Get Smart Review

Isn't it annoying when a movie's trailer and TV commercials give away all of its jokes?

Well, I was afraid that might be the case with "Get Smart." On top of the TV spots I saw at home, I go to the movies a lot (as you may have noticed) so I've been "treated" to AMC Cinemas' extended behind the scenes look at "Get Smart" for the better part of a month where a lot of the movie's gags were inevitably revealed.

I'm happy to report that not ALL of its jokes have been spoiled — I'd estimate I'd already seen about 75 percent of its funny moments. Still, when you consider how many jokes had been given away, that still leaves plenty of funny to go around.

As you probably know, "Get Smart" is an update of the 1960's Cold War comedy spy series of the same name, which followed CONTROL agents Maxwell Smart and his fetching partner (I don't get to write the word "fetching" very often, but it works here) Agent 99, as they battled evil organization KAOS.

I have slightly-more-than-vague memories of watching reruns of the show when I was a kid, so I was delighted to see the movie reference the original series multiple times, as well as retain much of the show's silly spirit and charm (or as much wit and charm as you can retain in a big summer action comedy) without being stuck in the past.

The movie also cleverly updates the show's storyline — CONTROL, now thought to be defunct, still operates in secrecy as it battles KAOS in the new century.

Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) is now an analyst who dreams of being field agent like his idol, Agent 23 (Dwayne "Don't call me 'The Rock'" Johnson). When CONTROL is infiltrated by KAOS agents, Max is thrust into the field along with Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway). The rest of the plot isn't very strong, but it doesn't really matter — it's just an excuse for putting Max and 99 in funny situations as they do battle with bad guys led by a man named Siegfried (Terrence Stamp).

I really like Carell, Johnson and Hathaway separately, so it was a treat to see them in the same movie.

My bias toward anyone involved in U.S. version of "The Office" is well-documented and especially strong when it comes to Carell (I stand by my decision of naming "Dan in Real Life" my second favorite movie of last year). I bring up "The Office" because his performance as Maxwell Smart as a well-meaning, but occasionally incompetent buffoon who ends up coming through in an odd way is closest to his work as Michael Scott on the TV show. In fact, watching him in "Get Smart" made me think I was watching the screenplay his "Office" character wrote, "Threat Level: Midnight," in which he plays "Agent Michael Scarn" alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones. (Here's what "The Office" would look like if it were a spy thriller).

Instead of Catherine Zeta-Jones, Carell spends most of his time with Anne Hathaway, who ends up giving what is probably the movie's strongest performance. The two leads have good comedic chemistry and she's a much more credible action star than Carell (or at least Carell's stunt double, since that's who we see most of the time). I also really appreciated the fact that the script cleverly addressed the age difference between Carell and Hathaway, making their relationship considerably less icky.

Johnson gives another appealing performance as 23, and I actually wish he had a little more screen time. The movie is also populated by funny actors in small supporting roles, including Alan Arkin as The Chief (any movie in which Alan Arkin gets to kick a little ass is ok by me), underused Terry Crews as Agent 91, and Ken Davitian ("Borat") as a henchman. Also, there's Bill Murray in a tree.

Masi Oka and Nate Torrence try (and mostly fail) to score some laughs as a pair of geeky techies, but I'm assuming all of their good jokes have been saved for their characters' spinoff.

Since the movie is supposed to be an action-comedy, I was happy to see "Get Smart" also held up the "action" part of the equation. The movie has several surprisingly exciting and credible action sequences, including a skydiving fight and the climactic highway chase.

"Get Smart" doesn't break any new comedic ground, but as far as super-mainstream American comedies go you can watch with the family (if you don't mind brief rear nudity) this one delivers.

I just wish I hadn't seen or heard most of the jokes before I stepped into the theatre.

Get Smart...B-