Get Smart (film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Founder | Peter Segal (director), Leonard B. Stern (producer) |
| Products | Spy action comedy film |
Get Smart is a 2008 American spy action comedy film helmed by director Peter Segal, with a screenplay by Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember. The production was overseen by Leonard B. Stern, who also produced the original television series. This movie adapts the classic TV show originally created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry.
The cast features Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, and Alan Arkin in leading roles, supported by appearances from Terence Stamp and James Caan. Additionally, Bernie Kopell, known from the original series, makes a brief cameo. The storyline centers on Maxwell Smart (Carell), an analyst eager to become an operative in the field. The movie premiered in North America on June 20, 2008.
Although critical reception for Get Smart was mixed, it achieved commercial success, earning $230 million globally against an $80 million production budget.
Plot
Maxwell Smart works as an analyst for CONTROL, a covert U.S. intelligence agency, dreaming of becoming a field agent. However, the Chief prefers to keep him in an analytical role. Following a devastating bombing of CONTROL’s headquarters by KAOS—a terrorist group that also steals agent identities—Smart is promoted to Agent 86 and partnered with Agent 99. Agent 99 has undergone plastic surgery to evade KAOS detection and initially doubts Smart’s abilities.
Smart pursues leads to Moscow, but during his flight there, he is mistakenly arrested after an incident involving his shoe. While confined in a restroom, he utilizes a concealed Swiss Army knife equipped with a mini-crossbow; firing one dart activates an eject mechanism that propels him out of the bathroom. Agent 99 parachutes down to retrieve him and distracts a KAOS assassin with a kiss, allowing Max to deploy his parachute safely as the assassin crashes.
At a party hosted at KAOS bomb-maker Ladislas Krstic's estate, Max and 99 infiltrate his office and trace nuclear materials to a KAOS facility disguised as a bakery in Moscow. Captured by operatives there, they manage to eliminate their captors and escape. At the bakery, Max confronts KAOS leader Siegfried and his deputy Shtarker, who expose both agents’ identities. Max escapes and destroys the factory but is confronted again by the assassin from earlier. Recognizing him as Dalip, Max counsels Dalip about his troubled marriage, convincing him to let them go. Agent 23 witnesses the aftermath but finds no weapons since KAOS had already removed them. CONTROL suspects Smart of being a double agent due to his independent discoveries; meanwhile, Agent 99—who has developed feelings for him—takes him into custody just as he begins doubting her loyalty.
Siegfried announces plans to detonate a nuclear bomb in Los Angeles during the President of the United States’ visit, demanding $200 billion while threatening to distribute detonator codes to hostile nations. Only the Chief treats this threat with seriousness.
While imprisoned, Max receives a cryptic warning from Dalip through American Top 40 about Siegfried’s scheme. He escapes custody, returns to Los Angeles, and convinces the Chief along with Agents 99 and 23 of his faithfulness. As the President arrives at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Siegfried’s team plants the bomb. Max’s watch equipped with a Geiger counter detects radiation on Agent 23, revealing him as the true traitor. After Agent 23 takes Agent 99 hostage and flees, Max rescues her during a pursuit that ends when their vehicle crashes into a freight train, killing Agent 23.
Examining Agent 23’s nuclear football, Max discovers that the final note of Beethoven’s "Ode to Joy" triggers the bomb’s detonation mechanism. Racing against time at the concert hall, he tackles the conductor just before the note sounds, averting disaster. Siegfried insults Dalip’s wife and is subsequently thrown into a river by Dalip.
Max receives formal recognition as a spy at CONTROL headquarters; Agent 99 presents him with a puppy as a gift. As he departs, Max becomes stuck in sliding doors and is struck by a dart once again.
Cast
- Steve Carell portrays Maxwell Smart
- Anne Hathaway appears as Agent 99
- Dwayne Johnson takes on the role of Agent 23
- Alan Arkin plays The Chief
- Terence Stamp features as Siegfried
- Terry Crews acts as Agent 91
- David Koechner is cast as Larabee
- James Caan embodies The President
- Masi Oka appears as Bruce
- Nate Torrence plays Lloyd
- Ken Davitian is Shtarker
- David S. Lee portrays Ladislas Krstic
- Dalip Singh appears as Dalip
- Geoff Pierson assumes the role of Vice President
- Bill Murray returns as Agent 13
- Patrick Warburton acts as Hymie
- John Farley features as Agent 38
- Larry Miller and Kevin Nealon both appear as CIA Agents
- Blake Clark plays a General
- Cedric Yarbrough is cast as Tate
- Danielle Bisutti appears as an Airline Passenger
- Stephen Dunham portrays the Secret Service Commander
A cameo is made by Bernie Kopell, who originally played Siegfried. Additionally, Ryan Seacrest provides his voice as himself hosting American Top 40.
