Review of Inspector Gadget (1999) by Dennis B — 30 Mar 2008

I don't know why so many people hate the Inspector Gadget movie. I thought it was a fine film. Sure, it's nothing like tv show but in my opinion that's what made it enjoyable. Inspector Gadget had to be updated a little bit for the feature film.

It's slightly darker and a bit more serious than the tv show but still very family oriented and campy at certain parts which, in my opinion, makes it enjoyable for both kids and adults. Gadget, played by Mathew Broderick, isn't so much the clueless idiot he was in the tv show but still shows naivety and at first can't get his gadgets to work right.

Broderick also plays the comedic RoboGadget, a completely robotic and evil clone of the orignal. Dr. Claw, played by Rupert Everett, is seen in full unlike the tv show, is slightly flamboyant as opposed to the more menacing Claw in the show, and has a metal claw where his left hand used to be making his name literal.

Both Gadget and Claw are given full backstories and civillian names. Penny, played by Michelle Trachtenberg, appears in the film and like the tv show, is extremely intelligent and helps Gadget out. Although, Gadget is more aware of the situation he's in and is the hero in the end as opposed to Penny being the real hero as in the tv show.

Brain, the dog, also appears as Penny's sidekick but doesn't play much of a big role. Dabney Coleman also appears as Chief Quimby, Joely Fisher as Brenda Bradford who is Gadget's love interest, and D.

L. Hughley as the voice of the Gadgetmobile. I would recommend this movie to anybody really. For the people that complain it's nothing like the show, there's Inspector Gadget 2. You can try that one instead.