The Pink Panther 2 (dir. Harald Zwart, 2009)
Argh, that title frustrates me. I know it’s the first sequel in a new continuity, but couldn’t you call it, I dunno, The Fate of the Pink Panther or something?
This film, while still as kid-friendly and slapstick-heavy as the first, establishes a kind of literary pattern that I feel could easily still be taken into further films with a huge amount of ease. Since Clouseau (Steve Martin) is now a competent investigator, and the films are now just as much about the central mystery as they are about Clouseau’s clumsiness, a long, long string of films could easily be structured around a long, long string of thefts and murders. Clouseau is now closer to Hercule Poirot than ever. He is Jessica Fletcher with pratfalls. Miss Marple with fart jokes. This is certainly contrary to the chaotic and cosmopolitan spirit of the early Pink Panther movies, but it’s establishing something that’s actually kind of interesting as an ongoing story. Clouseau, the funny bumbling cop, in the case of the week. I’d watch that show. I think these new Pink Panther movies, while a bit sloppier, are a bit more interesting than that odd Get Smart reboot that Hollywood tried in 2008.
If Martin decides to do more Clouseau, I actually might be interested in seeing it. I still think is pidgin French accent is a little grating, and much of the slapstick (like the last film) is painfully protracted, but I’d still possibly watch a Pink Panther 3, were it to come out. Well, maybe. I’m not hugely enthused by these movies, but I’m so very relieved that they don’t suck and actually provide a few laughs. Is Martin getting too old to play the bumbling goofball? Well, Leslie Nielsen played a similar goofball into his 80s (he played a female waitress in Stan Helsing at age 83), so I think not.
The story this time is very Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? A superthief calling himself “The Tornado” (and not “The Phantom”) has been stealing precious artifacts from all over the world, including The Magna Carta, the Shroud of Turin, the Pope’s papal ring, the Japanese Imperial Sword, and, of course, The Pink Panther (which now looks more like it did in the original films, and less like it did in the last film). Dreyfus (now played by John Cleese) has been asked by the French government to recommend Clouseau as a member of an international Dream Team of super-sleuths. Is it me, or is that really cool idea? Kid-friendly or not, I like the notion of a super-team of super-sleuths hot on the trail of a international criminal. Writers of the Carmen Sandiego movie, I hope you’re listening. So Clouseau sets out on the trail of The Tornado surrounded by an awesome team.
There’s the wry British investigator (Alfred Molina), the tech-heavy Japanese kid (Yuki Matsuzaki), the charming Italian investigator (Andy Garcia), and a comely Indian investigative reporter (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, often referred to as the world’s most beautiful woman). The sleuths all bicker, and of course Clouseau tries to hog the spotlight, but none of that is as annoying as you’d think, mostly due to the caliber of the actors involved. Molina especially holds his own, as he’s dealt with both broad and classy material in the past. The Dream Team’s investigation leads them to a shirtless Jeremy Irons (yowza), the chambers of The Pope (Eugene Lazarev), and, oh, other places.
The subplot involves Clouseau’s relationship with Nicole (Emily Mortimer) who he is clearly destined to marry, and how their professional relationship stands in the way. Like the most frustrating of romantic comedies, their consummation is delayed by artificially inflated misunderstandings, and flirtations from Garcia and Rai respectively. Some romantic advice is doled out by Ponton (Jean Reno) who is having marriage difficulty, and whose sons now serve as the Cato role – yes, Clouseau threatens to beat children. There’s also an unfunny thread involving Lily Tomlin (what a cast!) as an etiquette teacher.
The ultimate revelation of PP2 reveals that Clouseau is not just a clever investigator, but a brilliant one, having been one step ahead of the investigation this whole time. Odd that I don’t want to give away the ending of such a trifling film. Perhaps that ought to speak to the film’s unexpected quality. Needless to say, the actual thief is not whom you would expect it to be. He also marries Nicole.
The Pink Panther 2 is not quite as funny at The Pink Panther R, but I’m still digging this new continuity more than I ought to. Even if you hate these new remakes (as I know many do), you have to give them this: This is the first Pink Panther continuity since the first films of the 1960s that actually managed to grow past one film. If there is a third in this new line of Panthers (and there are rumors and announcements on the topic), it will prove to be stronger than any of the previous Panthers, even if the 3rd/12th one bombs.
