Next time you have a couple of hours of free time and want to rent a good DVD – don’t pick Pink Panther! I wouldn’t actually call this remake with Steve Martin an out-and-out rotten tomato but partly because viewers’ expectations based on the original are quite high, it comes off as a real let-down.

I’ve been a big fan of the Peter Sellers movies and I’ve loved nearly all of Steve Martin’s work. But the combination just didn’t work this time. Steve Martin doesn’t feel like Inspector Clouseau, more like someone trying very hard to imitate him - and that really shows.

                         

The essential plot outline is connected with the disappearance of the famous Pink Panther diamond along with the murder of the French soccer coach. Inspector Dreyfus (Kevin Kline), Clouseau’s superior, hands him the case with the ulterior motive of stepping in to save the day and get a Medal of Honor after Clouseau has made a predictable mess of it. Of course, Clouseau does end up making a mess of it - wrecking furniture and vehicles, insulting victims and destroying clues - but he bumbles his way to the solution in the process.

To be honest there were some witty lines and humorous moments but nothing that makes you laugh out loud. Martin’s performance is stilted, Kevin Kline isn’t any better and Beyonce Knowles provides predictable eye-candy in her appearance as the fiancé of the murder victim.

In short – if you’ve seen the original Pink Panther movies, avoid this one!