Get Smart Again (1989)

Would you believe...it's almost as good as the original series?

Don Adams has always been the greatest Agent 86, hands down. Can't say the same for Barbara Feldon, who always felt like the unfunny, easily replaceable straight woman throughout the series. She seems to be dripping saccharin. Seriously, I was developing tooth decay just hearing her. Having Smart actually spend time trying to get 99 involved felt like a waste of time except for the whole "book memoirs" sub-plot.

Okay, the obvious bad parts aside, this movie is as close to the hilarity of the original series as you're going to find. The slapstick is top-notch, and the special effects are cheesy, but not overdone. Definitely better than Get Smart: The Complete Series, which barely did more than capitalize on the original series and water down the humor so much it was almost unwatchable. Pretty sad when the most watchable characters in that series are the Chief (Don Adams) and kid Smart's support agent (Elaine Hendrix).

All in all, the movies are the only things you want after the original series (did I mention Get Smart the Complete Series -- Seasons 1-5 DVD Box Set was funnier than almost everything it spawned? This is a solid buy for fans wanting something to tide them over till the 2008 movie that reinvents the mythos comes out on DVD. July 1, 2008

Bare bones, not quite remastered release

Having sat through this movie again, what with it being one of those late-80s reunion specials, this one was remarkably good. Some crude humor, which was inevitable, but manages to retain the wit and spunk of the original show -- and update some of the old gags in surprisingly creative ways (the latest replacement for the "Cone of Silence" was a real winner). And, you guessed it, Don Adams still pulls every typical joke with his usual aplomb; it's impossible not to laugh.

Of course, the video and audio on this release are fairly ho-hum. Dust and specks appear periodically and the colors are dull and muted. Sound is very passable, but the video quality is fairly bad.

And it's just the movie; don't expect any extras. Those would have been nice, but oh well.

Tidbit: "Get Smart Again!" was aired on ABC -- making "Get Smart" one of the few TV series to air on all three major networks. (in 1995, FOX updated the show as well - a bit more crude, but still with the right humor, and making it the fourth major network that "Get Smart" graced.)

Definitely worth a purchase, as I don't think there will be any new "Would You Believe? Edition" any time soon, properly remastered and with loads of extras.
May 28, 2008

The Best Reunion Movie Ever!!

Yes, it's that simple. Get Smart Again is just the best TV reunion movie ever made. With most of the original cast, a pitch-perfect script from one of the original writers of the classic television show, and a tone and feel right out of 1968, this movie deserves a place right beside the coming DVDs of the series, which will be out in the fall.

Most TV reunion shows are disasters. The actors look different, fresh blood behind the scenes are all trying to put their stamp on the thing... the result is usually painful to watch if you are a fan of whatever show is being remade.

Not so with this movie. Every, and I do mean EVERY, aspect of the timeless series is recreated here. After the dismal Nude Bomb, they got it right. Max and 99 have the same chemistry. There are a plethora of the same bad (meaning laugh out loud funny) jokes. And for the show which took the term catchphrase to unparalleled heights, they manage to weave ALL of them into this movie. And, if you are not familiar with the show, Get Smart had too many oft-repeated catchphrases to list here.

This is a great movie.

My only knock is the terrible picture quality. Hopefully this will be remedied with the original series FINALLY coming out on DVD. I hope so. It is a gem of a movie. Really a "lost" episode of the series. It's a shame they couldn't have made more of these.

A must-have for any long-time fan of Get Smart. And for you new fans, fresh from the excellent DVD release -- and there will be a LOT of you, believe me -- you'll want to add this film to your collection. No Get Smart collection will be complete without it.

"Would you believe you'll love the series and this movie?"
"You'll believe it."

Rest in peace Don Adams. Us long-time and new fans will be watching you face danger at every turn... AND LOVING IT!! May 17, 2007

Lets Hope The Rumored Remake of The Show Means That Complete DVD Seasons Will Soon Be a Reality!

Get Smart is a hilarious classic sitcom and I was disappointed when they stopped showing the reruns on Nick at Nite and TV Land and while this movie is okay it just isn't up to snuff with the sitcom and I find it's a shame that that classic sitcom isn't on DVD but I just found out that they are in the process of trying to film a movie remake of the sitcom and since the first season of Bewitched cmae out right around the same time as the theatrical remake and the first season of I Dream of Jeanie is coming out and there is rumors of a theatrical remake well lets hope that if it is true about A Get Smart remake that that will mean that complete seasosn for the sitcom will finally be coming! March 3, 2006

Have the producers ever failed us.........lately

They must release the TV episodes on DVD. I grew up watching this show..many times! The show hasn't grown up. That is, it hasn't aged. We watch it now and, even though we know what's coming, we still laugh at the jokes. There are so many one-liners, so many scenes, so many characters that are classics. Maybe it should be curriculum material in all schools.
I hate to say it but, with the death of Don Adams at 82 (I can only picture him as eternally 42 years old) hopefully the inconsiderate owners of the show will be encouraged to release the series. Every cloud has a silver lining and this would be a fitting tribute to Don.
I hope I wasn't out of line with the crack about inconsiderate! September 27, 2005

More reviews at Amazon.com ...