Cool News
We Have An Early Look At A Test Screening Of GET SMART!
Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.
This spy is not a plant.
It’s not often that I can say it with this degree of certainty, but I’m absolutely positive that this guy is not a plant for Warner Bros. He doesn’t work in the film industry at all, actually. He just got out of school and went to work in another field altogether. I’ve known this guy for at least six years. He just happened to go to this screening and sent me a review that is so simple and clean and well-expressed that I’m sure you’ll accuse him of being a plant.
But he’s not.
Which is actually sort of encouraging, because he seemed to really like the film, which I was very unsure about. Maybe this is going to turn out to be good after all...
Hey Moriarty. I just saw an early screening of Get Smart, which comes out in June 2008, and thought I should drop in a few lines about it.
Mind you: although what I saw was a rough cut of the film, so what I saw may not be the final product, although judging from the positive audience reaction, the producers won't need to tweak this action-comedy very much.
Steve Carrell plays the titular Maxell Smart, expert analyst for CONTROL, a top secret organization led by The Chief (Alan Arkin). CONTROL keeps an eye on the terroristic KAOS, led by the cruel Siegfried (Terrance Stamp) and the put-upon Shtarker (Ken Davitian, who played Borat's sidekick producer). CONTROL, like any other organization, has its internal conflicts, here between its flashy field agents like Agent 23 (Dwayne "I don't go by 'The Rock'" Johnson) and its IT/office types like Smart – in fact, Smart would like nothing more than to become elite field agent.
But when CONTROL is devastated by a surprise KAOS attack, it has no choice but to send him into action with the far more experienced Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), who's cool to the idea of teaming up with the dopey Smart. Through his charm and basic decency — even to the bad guys— Smart manages to win the skeptical Agent 99 over despite his constant ability to land himself into trouble.
If this part sounds vaguely like the first Austin Powers movie, you'd be right— Hathaway plays the sort of faux-Bond Girl Elizabeth Hurley played to Mike Myers. But the film isn't about Bond, since its real target is the Mission Impossible movies, with its gadgets and Ethan Hunt's practically superhuman agility and strength, along with a climax that clearly echoes "24." The Chief praises Smart for his skills with human intelligence as opposed to fancy technology, and he gets out of scrapes through his wits, even as the film mixes in a surprisingly strong string of action scenes along the way that make it as much the action movie as the genre its mocking.
The film manages successfully to juggle slapstick comedy with romantic dialog, throwing in the occasional barb at current politics with effective action sequences, all held together by Carrell and Hathaway's basic humanity – both actors have experience playing determined, under appreciated underdogs that make good, and both add chemistry to a crowd-pleasing film.
The film is overall an impressive mix of action and comedy.
Vertov
Readers Talkback
comments powered by Disqus-
+ Expand All
-
How about something original for a change...we need a Titanic remake, I mean its been 10 years!!
-
nuff said.
-
"Oh, he's definitely not a plant. I know it for sure. No, definitely not a plant, nope. Not at all."<br><br>Plant!!
-
Maxell Smart? Is this product placement run amok?<br><br>"Not only is he a fine agent, but his audio reproduction is second to none!"
-
Oh noes!
-
Or have they just slapped the names form the brillant show from the 60's on something that has nothing to do with it?<br> I mean, I'm okay with a funny movie, but I would prefer a funny 'Get Smart' movie!
-
max is smart? isn't that kind of... completely contrary to the show?
-
It sounds like this reviewer is unfamiliar with the Get Smart tv show. This shouldn't just a parody of old spy movies, it needs to be a film version of the great old tv show. Of course, Agent 99, Steve Carell, shoe phones, and the cone of silence will probably be enough. As long as they don't recreate the colossal suckfest that was The Pink Panther remake, I'll be happy.
-
...Maxwell Smart walking down a long corridor, through an endless series of various large, clanking iron doors as the opening credits or forget it! ('Cause, really... that was the best part of the show, anyway.)
-
in the old series reminded me of bad Borscht-belt comedy routines. Good thing they had the perfect actor with the perfect voice (Don Adams). In any event, wasn't Get Smart more of a parody of The Avengers?
-
Give me a minute, boys. I need some "alone time".
-
god the original movie was funny. with the nude bimb and the cloning device. <p>funny shit. i may just go out and buy that one and skip the remake.
-
= EW.
-
"99, I am your father...and...loving it!"
-
on the so-so Rowan Aktinson movie Johnny English, where he escaped an attack on the British Secret Service, thus becoming their prime agent. Did this reviewer ever see the original series? No mention of a supposed cameo by Bernie Kopell, or Hymie the robot, or the agent that was always disguised as common objects. The trailer gives me a little hope, as does Steve Carell's take on taking over such a iconic role as Don Adams' Maxwell Smart. Would like a more detailed review.
-
Never been a big fan of GET SMART but I'll probably watch this for Carrell. That guy has great comic timing.
-
....that Hollywood can take any old property like Get Smart and NOT fuck it up? This show had a lot of little things that made it funnier than it should have been. If the movie messes this up...witness "Bewitched"...it will tank worse than "Evan Almighty".
