Pink Panther 2
by Harald Zwart
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DVD details
Actor: Alfred Molina, Andy Garcia, Emily Mortimer, Jean Reno, Steve MartinDirector: Harald Zwart
Brand: Sony
Writer: Steve Martin
Producer: Ira Shuman
Producer: Robert Simonds
Writer: Blake Edwards
Writer: Maurice Richlin
Writer: Michael H. Weber
Writer: Scott Neustadter
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); French (Dubbed); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 92 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-06-23
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: MGM
DVD Reviews of Pink Panther 2
DVD Review: The Defective Detective Returns
Summary: 3 Stars
I may have smirked once or twice during "The Pink Panther 2," which is good a sign since I didn't even get that far with the first film. But no, it's not a good sign, simply because this sequel to the 2006 remake still isn't trying very hard; as the bumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau, star/co-writer Steve Martin tries to parody a character that Peter Sellers already made into a parody, which gets really annoying after a while. There's no doubt that the man is funny, but as Clouseau, he can only pull off acting silly, which is not the same thing. While slightly better than its predecessor, "The Pink Panther 2" is still nothing more than a series of shallow gags, most of them physically inclined. It's occasionally amusing at best, tiresome at worst. It doesn't help that the story is unflatteringly predictable, probably because far too many details are given away early on. The only thing I was not expecting was the sight of Alfred Molina wearing a pink tutu. Believe me, I could have lived without that.
The plot: When a number of priceless historical artifacts are stolen from museums around the world--and this includes the Pink Panther diamond--an international dream team of detectives is assembled. Representing France is our intrepid Clouseau, much to the chagrin of his superior, the flustered Chief Inspector Dreyfus (John Cleese). The other members of the team: from England, Pepperidge (Molina), who's determined to out-deduce Clouseau at every step; from Italy, Vicenzo (Andy Garcia), who always speaks as if he's admiring a fine work of art; from Japan, Kenji (Yuki Matsuzaki), who always has a laptop in front of him; and from India, Sonia (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), who can't seem to enter a room without looking like she's striking a pose. Their mission is to find a globe trotting thief known only as The Tornado, who I guess is supposed to be the new version of The Phantom. His calling card is not a monogrammed white glove, but an actual card.
It's a simple enough plot, and it could have worked had it not been so insistent with its comedy. Virtually every scene is a prolonged slapstick routine, with Clouseau getting himself into one mess after another. Within the course of the film, he burns down a Spanish restaurant, destroys a chimney by falling down it, hurts Dreyfus by accidentally provoking a ruthless security task force, and sits on the Pope's hat. I occasionally chuckled, but I never really laughed, which only goes to show that even physical humor can get old. Attempts are made at verbal humor, which brings me to Mrs. Berenger (Lily Tomlin), an American who acts as a kind of sensitivity counselor. Clouseau, it seems, is unable to filter what he says, resulting in a slew of off-color remarks and racial slurs. One slip of the tongue, and she's on Clouseau's case quicker than you can say Jacques Robinson.
The broad comedy is occasionally tamed by a subplot that explores a blooming romance between Clouseau and his co-worker, Nicole (Emily Mortimer), one that's threatened now that Vicenzo has entered the picture. I could sense that the filmmakers were aiming for something more meaningful here, which is admirable. But really, does anyone care about Clouseau's love life? Is it even possible to care? I found it very difficult to do so, mostly because, as characterized in this updated franchise, Clouseau just isn't relatable. He's nothing more than a goofball, a jester, a person we're supposed to laugh at, not laugh with. There's no way to invest in such a character, so I can't understand why the filmmakers were actually trying to give him depth. Complexity can be stimulating, but when you're talking about characters like Jacques Clouseau, what you see should be what you get.
The strange thing is that, in spite of its countless shortcomings, this movie is still better than what preceded it. "The Pink Panther" was a mindless farce that went absolutely nowhere, as exemplified by the scene in which Clouseau and a dialect coach squabble over the phrase, "I would like to buy a hamburger." With this new film, I saw how it was trying to aim higher. For one thing, I appreciated the casting of John Cleese; while no one can recapture the sheer desperation and insanity displayed by Herbert Lom, Cleese at least gives Dreyfus a much-needed frantic edge to his personality. That was noticeably missing from the previous film, in which Dreyfus was portrayed by Kevin Kline. I also appreciated Jean Reno, who returns as Clouseau's right hand man, Ponton; of all the characters in this film, he's the only one who doesn't have to try to be funny.
One of the oddest casting choices is Jeremy Irons, who plays his character with the same conviction as an actor trying to have fun as the villain. This wouldn't be a problem if his appearance were more than a mere cameo. Did he expect his role to be bigger than it ended up being? Who can say? All I know is that he gives the best performance he can given the material, which in this case is a sign of overconfidence. As for the rest of the cast, they're no better and no worse than I expected them to be. "The Pink Panther 2" is by no means a good movie, but it would be cruel to say that I hated it or even that I disliked it. It would be much more accurate to say that I thought it awfully misguided. Anyone can get a laugh doing and saying silly things, but sadly, that kind of laughter comes cheap.
Description of Pink Panther 2
PINK PANTHER 2 - DVD Movie"Let me bring you up to speed. We know nothing. Now you are up to speed." Thus is the bumbling, deadpan persona of Inspector Clouseau, as re-invented by Steve Martin, best summed up. In this sequel to the 2006 remake of the classic Peter Sellers films, Martin gets crisper direction and a smarter script than he did the first time out. Martin, to his great credit, has never been afraid to make himself look foolish or to take pratfalls--and if the viewer finds these remakes to be less satirical than the original Sellers films, he will still be letting our great laughs and chuckles through the course of the film. And what a cast! Martin is joined by John Cleese, Jeremy Irons, Lily Tomlin, Jean Reno, Bollywood superstar Aishwarya Rai, Emily Mortimer, Alfred Molina, and Andy Garcia--all of whom seem to be having a delightful romp--a feeling that?s contagious. The story picks up where the last film ended, with Clouseau?s having saved the precious Pink Panther diamond in Paris. Since then, Clouseau has been reassigned to parking-ticket duty, to keep him off the frayed nerves of Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Cleese). But a band of international thieves is wreaking havoc on the world?s treasures, and, before you can say minkey, the priceless Pink Panther goes missing, again. If plot?s a bit predictable, it?s no matter, since the phun is in the haplessness of Clouseau and the rings of nuclear fallout that surround him. And you may never pronounce hamburger the same way. Evair!--A.T. Hurley
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