Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

Well someone must have liked the Pink Panther remake, because they made a sequel. Despite the creative title Pink Panther 2, the sequel actually managed to get even worse critical reviews than its predecessor.

The problem with remaking the Pink Panther movies is that Peter Sellers, as bumbling as he may have seemed, had a lot of grace. Instead, this movie comes off more like one of the many Wayans' spoofs (the recent ones!). It's sad because Steve Martin is just one of the many incredible talents in this movie. However, the entire lot really should leave the pratfalls and slapstick to Leslie Nielsen, because it hasn't packed the same punch since The Naked Gun.

So why is Martin so bad at being Inspector Clouseau? That is one of life's great mysteries. The guy is certainly a comedic genius. However, you wouldn't have a clue of that from this film.

This time, Clouseau is teaming up with detectives from around the world to catch The Tornado, a cat burglar that's managed to capture the Magna Carta, the Japanese Emperor's sword, the Shroud of Turin, and our beloved Pink Panther diamond.

It sounds simple enough, but just comes off as dumb. Also, with appearances by Jean Reno, Alfred Molina, Emily Mortimer, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Andy Garcia, Lily Tomlin, John Cleese (who replaces Kevin Kline as Chief Inspector Dreyfus), and Jeremy Irons, you'd think this would be the greatest comedy of all time. You couldn't be more wrong.

The Picture

One thing that the current Pink Panther movies have over the original series is a brilliant picture. Expect a tad bit of grain, but overall, this 1.85:1 transfer looks really good. There are plenty of bright colors, deep blacks and right-on fleshtones. Clouseau always loved his exotic locales, which pop nicely here. Expect the detail in those scenes and most others to be plentiful and perfect.

The Sound

MGM has provided DTS-HD Master Audio to convey all of the slapstick. That mayhem plays well throughout the surrounds, as does the score, which includes Henry Mancini's classic, "The Pink Panther Theme." The dialogue is also crisp and clear, which is surprising, given all of the incredibly bad accents.

The Extras

About 20 minutes of featurettes concentrates on the all-star cast as well as the film's physical comedy. The real gem, however, is the extra disc, which includes 27 classic Pink Panther cartoons. Someone call Clouseau, though; the true crime here is that none are in high-def.

Final Thoughts

Just because the remake made a few bucks, doesn't make the sequel right. If you enjoy a lot of slapstick and pratfalls, you could enjoy Pink Panther 2. However, it's probably a better idea to go rent the original series -- even the bad ones. Steve Martin deserves so much better, and so does the audience.

Where to Buy:

• Pink Panther 2 on Blu-ray Disc (Amazon.com)

Product Details

• Actors: Steve Martin, Jean Reno, Alfred Molina, Emily Mortimer, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Andy Garcia, Lily Tomlin, John Cleese, Jeremy Irons
• Director: Harald Zwart
• Audio/Languages: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (Spanish, French, Portuguese)
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Region: A
• Number of Discs: 3
• Rating: PG
• Studio: MGM
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: June 23, 2009
• Run Time: 92 minutes
• List Price: $39.99
• Extras:
  • Gag Reel
  • Drama is Easy... Comedy is Dangerous
  • A Dream Team Like No Other
  • Trivia Game: Master Thief - Global Crime Showdown!
  • 27 Classic Pink Panther Cartoons
  • Digital Copy