Over the last several years, funny-man Steve Carell has attempted to escape the realm of television and enter the world of theatrical film. However, with such flops as Evan Almighty and Dan in Real Life, Carell has been forced to rely on his regular stint on the small screen as Michael Scott on NBC's 'The Office.' Luckily, the man of awkward humility is showing no signs of slowing down as he attempts to bring the infamous Maxwell Smart to the big screen in Warner Bros. adaptation of the 1960's television show, 'Get Smart.'
Any time you adapt something that is still adored by so many people, you run the risk of alienating the film from its core audience. No matter how hard you try, every viewer is going to go in and begin comparing the film to the original source of material "“ in this instance, the television show.
Did Carell creatively adapt Smart from a small screen legend to a big screen star? Is Anne Hathaway any replacement for Barbara Feldon? Does the film possess a story that TV fans will find entertaining and true to the show's roots? And lastly, is there a way to transform a half hour sitcom into a 100 minute film? We all saw what happened to Speed Racer, Bewitched, Scooby Doo, and even The Flintstones.
However, stuck within the confines of the horrible television adapted films, there are a few gold threads. Take for example, 1999's South Park: Bigger, Longer& Uncut. Though no work of pure art, the film held true to the values of the show and was praised for its style and outrageous humor. Then there was Reno 911: Miami, which faired decent at the box office but proved to be a huge hit on home video.
With all that said, I will say that Get Smart is no Speed Racer and thankfully no Scooby Doo. However, it isn't even close to being a South Park either. Instead, the film ranks right there in the middle. Pleasing and satisfactory; though never really breaking out of the 'safety' shell, Get Smart will be enjoyed by all, but will regretfully be forgotten on the drive home from the theater.
As the film starts out, we are introduced to the highly secretive division of the U.S. government called Control. Thought to be shut down long ago, the division works as a secret spy agency whose main task is shutting down KAOS. After headquarters is broken into and the identities of its agents compromised, Chief has no choice but to promote analyst Maxwell Smart to agent.
Steve Carell is given the daunting task of bringing the popular analyst turned agent to the big screen, and he does so surprisingly well.
Known for his ridiculous humor and his ability to create awkward situations at any moment, Carell is able to present a character that is similar but not exactly like the one Don Adams created back in the 1960s. His wit, charm and monotone approach is undeniably funny; yet, somehow Carell takes Smart beyond that. Whether it is his untouchable dance routine or his relaxing innocence, there is something about his portrayal that truly captivates the audience and gives them reason to laugh.
Opposite Carell is sexy rising star Anne Hathaway. Though the actress has never been forced to kick any ass on-screen, she does so flawlessly here as veteran Agent 99. Using her figure, comedic timing and bitchy attitude, Hathaway is able to recreate and reform 99, making her more modern, more independent and more addictive than ever.
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As the film moves on, the audience is introduced to two characters that Maxwell idolizes for different reasons.
First we have Chief, played by Academy Award winner Alan Arkin. Tabbed as the man in charge, Chief is hesitant to promote Smart, so hesitant that it takes a break in and possible mole to change his mind. However, it is his relationship with Smart that really makes the character so important as Smart longs for Chief's approval, never wanting to let him and down and always there when called upon.
Secondly we have Agent 23, played surprisingly strong by Dwayne Johnson. Tabbed as a one-dimensional actor, Johnson does nothing here to contradict that assumption; however, I do have to give the man credit for his acting. Though he is buffed to the brim, it was no wonder that he played a successful field agent who takes on the most challenging of missions. However, what audiences didn't expect was for him to be able to compliment the work of Hathaway and Carell so well. His comedic timing was dead on and his ability to interact with those around him was surprisingly strong, making him the biggest success story for the entire film.
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Reaching the halfway point, the film takes a slight punch to the ribs as it suffers it first major drawback, the building relationship between Carell and Hathaway. Now don't get me wrong, I know that in a film like this, an unexpected relationship has to develop. However, even with this relationship, the story shouldn't have suffered because of it. Tagged with overly corny dialogue and ridiculous incidents, the story drug for an extended period, making you wonder if it was ever going to resurface before the homestretch arrived "“ thankfully it did.
Closing with a climatic chase sequence that carried the hilarious antics that were present throughout the entire movie, Get Smart ended with a bang "“ and somewhat of a bust. Being dragged down a set of train tracks in an effort to divert KAOS's plan, Smart and 99 keep audiences interested and entertained until the very end "“ making Get Smart a good but not amazing television adaptation.
