125 replies to this topic

[A Kristatos]

Just bought this from the discount rack of my local Blockbuster Video the other day and watched it today (yes I'm only a year and a half behind so forgive me! ).

I think I can echo what has been said here already. Steve Carrell nailed the role of Maxwell Smart while making it his own. Anne Hathaway was gorgeous as Agent 99! Alan Arkin was a decent Chief as well. And the cameos and nods to the original series and to the James Bond films were all terrific!

I also have to agree with most regarding the film's shortcomings. The new Ziegfried was about fun as watching grass grow! A total misfire by the film's producers (though Borat's sidekick was funny as his henchman). We also didn't need the overwrought action sequences that really belonged in other films. The CGI during the climatic sequence was pretty sloppy as well.

As stated, why the need for the overelaborate Control headquarters? This is NOT a Jason Bourne film! And the soundtrack, while serviceable, did not really belong in this film either. But the brash rendition of the original Get Smart theme was awesome! A terrific modern rendition while paying homage to the original theme.

For all the film's shortcomings, Carrell and Hathaway definitely carry this film. And while I'm definitely on the fence, I probably would give this movie a marginal thumbs up just on the basis of Carrell and Hathaway. I'd be very interested to see what a potential sequel would look like.

[Donovan Mayne-Nicholls]

Just bought this from the discount rack of my local Blockbuster Video the other day and watched it today (yes I'm only a year and a half behind so forgive me! ).

I think I can echo what has been said here already. Steve Carrell nailed the role of Maxwell Smart while making it his own. Anne Hathaway was gorgeous as Agent 99! Alan Arkin was a decent Chief as well. And the cameos and nods to the original series and to the James Bond films were all terrific!

I also have to agree with most regarding the film's shortcomings. The new Ziegfried was about fun as watching grass grow! A total misfire by the film's producers (though Borat's sidekick was funny as his henchman). We also didn't need the overwrought action sequences that really belonged in other films. The CGI during the climatic sequence was pretty sloppy as well.

As stated, why the need for the overelaborate Control headquarters? This is NOT a Jason Bourne film! And the soundtrack, while serviceable, did not really belong in this film either. But the brash rendition of the original Get Smart theme was awesome! A terrific modern rendition while paying homage to the original theme.

For all the film's shortcomings, Carrell and Hathaway definitely carry this film. And while I'm definitely on the fence, I probably would give this movie a marginal thumbs up just on the basis of Carrell and Hathaway. I'd be very interested to see what a potential sequel would look like.

Watching the movie's finale, I felt the basic problem was that action is not funny per se. The tv show was done on the cheap, so the humour was dialogue-based but this all-action ending reminded me of Inspector Clouseau (1968), unsuccesfully tring to mix action adventure and comedy. Curiously, both films star Alan Arkin.

[A Kristatos]

Just bought this from the discount rack of my local Blockbuster Video the other day and watched it today (yes I'm only a year and a half behind so forgive me! ).

I think I can echo what has been said here already. Steve Carrell nailed the role of Maxwell Smart while making it his own. Anne Hathaway was gorgeous as Agent 99! Alan Arkin was a decent Chief as well. And the cameos and nods to the original series and to the James Bond films were all terrific!

I also have to agree with most regarding the film's shortcomings. The new Ziegfried was about fun as watching grass grow! A total misfire by the film's producers (though Borat's sidekick was funny as his henchman). We also didn't need the overwrought action sequences that really belonged in other films. The CGI during the climatic sequence was pretty sloppy as well.

As stated, why the need for the overelaborate Control headquarters? This is NOT a Jason Bourne film! And the soundtrack, while serviceable, did not really belong in this film either. But the brash rendition of the original Get Smart theme was awesome! A terrific modern rendition while paying homage to the original theme.

For all the film's shortcomings, Carrell and Hathaway definitely carry this film. And while I'm definitely on the fence, I probably would give this movie a marginal thumbs up just on the basis of Carrell and Hathaway. I'd be very interested to see what a potential sequel would look like.

Watching the movie's finale, I felt the basic problem was that action is not funny per se. The tv show was done on the cheap, so the humour was dialogue-based but this all-action ending reminded me of Inspector Clouseau (1968), unsuccesfully tring to mix action adventure and comedy. Curiously, both films star Alan Arkin.

So even over 40 years film producers were trying to splice more action into comedies! I see unfortunately this is not a new phenomenon.

I don't understand why movie producers feel the need to shoehorn more unnecessary action into a comedy film in the name of trying to keep contemporary audiences interested. A strong dialogue-based movie will always entertain audiences even in this day and age. Just ask Carrell himself as he can attest to just how big a smash his other well known film "The 40 Year Old Virgin" was. Different genre, yes, but still a dialogue driven comedy that kept audiences in hysterics for two hours. Other than a slapstick action sequence in that film, the producers certainly didn't see the need for a series action set piece!

