With all the big movie disappointments being inflicted upon audiences nation-wide this summer, i.e. “The Love Guru,” “You Don’t Mess With The Zohan” and “The Happening,” I was a little nervous going in to see “Get Smart.” I enjoyed the trailer, I was excited about the cast – Steve Carell as Maxwell Smart? Yes, please! – and I was hoping for a smart and funny modern take on the classic TV show. All in all, I came out of the theater pleased with the final product, although I admit not as impressed as I had hoped.

Maxwell Smart is a first-rate analyst for the top-secret U.S. spy agency, CONTROL. For years Smart has dreamt of becoming a field agent and has worked hard to pass the requirements for his desired position. It’s not until the agency’s headquarters are attacked by enemy spy agency KAOS, which has exposed the identities of CONTROL’s agents, that the Chief (Alan Arkin) finally, with no other option, agrees to promote Smart into a field position.

Although Smart longs to work with superstar Agent 23 (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), his identity has been compromised and it is not to be. So, Smart is paired with the only other agent whose identity hasn’t been revealed: the sexy but seriously lethal Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway).

Agent 99 is all business and isn’t thrilled to be paired with the inexperienced Smart, but, with no alternative, the duo sets out to stop the opposition from cashing in on their terrorist network.

Armed with a few spy-tech gadgets and an unwavering enthusiasm for the job, Smart may not be the most efficient agent ever to go out into the field, but he may be one of the best – well with Agent 99’s help, that is. As Smart and Agent 99 close in on KAOS, they learn to work together as a team, forming a bond that comes in handy later.

“Get Smart” is entertaining and a good way to start the summer. Carell seems to embody Maxwell Smart in most of his roles, so it was fitting that he should be cast as the bumbling secret agent. Smart is talented enough at what he does to not make it completely ridiculous that he works for CONTROL, despite his flaws. Even in the field Smart gets to play the hero now and again, showing Agent 99 that she’s not the only one who can contribute to the team mission.

Where the film fails to go from good to great, however, is in its inability to capture the seemingly effortless humor of the original “Get Smart.” While Carell is adept at delivering the humor he is given, the script’s humor is surprisingly thin. Perhaps the writers, Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember, should have spent a little more time watching reruns of Mel Brooks’s and Buck Henry’s show.

While “Get Smart” won’t likely be my favorite movie of the summer, it’s not a bad start to the historically big blockbuster season.

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