A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

The Evaluation System Reviews by Title Reviews by Date

Reviews from Video Reviews of the Classics Personal Background

Title: The Pink Panther (2006)

Date Viewed: 2/18/06

Details:

Steve Martin (Inspector Jacques Clouseau)

Kevin Kline (Chief Inspector Dreyfus)

Beyonce Knowles

Jean Reno

Emily Mortimer

Director: Shawn Levy

Score: 0

The Review: Somewhere between a remake and a prequel of the vastly popular and amusing Blake Edwards & Peter Sellers films from the '60's and '70's, this most recent Pink Panther introduces Steve Martin as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau -- an American's idiosyncratic view of the archetypal Frenchman, complete with inane and incomprehensible English. Part of the allure of the original Clouseau (Sellers) was his odd effectiveness as a criminal investigator, set against the background of pratfalls and country bumpkin behavior, a prelude perhaps of the overtly bumbling Columbo (TV's Peter Falk). But there is an original classic caricature (Blake & Sellers), and with time, a derivative parody of a parody -- which, alas, this latest edition has become. Martin and Kline both have the chops of excellent comedians, but this script should not have been.

Rather punny character names, if you're listening carefully (e.g., Terry Ahkee-Sauce) or happen to be a dedicated credit trailer watcher.

(5-Mar-06)

Back to the chronological list of reviews