Pink Panther 2 – DVD Review
The Film:
After seeing this movie, I recalled my favorite part of the film: the opening title sequence where the Pink Panther outwits that short pudgy white guy. Yeah, so my favorite part, one where I smiled, was the title sequence. Pink Panther 2 is a limp, unfunny farce. Poor Peter Sellers, he should be rolling in his grave now.The cast here is excellent on paper: Andy Garcia, Steve Martin of course, Alfred Molina, and Jean Reno, all of which are highly capable of given us the attention needed, and all are great actors. But on this paper, the script gave none of them anything worthwhile to do, unless you count the zillion times they roll their eyes at Inspector Clouseau (Martin) for all of his seemingly dimwitted antics. The world’s most precious artifacts, paintings, and jewels are being robbed by le Tornado, an excellent, and impossible-to-catch criminal. So a Dream Team is created from various nations to stop him, but the only problem is nobody even knows what he looks like.
The plot is rudimentary, compared to the endless series of falls, and lame attempts at making us laugh. Any screenwriter in Screenwriting 101 could come up with these types of “jokes”, so it’s incredibly sad that the man who brought us The Jerk, Roxanne, and “Two Wild and Crazy Guys”, is credited here. Steven Martin is better than this. I think he knows it. Look at Shop Girl. I guess we live in times where it’s what have you done for us lately and not what have you done, because all these aging comedians seem to be doing filler, and not testing their talents anymore. Pink Panther 2 is lazy and uninspiring.
One of the absolutely few, redeeming elements is Emily Mortimer who plays Nichole the love interest, reprising her role from the first film. She is so delightful in the little amount she has to do, channeling a Superman-era Margot Kidder, with all those mannerisms of cuteness, naiveté, and that bubbly attitude. She’s a rare delight in this painfully long film (it’s only like 89 minutes, but felt like hours!). Emily Mortimer was great in Transsiberian last year, obviously a far better film, but she shines here in her scenes with Martin. A special mention to Jeremy Irons too, because he always hams it up properly, as the red herring in the film. Outside of Mortimer and the Iron’s cameo, the cast is wasted, Martin’s talent is wasted, and so is your time.
The DVD:
Audio/Video: While this was screener copy sent by 20th Century Fox, a common practice amongst them, I can’t really judge the disc properly. It looked good, but I feel the store copy you’ll rent or buy will be better. There was some edge enhancement and noise occasionally. The audio is good too, for a comedy. Expect better though on the store release copy.
Drama is Easy… and A Dream Team like No Other, plus a Gag Reel were the extras here on the screener disc. They’re better than expected, but far from highly informative. Decent watches if you so choose. Now, the Blu Ray will have more extras.
Conclusion: A limp sequel, up there as 2009’s worst so far, despite my love of Emily Mortimer.
Rating: 
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