-
of the avengers. it was more like the old 60's batman show with adam west. it was a campy take-off of the whole genre of crime fighting and puzzle solving. it was never like south park where they attack current events with genius comedy. it was a very stylish and comedic thank you to everyone who supported the mission impossible and i spy t.v series shows all those years. also, i'm looking forward to the get smart big screen remake next summer. only because i still love the show and steve carell's a funny guy.
-
for agreeing to be in this. Then spanked some more for being Anne Hathaway..
-
This reminds me of the old "use the goofy IT nerd to team up with the hot super agent so that they can save the world from the evil plans of a secret, powerful organization Trick." Missed being an original story by... THAT much. I wonder how many young'uns even saw an ep of Get Smart. Still sounds good though. Good cast.
-
I'm 25, do I count as a young'n? Remember, my generation had Nick@Night to introduce us to all these great old shows. To this day, I consider The Dick van Dyke show one of the greatest sitcoms ever. I loved Get Smart, Green Acres...hell, even F-Troop. I'm excited about this flick.
-
... the excerpted review is a plant and not particularly interested in hiding that fact. Leo presented evidence as damning as the plant typing "gotta go, we at Paramount are having a birthday cake for Fred in Accounting."
-
Moriarty, I hope your "friend" isn't planning on being a writer. <p> I think the cast sounds spot-on for this, unfortunately the story sounds derivative.
-
Did Mel and Buck have any say in this? At least to give it their blessing or not. Inquiring minds want to know. I suppose we'll hear more as the release date approaches.
-
mentioned that Mel and Buck have given their blessing, if not some advice. I hope they both get a buttload of cash for this. And Buck Henry's coming up on 30 Rock as Tina's dad. How appropriate given the SNL lineage.
-
and Page may go on tour again, with John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham.
-
Because they are. A little pale though.
-
titties
-
Underappreciated, actually. But isn't that a somewhat strange phrase?
-
The movie is soft and is not GET SMART as we know it. It does feel like JOHNNY ENGLISH and they made the character of Smart a nerd and a dweeb. The odd thing is it's an action movie and not all that funny. There's one scene in it that plays like a flashback to the original show, but overall this is a major disappointment. It's Maxwell Almighty.
-
"this is the second most powerful poison in the world" "is it artificial sweetner?" "no it's blah blah" "what's the first most powerful poision?" "artificial sweetner" max does the funny face
-
although I'll still probably just rent it. Hey, it sounds good, and has a fine cast, but a movie has to be superb for me to shell out $10.
-
BUT ... When is Hollywood going to do a big-screen adaptation of HOGAN'S HEROES?
-
Boosh!
-
"Only a little oil now and then." "Do you smoke?" "Only when I drink cheap oil." Man, I used to love me some Get Smart.
-
I saw it at a test screening and I can tell you for certain that it blew hard. It's a tame PG kiddie flick. Steve Carell is wasted to shit, and Hathaway phoned it in. She's still amazingly hot though. This all coming from an Office-addicted, Anchorman fan with 40 year old virgin bobblehead on his desk. I was amused by the teaser, but this movie sucked hard.
-
<HTML><B>TEST</B>
-
<br><b>TEST</b>
-
<HTML><b>TEST</b></HTML>
-
<html> <head> <style type="text/css"> p {color: white; } body {background-color: black; } </style> </head> <body> <p>Wow!</p> </body> </html>
-
<br>........................<br> Oldschool it.
Top Talkbacks
- MAN OF STEEL TV Spot #6 - I give up, I'm just dying to see this thing! -- 139 total posts 139 posts
- Spoilery early review of MAN OF STEEL!! -- 512 total posts 94 posts
- Capone believes that FAST & FURIOUS 6 is the best in a bizarre, crowded franchise!!! -- 131 total posts 65 posts
- Beware Epileptics - we have a new motion poster for the upcoming remake of CARRIE! -- 118 total posts 58 posts
-
HERCULES ON THE RADIO!!
Learn What Ain’t It Cool’s TV Critic Thinks About The New WOLVERINE Trailer, Soderbergh’s CANDELABBRA, FURIOUS 6, HANGOVER III, EPIC, GAME OF THRONES, MAD MEN And More!! Listen And Call In LIVE Saturday 8pm PT/11pm ET!! -- 44 total posts 44 posts - New trailer for Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara's upcoming western, AIN'T THEM BODIES SAINTS!! -- 75 total posts 34 posts
- Harry dives into STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS' spoilers to reveal the truth behind the blockbuster we're seeing! -- 1504 total posts 33 posts
- The INDY 500 Featurette about TURBO proves that Ferrari moves at a Snail's Pace! -- 37 total posts 30 posts
- Capone makes the case that THE HANGOVER PART III is neither a comedy nor a movie!!! -- 87 total posts 28 posts
- The Friday Docback Revisits DOCTOR WHO Season 7!! A Fuller Review Of 'The Name of the Doctor,' And More!! -- 101 total posts 26 posts