Based on Mel Brooks and Buck Henry's popular and beloved 1960s TV series, Get Smart features an all-star cast with Alan Arkin, Dwayne Johnson, Anne Hathaway, and of course, one of the funniest leading men today—Steve Carell.
A believable marriage between Bourne Identity and Inspector Gadget, Get Smart possesses all of the necessary elements of a successful summer blockbuster.
Steve Carell plays main character Maxwell Smart, an analyst at U.S. spy agency CONTROL, who desperately wishes to be a secret agent working in the field alongside his idol, Agent 23 (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson). When the identities of CONTROL's agents become compromised, the Chief (Alan Arkin) has no choice but to promote Smart to Agent 86 and assign him to work with the only other agent whose identity had not been compromised—veteran agent provocateur, Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway). Their mission is to stop evil crime syndicate KAOS from carrying out a terrorist plot to kill the President of the United States.
What ensues is a perfect blend of comedy, suspense, and explosive megawatt action sequences akin to what you might expect in Mission Impossible or Die Hard. Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway may appear to many to be the least likely action stars; however, against the irreverent and comedic backdrop of the film, the two actors prove themselves to be worthy of secret agent status. Adding to the entertainment of the film, the chemistry between Carell and Hathaway is palpable and helps to create additional dimensionality.
Venerable actor Alan Arkin shows off his humorous side and adds just the right amount of gravitas to the film, while Terence Stamp plays a well-cast villain (Siegfried). Dwayne Johnson, while displaying the physical qualities of a superstar agent, misses the mark in being convincingly funny. More impressive is Dalip Singh, in his film debut, whose 7'2" 400-pound character provides a formidable antagonist for Agents 86 and 99. It was also a pleasure to see Masi Oka from Hero in a role where he gets to speak English. And Bill Murray makes a cameo appearance, in a tree, of all places.
If you're looking for an ab workout in the form of laughter balanced with smart dialogue, witty humor, and great action sequences, run—don't walk—to see Get Smart.
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