max. watch the hilarious scene when the duo have a face off on the dance floor. Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock, lends good support as Agent 23, and Arkin is commendable as the Chief. Terence Stamp however is wasted in his role as KAOS leader Siegfried. It's Ken Davitian that stands out as Siegfried's right hand man Shtarker.

What I like about this film is that it is never dull. If you're not laughing, you're enjoying the action that's unfolding. The film even pays tribute to the TV series by having the familiar multiple entrance doors that lead to the phone booth, the theme song and of course, the shoephone. It caters to fans of the show and also has enough to entertain the younger audience who may not know who Maxwell Smart is.

Good for a barrel of laughs. Recommended. (4/5)