The "Pink Panther" movies, are without a doubt classics of slapstick comedy taken to perfection thanks to the talents of Blake Edwards, Heny Mancini and the legendary Peter Sellers. With that said, it was obvious that when a remake was announced, the world was shocked; and the shock was greater when Steve Martin was announced to star in the role that Sellers made famous, the Instepctor Jaques Clouseau.
With everything against it, this new take on the "Pink Panther" story manages to keep the entertaining, and while not as good as the originals, it was a relief to see that the magic of the Panther was there and that for once, a remake was good on its own.
The plot is the classic Clouseau story: a murder happens, and the legendary diamond, the Pink Panther, goes missing. Clouseau (Steve Martin) is assigned to the case by Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Kevin Kline), who pretends t use Clouseau's stupidity to fool the media in order to appear himself as a hero. Dreyfus assign Clouseau a new partner, Gilbert Ponton (Jean Reno), and together they start the investigation.
The script is a very good update to Clouseau's story, and to the overall Pink Panther mystique; the sexual humor was toned down a bit, but Clouseau's ability with women remains intact. The classic slapstick that Sellers made famous is present, although Martin gives the role his own touch.
Steve Martin does a good job as Clouseau, although at times his acting goes over the top, as if he was trying too hard to fit Seller's shoes. Jean Reno, as Ponton, gives the best performance in the movie, stealing every scene where he appears. His character was a good addition to the movie and Reno makes the most of it. Kevin Kline has little screen time and probably his character will grow in sequels (if there is any).
A lot has been said about Beyoncé Knowles as Xania, and yes, she is probably the worst thing in the movie; however, it is never too annoying to hurt the movie. On the other hand, Emily Mortimer does a superb job as Closeau's secretary Nicole. They have a lot of chemistry on screen and was perfect for the role.
To summarize, this was a very entertaining movie, and a big surprise since most of the fans (including me) were expecting the worst of this movie. It will never be the same without Sellers, but Martin makes a good Inspector Clouseau that works for this times. Watch for Clive Owen's cameo, and a great introducing credits. 7/10.
With everything against it, this new take on the "Pink Panther" story manages to keep the entertaining, and while not as good as the originals, it was a relief to see that the magic of the Panther was there and that for once, a remake was good on its own.
The plot is the classic Clouseau story: a murder happens, and the legendary diamond, the Pink Panther, goes missing. Clouseau (Steve Martin) is assigned to the case by Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Kevin Kline), who pretends t use Clouseau's stupidity to fool the media in order to appear himself as a hero. Dreyfus assign Clouseau a new partner, Gilbert Ponton (Jean Reno), and together they start the investigation.
The script is a very good update to Clouseau's story, and to the overall Pink Panther mystique; the sexual humor was toned down a bit, but Clouseau's ability with women remains intact. The classic slapstick that Sellers made famous is present, although Martin gives the role his own touch.
Steve Martin does a good job as Clouseau, although at times his acting goes over the top, as if he was trying too hard to fit Seller's shoes. Jean Reno, as Ponton, gives the best performance in the movie, stealing every scene where he appears. His character was a good addition to the movie and Reno makes the most of it. Kevin Kline has little screen time and probably his character will grow in sequels (if there is any).
A lot has been said about Beyoncé Knowles as Xania, and yes, she is probably the worst thing in the movie; however, it is never too annoying to hurt the movie. On the other hand, Emily Mortimer does a superb job as Closeau's secretary Nicole. They have a lot of chemistry on screen and was perfect for the role.
To summarize, this was a very entertaining movie, and a big surprise since most of the fans (including me) were expecting the worst of this movie. It will never be the same without Sellers, but Martin makes a good Inspector Clouseau that works for this times. Watch for Clive Owen's cameo, and a great introducing credits. 7/10.