Having said all this, "Get Smart" was still a solid movie, though I'm hoping any potential sequel will rely less on the action.

[Donovan Mayne-Nicholls]

Just bought this from the discount rack of my local Blockbuster Video the other day and watched it today (yes I'm only a year and a half behind so forgive me! ).

I think I can echo what has been said here already. Steve Carrell nailed the role of Maxwell Smart while making it his own. Anne Hathaway was gorgeous as Agent 99! Alan Arkin was a decent Chief as well. And the cameos and nods to the original series and to the James Bond films were all terrific!

I also have to agree with most regarding the film's shortcomings. The new Ziegfried was about fun as watching grass grow! A total misfire by the film's producers (though Borat's sidekick was funny as his henchman). We also didn't need the overwrought action sequences that really belonged in other films. The CGI during the climatic sequence was pretty sloppy as well.

As stated, why the need for the overelaborate Control headquarters? This is NOT a Jason Bourne film! And the soundtrack, while serviceable, did not really belong in this film either. But the brash rendition of the original Get Smart theme was awesome! A terrific modern rendition while paying homage to the original theme.

For all the film's shortcomings, Carrell and Hathaway definitely carry this film. And while I'm definitely on the fence, I probably would give this movie a marginal thumbs up just on the basis of Carrell and Hathaway. I'd be very interested to see what a potential sequel would look like.

Watching the movie's finale, I felt the basic problem was that action is not funny per se. The tv show was done on the cheap, so the humour was dialogue-based but this all-action ending reminded me of Inspector Clouseau (1968), unsuccesfully tring to mix action adventure and comedy. Curiously, both films star Alan Arkin.

So even over 40 years film producers were trying to splice more action into comedies! I see unfortunately this is not a new phenomenon.

I don't understand why movie producers feel the need to shoehorn more unnecessary action into a comedy film in the name of trying to keep contemporary audiences interested. A strong dialogue-based movie will always entertain audiences even in this day and age. Just ask Carrell himself as he can attest to just how big a smash his other well known film "The 40 Year Old Virgin" was. Different genre, yes, but still a dialogue driven comedy that kept audiences in hysterics for two hours. Other than a slapstick action sequence in that film, the producers certainly didn't see the need for a series action set piece!

Having said all this, "Get Smart" was still a solid movie, though I'm hoping any potential sequel will rely less on the action.

I was surprised that the Steve Martin Pink Panther, warts and all, was indeed a comedy throughout, without attempting to bridge that gap. The only good joke in Clouseau is when Arkin declares he's so inept that he doen`t deserve an autographed pic of Sean Connery and proceeds to tear it. These spy-spoof remakes try to hard to compete with the real thing (I Spy, anyone?). I agree Carrell was the perfect modern actor for the part. Clousea should be played by a British actor doing a ridiculous French accent, or at least anglophile extraordinaire Mike Myers, Martin is an industry choice. Speaking of which, regardless of my disapproval of how much Sony meddled with QoS instead of leaving it to MGM, they weren't as intrusive as with PP, which they altered severely to make it PG friendly (it's said to have been racier in its original cut).

[Mr. Blofeld]

Speaking of which, regardless of my disapproval of how much Sony meddled with QoS instead of leaving it to MGM, they weren't as intrusive as with PP, which they altered severely to make it PG friendly (it's said to have been racier in its original cut).

Sony meddled with QOS? When was this?

(Also, though I like Martin's Pink Panther, Pink Panther 2 is rubbish compared to its original series counterpart, A Shot in the Dark.)

[tdalton]

Speaking of which, regardless of my disapproval of how much Sony meddled with QoS instead of leaving it to MGM, they weren't as intrusive as with PP, which they altered severely to make it PG friendly (it's said to have been racier in its original cut).

Sony meddled with QOS? When was this?

(Also, though I like Martin's Pink Panther, Pink Panther 2 is rubbish compared to its original series counterpart, A Shot in the Dark.)

Well, whatever meddling Sony has done with the series, I hope that they get the chance to keep it up. With the possibility of one or two exceptions, MGM never produced a Bond film that was on the level of the two Bond films that Sony was heavily involved in. With that in mind, I'm ecstatic that Sony didn't leave their investment in CR and QoS in the hands of MGM, if they did indeed "meddle" in the production of either film. Honestly, I think that Sony's involvement with the last two films is the best thing to happen to the series since EON made From Russia With Love.

As far as Steve Martin's two Pink Panther films, I'd have to say that both of them are just awful. If I were doing a "top" 10 list of the worst films of the decade, both films would find a place on that list.