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Inspector
Gadget 2
Before
home video, studios had to be choosy about what movies received
sequel treatment. But now in an age where computer graphics
make special effects less and less costly, and the profits
from DVD and VHS sales are really where the money is at, even
a mediocre film like Disney's Inspector Gadget can
merit a follow-up.
Good
thing, too, because Inspector Gadget 2 is so surprisingly
fun, it pretty much obliterates the bad taste left by the
original.
It's
still not a work of genius, but IG2 does take advantage
of all the elements that made the cartoon a hit, or at least
well-known. The first film tried to break away from all but
the most superficial elements, at one point in the process
trying to bring adult themes to bear.
Disney
got skittish about that idea, chopping it out where it could,
and then speeding up the editing so nobody would notice the
resulting plotholes. They ended up with an Inspector Gadget
who was a cartoon character, all right, just not the one they'd
paid to adapt. As played by the quavery Matthew Broderick,
he was a sincere family man, and a little too aware of his
own shortcomings.
For the
sequel, writer/director Alex Zamm keeps the few elements that
worked, mostly in the form of the comic minions, and then
returns to the original cartoon for inspiration. It may not
have a lot of depth, but sometimes, a cartoon should just
be a cartoon, even when it's, um, live-action.
Yes, the
plot ends up being the same one from every episode. Dr. Claw
(Tony Martin) escapes from prison and hatches a scheme to
steal a lot of money and embarrass Gadget (French Stewart).
Luckily for the cyborg detective, his niece Penny (Caitlin
Wachs) and dog Brain are on hand to crack the case.
But Zamm
throws in a little twist. Despite Gadget having rid Riverton
of all crime, the police department has paid to develop a
better version of him, in the form of G2 (Elaine Hendrix),
all-robot and to Gadget's circuitry-filled eyes, all woman.
Don't
worry; knowing that kids really don't want the love stuff,
their relationship only barely progresses past platonic. Through
most of the movie, Gadget operates outside both the law and
G2's respect.
Taking
over the title role from Broderick, Stewart brings a persona
much closer to Don Adams' original voice. Everything that
goes wrong for Gadget he blames on glitches in his programming,
not on the genial overconfidence with which he approaches
every situation. Stewart also has a flair for physical comedy;
despite computer enhancements, at the base of the humor stands
a gifted comic actor.
In many
ways, IG2 is a throwback to the comedies Disney made
in the sixties, like The Love Bug and The Boatniks.
The humor is broad but never lowbrow, and though it has a
few adult jokes, they're not "adult" jokes. (More just subtle
pop culture things - at one point Gadget tells his car to
alert him to anything suspicious, like a Trekkie with a girlfriend.)
None
of it can be taken seriously, nor obviously should be. But
if you were burned by paying money for the first, give this
sequel a chance. It towers above its progenitor in quality,
and Disney might be smart to lock up Zamm for either future
installments or just whatever he has in his head.
It also
looks like this was originally meant for theatrical release.
The DVD features outtakes, deleted scenes, and many of the
behind-the-scenes features one would associate with a good
run in the theaters. You can skip the commentary, but for
a change, the set top game actually varies from the usual
Disney "trivia about the movie" motif.
It's worth
noting because the game combines a little action, problem-solving
skills, and value judgments. If any parents are reading this
far, you want to play this game with your kid.
And believe
me, after so many rote games on other Disney DVDs, this is
a big change.
Inspector
Gadget 2
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