PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
Get Smart (Blu-ray) (2008)

Get Smart (Blu-ray) (2008)

If you create a user account, you can add your own review of this DVD

Released 13-Nov-2008

Cover Art

This review is sponsored by
BUY IT

Details At A Glance

General Extras
Category Comedy None
Rating Rated PG
Year Of Production 2008
Running Time 109:58
RSDL / Flipper No/No Cast & Crew
Start Up ?
Region Coding 4 Directed By Peter Segal
Studio
Distributor

Roadshow Home Entertainment
Starring Steve Carell
Anne Hathaway
Dwayne Johnson
Alan Arkin
Terence Stamp
Terry Crews
Case ?
RPI ? Music Trevor Rabin


Video Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame Unknown English Dolby Digital 5.1
Widescreen Aspect Ratio 1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
16x9 Enhanced
Video Format 1080p
Original Aspect Ratio 1.85:1 Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures No
Subtitles English for the Hearing Impaired
French
Spanish
Portuguese
Smoking No
Annoying Product Placement No
Action In or After Credits No

NOTE: The Profanity Filter is ON. Turn it off here.

Plot Synopsis

    Get Smart is the latest in a long line of television-to-big-screen adaptations. Based on the Mel Brooks and Buck Henry show that ran in the late sixties, Get Smart delivers a surprisingly fun but still middle of the road comedy/action movie.

    Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) is an intelligence analyst for CONTROL. Not content as one of the agency's most valuable analyst, he's had numerous attempts for the agent test and failed every time. However, when KAOS knocks out some vital agents, Maxwell is called in for an important mission and is teamed up with Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway). The two find themselves travelling the globe in order to stop a plot against the President of the United States.

    The story, whilst sounding pretty generic (it is), offers a number of great comedic and action/adventure scenes. It's almost like two films for the price of one: a schizophrenic venture that can't decide if it's a comedy or an action movie. Sequences that involve parachuting, car chases and fight scenes are interspersed with hilarious moments like Maxwell ballroom dancing with a morbidly obese woman, and Maxwell trying to use his spy gadgets in an airplane lavatory. The script is passable, but unfortunately most of the best lines were in the trailer.

    The movie does have a very solid cast. Going against type, Carell actually underplays Maxwell Smart. It's a surprisingly muted performance from someone who probably didn't want to be seen trying to imitate the humour of the original's Don Adams. Anne Hathaway has to be the classiest Gen Y actress in Hollywood. She practically steals every scene and is delightful to watch in the Agent 99 role. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is great as the star CONTROL agent. The Chief is played by one of my favourites, Alan Arkin. He's quite funny and has some of the funniest lines in the film. Heroes' Masi Oka has a bit part as a CONTROL analyst. Terence Stamp (leader of KAOS) and James Caan (the US President) round out the cast.

    As far as remakes of old TV shows go, this is a pretty decent movie. I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not sure that huge fans of the original will love it - it's not as smart as the original. Fans of Carell and Hathaway though will enjoy it.

    Worth checking out - but don't expect too much.

Don't wish to see plot synopses in the future? Change your configuration.

Transfer Quality

Video

    Get Smart is presented in the aspect ratio of 1.78:1 within a 1920 by 1080 progressive window. The transfer was encoded in VC-1, for the most the bit rate stayed in the high teens and low twenties.

    It's a good transfer, but not a great one. Not having seen this theatrically, it's hard to compare but some of the scenes (especially interior ones) just seem a little soft and even bland and do not show off what an HD transfer can do. When I saw that it was shot on the Panavision Genesis HD camera I realised it's probably the camera and not the transfer.

    There is good news though, anything outdoors looks exceptional - see 12:29 for a beautiful shot of Washington DC and it's spring cherry blossoms, also check out the lush greens of the Russian countryside at 53:34. Exterior scenes in Moscow around 55:45 are also a treat.

    The colours look great (for the most part), blue skies, green country sides, Anne Hathaway - there are some beautiful shots in the film that justify it's existence on Blu-Ray! Skin tones look natural, but unfortunately some of the darker scenes can be a little murky.

    There were no compression issues.

    There were subtitles for English for Hearing Impaired, French, Spanish, and Portugese.

Video Ratings Summary
Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    Wow - talk about a surprise. Why is there only a Dolby 5.1 track on this disc?

    It's a perfectly competent 5.1 track that would get a pretty good score if this was a DVD release.

    Anyway, 5.1 it is - the dialogue was fine.

    The were no synch or click, pop-out issues etc.

    The surround track got a good workout with fight scenes, car chases, bullets, explosions all getting our neighbour's attention.

    The sub woofer got a decent work out too.

    Good, but nothing to get excited about - the DVD has the same mix.

    There are also 5.1 tracks in French, Spanish, and Portugese.

Audio Ratings Summary
Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Extras

Smart Takes - Alternate Scenes

High Definition -Option to play the film with outtakes, alternate scenes and deleted scenes. There's 52:55 of extra footage including a welcome by Steve Carell. Icons appear onscreen to indicate the 'extra' footage. Interesting, but really only for diehard fans.

The Old "I Hid it in the Movie" Trick (9:05)

High Definition - Featurette that shows the films different references to the original show.

The Right Agent for the Job (10:30)

Standard Definition - Featurette on Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway includes test footage, rehearsals and even audition footage.

Max in Moscow! (6:20)

Standard Definition - About shooting on location in Moscow.

Language Lessons (3:29)

Standard Definition - Steve Carell speaking in different languages - it's probably the most amusing special feature. Short and sweet.

Get Smart's Bruce & Lloyd Out of Control Sneak Peek (3:12)

Standard Definition - Real brief look at the 'spin off' direct to DVD movie with Masi Oka and Nate Torrence. It looks painful.

The Vomit Reel (5:19)

Funny outtakes of trying to get the right vomit shot. Carell is funny and seems like a genuinely nice and funny guy to work with.

Spy Confidential: Gag Reel (5:39)

Considering the talent involved, not as funny as you'd think. A few amusing ones though.

R4 vs R1

NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.

   Same as R1 so call it a tie.

Summary

    Overall it's a fun movie but definitely not a classic.

    Video is good, but can be flat.

    Audio is fine, but why not uncompressed?

    The special features are fun.

Ratings (out of 5)

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

© Ben Smith (boku no bio)
Monday, December 22, 2008
Review Equipment
DVDSony Playstation 3, using HDMI output
DisplaySony VPLHW10 projector onto 100 inch 16x9 screen. Calibrated with THX Optimizer. This display device is 16x9 capable. This display device has a maximum native resolution of 1080p.
Audio DecoderSony STR-DG820S . Calibrated with THX Optimizer.
AmplificationPioneer
SpeakersDB Dynamics VEGA series floor standers + centre, DB bipole rears, 10" 100W DB Dynamics sub

Other Reviews NONE