DVD: The Pink Panther (2006)

Genre: Comedy
Director: Shawn Levy
DVD released: June 13, 2006
Verdict: &&

As director Shawn Levy talks in one of the DVD extras about an alternate title sequence that he all but calls better than the one that was actually used (and he would be right to make that call), he comments on how the sequence is more sophisticated but was discarded when the film moved in a more family-friendly direction. That's a head-scratcher of a statement, as the movie relies heavily on sexual innuendo; one of the funnier sight gags has Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Kevin Kline) walk into the room as our goofball hero, Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Steve Martin), has a woman's, um, torso on his face (he's trying to help her down from a table she was standing on). Perhaps this total misfire shouldn't be surprising coming from the director of Cheaper by the Dozen and Big Fat Liar, but it is disheartening that such an unsophisticated and, at times, painfully unfunny movie was scripted by Martin, who seemed the obvious choice for this role but never quite nails the deadpan slapstick that Peter Sellers achieved. There are a few laughs, but, if you haven't already seen Martin's hilarious Bowfinger, watch that instead. // DVD notes // The deleted scenes are worth a look, and there's a music video for costar Beyoncé's "Check on It," which sounds like a lost Destiny's Child hit.