Pink Panther

I haven't seen the original by Blake Edwards starring Peter Sellers as French Inspector Jacques Clouseau, but the 2006 version (call it a remix?) is good only in patches. PP is from the 'wacky comdey' stable. If Austin Powers were a 3 and Naked Gun were a 2, then PP is 1. Get the drift?

PPs positives are a good plot, great actors and some hot GQ (galmour quotient). Any story which has a murder interwined with a missing diamond is sure gonna kick in some audience interest. Add to that Steve Martin and Jean Reno. Then some Beyonce Knowles. Mix it up with a little funny French and you have something to work with.

Unfortunately Shawn Levy, the director, left it at just that. Unlike Naked Gun or Austin Powers, PP lacks great dialogues. Those witty, quirky one-liners; those double-entendres (Allota Fagina, Felicity Shagwell). . Not there :(

Screenplay doesn't evoke any laughter either (remember Mini-me?). Levy seems to have lost track of other characters in the movie. The short screen times for the other actors could have been forgiven if atleast their characters were properly developed and weaved into the plot. That doesn't happen here (the whole scene with 006 is a total wreck).

Amidst all this, Steve Martin shines. He antics are hilarious, accent funny and expressions awesome (one scene where he asks Reno "You Knew?" tells us what a phenomenol actor Steve is). PP survives because of Steve.

All in all, an average flick.

PS: I don't think there's been a comedy that ranks right up in IMDB. Except Dr. Strangelove. Weird, I thought. Isn't a comedy a serious movie? Pun intended.