To say that Steve Martin does justice to the Pink Panther film series here is not to say that you should drop everything and watch Martin’s update. Director Blake Edwards’ original films, with Peter Sellers defining the role of inept French police officer Inspector Clouseau, aimed for inspired silliness but were more often than not simply silly. That this isn’t disastrous but rather packed with signature silliness – some of it even inspired – comes as welcome relief. With Kevin Kline mugging, but not twitching, as Clouseau nemesis Dreyfus and Beyonce Knowles adding nothing as an ‘international pop star.
