Get Smart

There is a thin line between KAOS and CONTROL and this line is guarded by hilariously inept secret agent Maxwell Smart, a.k.a. 86.

A government’s secret spying agency CONTROL is sabotaged by criminal organization KAOS – its eternal nemesis – and loses most of its best agents. So the Chief (Alan Arkin) promotes desk analyst Maxwell (Steve Carell) to field agent, who, in collaboration with the gorgeous Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), has to avert a nuclear catastrophe, save the world and save the US president.

Peter Segal’s spy comedy Get Smart – a remake of a cult 1960s TV sitcom – brings the Cold War espionage satire to the twenty-first century – with updated weaponry, slick humour and – yes, that’s right – state-of-the-art special effects. Fans of the original TV series will be glad to be reminded of some of Maxwell’s trademark gags – the unfortunate cone of silence, for instance – while everyone should enjoy the new twist that Get Smart gives to the classic.

Steve Carell gives a magnificent performance as the new Maxwell Smart. He is still the same old inexpert Agent 86 – though a little more intelligent – and yet a marvellously fresh interpretation of Don Adams’ (who played Maxwell Smart in the original series) character. His deadpan expression in the face of danger cannot possibly leave anyone straight-faced.

Equally solid is Anne Hathaway’s Agent 99 – in 2008, she is slimmer, better dressed and less enthusiastic about Maxwell’s expertise. Hathaway demonstrates a talent for comic timing and effortlessly dominates the screen – a real gift for the eyes. Even though she is twenty years younger than Carell, their pairing pays off perfectly – one could not wish for a better couple to entrust with the future of the world.

And, of course, no self-respecting spy movie can get away without decent CGI action. Get Smart is filled with first-class special effects that would not be a disgrace to any James Bond movie. The action sequences are well paced and punctuated with jokes, so they never get dull or too self-indulgent. This makes Get Smart a funny, exciting and preposterous spy genre spoof which makes an extremely pleasurable big-screen experience.

Justinas Suliokas