Get Smart (2008)

Small to large screen adaptations of beloved television classics has always been an easy buck for the Hollywood executives. Make a few million dollars off unsuspecting fans while at the same time you manage to make a mockery out of their favorite television series. It should be no surprise after films like The Honeymooners, The Brady Bunch, The Wild Wild West and many others have been twisted and violated beyond recognition it's all about an easy buck and no actual care for the fans or the classic shows. But there is a rare occasion when a television conversion actually receives the respect it's due, and surprisingly Get Smart is one of those few films.

Get Smart follows the character of Maxwell Smart as he goes from a CONTROL analyst to a full fledged agent. As in the TV series, CONTROL is a secret government agency stationed in the underground of Washington DC whose main operation is to stop the attempts of world domination by the terrorist group known as KAOS. In the minds most US government leaders KAOS is an ancient terrorist group of the past who vanished along with the Cold War, but as they are about to discover KAOS is still quite active. KAOS is secretly producing uranium in order to create nuclear bombs in which they plan to threaten the world's leading countries into relinquishing power and wealth, the United States will be their first target. It's up to the newly commissioned Maxwell Smart and the lovely veteran Agent 99 to take down KAOS once again!

When I first saw the previews for Get Smart I thought it would once again be another mediocre remake of a classic television series but after watching it on DVD I must say I was completely wrong. True fans of the Get Smart series should be very pleased with this film, as it's jam packed with original Get Smart gadgets, characters, and phrases. It's a film that truly pays homage to its originator while at the same time successfully updates the franchise into a modern era. While not a huge fan of Steve Carell or Anne Hathaway, I loved them in this film and thought they portrayed their TV counterparts quite well, Anne Hathaway even looked quite lovely.

For those who aren't familiar with the 1960's television series, this updated version of Get Smart might be a toss up since a lot of jokes and gags are taken right from the series, and the humor mirrors the corniness of the series. So it should be of no surprise that some will not find Get Smart as amusing as others. Personally I found the show hilarious and I have never really seen much of the original series, but I quickly rented the 1st season after viewing this film. Overall, fans should love this, and everyone else should still give it a chance, if you end up enjoying it there's plenty of Get Smart out there to watch while you wait for the enviable sequel.

8/10