There are two things I expected from this big-screen reinvention of 'Get Smart.' First, I figured Steve Carell would be charming and amusing (note I did not require 'hilarious') and second, that Anne Hathaway would be quite fetching. Expectation one turned out to be right on, and expectation two was actually surpassed. The question remains, however - is this enough to actually recommend the film?
As a fan of much 60s pop culture, I was completely aware of the TV series 'Get Smart' but I never watched any complete episodes. I can imagine the tone from much of the contemporary sitcoms of the time, though. I don't understand the outright vitriol against the idea of making a film with the characters and basic setup of the original without being faithful to the style or tone, however. There are people who consider this an "abomination," and that's just a flat out overreaction.
The truth is that this film is ultimately harmless and nowhere near as offensive as I'd feared. In the context of what passes for major studio fare today, it's actually not that dumb. The biggest sins of this film are mildly inconsistent characterization and a lack of great jokes (though there are a handful of acceptable ones). As an action film, it's completely passable, and it even manages to evoke a slightly more innocent era.
But people associate the "brand" of 'Get Smart' with comedy, and it seemed like a slam dunk to hire Steve Carell as the new Maxwell Smart. And, yes, this is great casting, but despite a fair attempt at a backstory, this Max is never fully realized. In the "character is action" department, we're mostly covered, but in a movie that gives us a no-nonsense, independent Agent 99, Max comes across as more of an idiot savant than a smart but inexperienced agent.
But this is just a mild romp and everyone involved is obviously having fun. Carell has the charisma to pass off half-baked material, and Hathaway is quite good throughout, even in the more serious moments. Sheer goodwill convinced me to overlook a ridiculous, slapstick airplane bathroom sequence that the rest of the audience seemed to enjoy. Everything else went down pretty smoothly.
In the end, with obligations to the original material satisfied, there remain some interesting possibilities for a follow-up. In particular, a last-minute cameo pre-sold me on a ticket, conditional on said actor returning, of course.
In the meantime, I hear there's a direct-to-video semi-sequel on the way(taking place in parallel to the feature film) featuring some of the minor characters of 'Get Smart.' I'm not so sold on this, but as long as it's not too crass of a cash-in, I might actually have fun with it.