Inspector Gadget 2 is a 2003 American live-action sci-fi comedy film and stand-alone direct-to-video sequel to the 1999 film Inspector Gadget, based on the 1983 cartoon series of the same name.
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 As if the previous Inspector Gadget movie wasn't enough of a RKO to the face of one of the greatest action cartoons of all time... Disney lost the rights to DiC, so why make a sequel based on one of their worst live-action remakes afterwards?!
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Unlike the first film, