To all my critics out there .... I know guys this review should have hit mouthshut a couple of months back and you must be wondering if I have just woken up from my sleep.... well just to put your minds at ease ...."Pink Panther" is an all time classic and considering that .... I guess I am on time :)
The 2006 Pink Panther features Steve Martin in the lead as the French Inspector Jacques Clouseau . While obviously nothing can hold a candle to Peter Sellers and the original Pink Panther, I was pleasantly surprised with this new installment.
I went in being very skeptical, but laughed through most of the movie, and left satisfied by the experience. Beyonce ( Yes she features as Xania ) really should stick to singing, and it was good that her speaking role wasn’t very big ; honestly a different person for her role would have made the movie better.
From a personal experience I think this movie is ideal for a lazy Sunday after noon to charge you up ( you will laugh your wits out )...
THE PLOT : When the coach of the French soccer team is killed by a poisoned dart in the stadium at the end of a game, and his expensive and huge ring with the diamond "Pink Panther" goes missing , the ambitious Chief Insp. Dreyfus (Kevin Kline) assigns the worst police inspector Jacques Clouseau (Steve Martin) to the case. His intention is to give a diversion to the press, while he uses his best men to chase the killer and thief. He assigns Gendarme Gilbert Ponton (Jean Reno) to work with Closeau and inform each step of the investigation. When Clouseau is nominated with honor to the highest prize in France, Dreyfus decides to humiliate Clouseau and take him out of the case. However Clouseau has already solved the mystery.....
Honestly I am not a fan of movie remakes. Rather, I am pretty keen on authenticity of movies and characters, originality counts for me. Nevertheless, I liked this movie.
" Peter Sellers" Clouseau ( The first Pink Panther Movie - 1964 ) was one of my favorite characters in my childhood, but I liked Steve Martin as Clouseau as well, and the good thing is: He didn’t do anything to the image of original Clouseau in my mind. He had the original Clouseau spirit, but he was a different "stupid detective with a French accent", reflecting the difference in his time and his style.
Unfortunately, being a fan of Kevin Kline’s humorous acting style, particularly that in the unforgettable "A Fish Called Wanda", I am not able to say I appreciated Kevin Kline’s part in this movie. He was simply a plain Dreyfus with no trace of the excellent original, and with no flavor coming from Kline’s proved talent. If a sequel follows this movie, I hope to see more from Kline, because there’s no question that he can offer more and the original Dreyfus provides an excellent plot to build on.
PS : Watch this movie when you are feeling low or with your entire family and see the energy flow ...
Regards
Rajat Sarin