Get Smart

Cinema review
Directed by Peter Segal
Starring Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terence Stamp
Release date 22 August 2008 (UK)

When the identities of every CONTROL field agent are discovered, the free world has to rely on the dubious talents of analyst Agent 86 – Maxwell Smart (Carell)...

As the later Austin Powers movies proved, it can be very hard to mix spy thrillers with comedy. Get Smart has all the humour that fans of the original would expect, but it also gently sends up the current po-faced action-thriller market, making it a worthy successor to the original Austin Powers film.

Get Smart doesn't get off to a promising start, with Steve Carrell seemingly about to slip into his 40 Year Old Virgin routine. But once the plot gets underway, Carrell relaxes into the material, and makes a likeable agent who's clearly out of his depth in so many ways, yet somehow manages to come through. It helps that he bears a vague resemblance to one-off Bond George Lazenby and that he can carry off the various stunts that are required.

Anne Hathaway, like Barbara Felton in the original 1960s series, has a thankless role as Max's co-worker, Agent 99, effectively playing the straight man, but the scriptwriters wisely give her enough material of her own so that the character doesn’t come across as too one-dimensional. Alan Arkin also works well as CONTROL's chief, skilfully blending humour and drama. Catchphrases from the original series make a welcome reappearance, but on the whole don't feel shoehorned into the script. Paul Simpson