Production
The rights to the original series were held by both Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures. The project was directed by Peter Segal, recognized for his work alongside Adam Sandler. After a lengthy development phase that involved potential leads such as Jim Carrey, Martin Lawrence, and Will Ferrell, Segal, a devoted fan of the franchise, selected Steve Carell to portray Maxwell Smart and cast Anne Hathaway as Agent 99, ensuring the film was anchored by prominent actors to attract a wide audience.
Soundtrack
The musical score was composed by former Yes guitarist Trevor Rabin, noted for his work on films like Armageddon, Enemy of the State, and Deep Blue Sea. The soundtrack album was released through the label Varèse Sarabande.
Marketing
In addition to conventional television commercials and trailers, the film's promotion included a collaboration between Warner Bros. and Pepsi, which introduced "Undercover Orange," a limited-edition flavor of the soft drink Sierra Mist. For Latin American markets, a Spanish-language dub was created in Mexico, featuring Jorge "El Tata" Arvizu reprising his role as the voice of Maxwell Smart after thirteen years, leveraging his regional recognition.
Critical response
On the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, Get Smart holds an approval rating of 51% based on 223 reviews, with an average rating of 5.6/10. The consensus describes it as "a fairly standard action-comedy that depends heavily on Steve Carell's appeal." On Metacritic, the film earned a score of 54 out of 100 from 34 critics, reflecting mixed or average feedback. Audience surveys conducted by CinemaScore awarded it a grade of "B+".
Positive critiques came from respected reviewers such as Roger Ebert, Lisa Schwarzbaum from Entertainment Weekly, and Richard Roeper, who found it to be an unexpectedly enjoyable film. James Berardinelli also provided favorable remarks.
On the other hand, critics including Glenn Whipp of the Los Angeles Daily News, Mick LaSalle from the San Francisco Chronicle, and Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times criticized its weak comedic elements and uneven balance between humor and action. Additional negative opinions were expressed by Richard Schickel of Time and David Ansen from Newsweek, who questioned the effectiveness of its comedic approach.
Box office
Get Smart accumulated a total of $230.7 million globally, with $130.3 million earned in the domestic market and $100.3 million from international territories. During its initial weekend release, the film generated $38.6 million from 3,911 theaters across the United States and Canada, securing the top spot at the box office and achieving an average revenue of $9,891 per location. In the United Kingdom, the movie premiered on August 22, 2008, debuting at number three behind Hellboy II: The Golden Army and Mamma Mia!.
Home media
On November 4, 2008, Get Smart became available on DVD and Blu-ray through Warner Home Video. Consumers could choose between the original theatrical version and an extended edition that incorporated alternate takes and deleted scenes directly into the film. The DVD release in the United Kingdom followed on February 23, 2009. Sales of approximately 2,088,163 DVD copies resulted in revenue totaling $34.7 million, not accounting for Blu-ray sales or rental income.
Spin-off
The spin-off titled Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd: Out of Control, starring Oka, Torrence, Miller, Warburton, Crews, along with a cameo by Hathaway reprising her role, was released on DVD on July 1, 2008—just eleven days after the main film’s theatrical launch. This companion piece runs parallel to the timeline of the original movie and includes a scene where Agent 99 calls Lloyd to express dissatisfaction with her gadgets compared to those used by Max.
Cancelled sequel
On October 7, 2008, Warner Bros. in collaboration with Village Roadshow Pictures announced intentions to produce a sequel to Get Smart, with Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, and Alan Arkin confirmed to return. The participation of other cast members remained uncertain. In July 2010, Carell disclosed that he had reviewed a potential script but chose to reject it; he indicated willingness to participate only if a compelling script was developed.
Carell later mentioned that although Hathaway and Arkin were slated to reprise their roles, the screenplay required extensive revisions and no production schedule had been established. By 2013, Carell implied that a sequel was unlikely to materialize; however, director Peter Segal noted that a humorous script authored by Carell had brought the project close to fruition. By 2019, Segal acknowledged that too much time had elapsed for the sequel to proceed. The death of Alan Arkin in 2023 further reduced any chances for future installments in the franchise.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Casting Society of America | Casting - Big Budget Feature - Comedy | Roger Mussenden | |
| 2009 | Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite Movie Actress | Anne Hathaway | |
| 2009 | MTV Movie Awards | Best Comedic Performance | Steve Carell | |
| Best Villain | Dwayne Johnson | |||
| 2009 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite Comedy Movie | Get Smart | |
| 2009 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie: Summer – Comedy | Get Smart | Won |