THE PINK PANTHER 2 (Rated PG)
Granted, “The Pink Panther” films haven’t been the same since the passing of Peter Sellers. All things considered, the franchise was nevertheless sliding precipitously downhill even during the British comedian’s later years.
Now, Steve Martin is putting his own stamp on the bumbling French detective Jacques Clouseau, and “The Pink Panther 2” won’t be confused with any of the earlier Sellers films, if for no other reason that previous sequels were given original titles, for example “Revenge of the Pink Panther.” Following the death of Peter Sellers, one film went so far as to introduce an Italian actor as the son of Inspector Clouseau, which marked the rock bottom of the old era.
There is no point in seeing “The Pink Panther 2” unless you are braced for a rollicking good time of silly slapstick humor, pratfalls and ridiculous embarrassments, mostly at the expense of Steve Martin’s inept, blundering Inspector Clouseau.
Most critics, of this I am quite sure, are likely to dismiss this comedy as inane, uninspired or even lame. As is often the case, these same critics are probably out of touch with the audience that wants to see Steve Martin as the goofy French detective who struggles mightily to pronounce the word “hamburger.” And the audience just won’t be 10-year-old kids. OK, I admit enjoying this film more than reason and good taste would dictate, but what’s wrong with that?
When the story begins, Clouseau is back on parking meter duty, mainly because Chief Inspector Dreyfus (John Cleese, new to the role) wants him out of the office and out of his hair. The animosity between the chief and Clouseau might be sparked by the detective’s insistence on ostentatiously wearing his Medal of Honor.
Around the world, a thief known as the Tornado steals valuable artifacts such as the Shroud of Turin and the original Magna Carta. When the Pink Panther diamond is also stolen, Dreyfus is forced to assign Clouseau to an international Dream Team of detectives charged with catching the thief and retrieving the priceless relics.
Naturally, Clouseau is out of his element, but he’s backed up by his wise partner Ponton (Jean Reno) and his loyal associate Nicole (Emily Mortimer), the object of Clouseau’s awkward affections. The Dream Team of crack detectives is rather flummoxed by Clouseau’s involvement. They share with Dreyfus a dismissive contempt for Clouseau’s vaunted abilities.
The team includes the snooty Brit Pepperidge (Alfred Molina); the flashy, slick Italian Vicenzo (Andy Garcia); gorgeous jewel expert Sonia (Bollywood beauty Aishwarya Rai Bachchan); and Japanese tech whiz Kenji (Yuki Matsuzaki). As a group, they are irritated by Clouseau’s bloated ego and ineptitude, but Vicenzo seems more interested in wooing Nicole.
Before you can start humming the iconic Henry Mancini theme music, the Dream Team sets off on a globetrotting adventure in search of the master thief. Naturally, this leads to many awkward moments when Clouseau bumbles his way into mischief. A fire that destroys a restaurant in Rome is just one mishap caused by the French detective’s clumsiness.
An investigation into the Tornado’s theft of the Pope’s ring from inside the Vatican leads to some real silliness when Clouseau dresses like the Holy Father and stuns a crowd of visitors with a major pratfall. When the team questions a slick suspect (Jeremy Irons) at his Italian villa, Clouseau is hilariously caught on the surveillance cameras while he causes inadvertent mayhem during his snooping.
Steve Martin does for Jacques Clouseau what Daniel Craig has managed adeptly to do for James Bond. This is not to say that Martin supplants Peter Sellers any more than Craig makes everyone forget Sean Connery. But in their unique ways, both actors bring new life to venerable franchises.
“The Pink Panther 2,” which sustains laughs and has some good dialogue mixed in with all the slapstick routines, is plenty of fun, as long as you understand that the whole premise is deliberately silly nonsense.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
Bernie Mac, a comic legend, made his last feature film appearance in “Soul Men,” now available on DVD. Bernie and Samuel L. Jackson starred as two long-lost soul legends who are brought together again after a long estrangement.
Twenty years have passed before they agree to one last performance to honor their former band leader. The cross-country road trip to the Apollo Theater in Harlem proves to be a test of the willingness of two volatile characters to patch up their differences.
Of course, with “Soul Men” being a comedy, the journey across America turns out to be the road trip from hell. Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson are very adept at bickering and hurling invective, all the while getting into serious jams, including even a brief stint in jail.
The “Soul Men” DVD includes tributes to Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes.
Tim Riley writes film and video reviews for Lake County News.
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