Review of Get Smart (2008) by Ben D — 27 Jan 2014

Okay, funny, and some good cast members, but falls flat in recreating the classic satire series. Based of Mel Brook's and Buck Henry's spy satire series of the same name from the 1960s, Get Smart follows Agent 86 Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 of CONTROL going on a mission to stop KAOS from killing government officials and arming hostile countries by means of nuclear bombs.

Compared to the series, the movie lacks the massive hilarity, bizarre yet intelligent satire, and lack or little use of clichés that Hollywood somewhat put into the film despite the fact the series was never like that to begin with (the entire magic is gone).

The film has some good casting choices, particularly Steve Carrel as Maxwell Smart, who offers numerous clichéd laughs throughout that are somehow enjoyable. Carrel alongside Anne Hathaway reveals stiff chemistry, and romance that was never needed.

The film has some parodical moments, but are over-the-top compared to the over-the-top spoofing of the series. It nay have a similar opening and the theme song, but the opening is more ridiculous and not what we expected to occur.

The film also has enjoyable action (unlike the series with just spoofed gunfights), but Carrel doesn't seem to fit into it especially by his build and personality standards. Tom J. A style and Matt Ember wrote a script that could've been improved if series creators Mel Brooks and Buck Henry wrote it, but ah well, what're you going to do? Overall, the film is funny, entertaining, and over-the-top, but it's not something I would recommend to fans of Mel Brooks and/or his series.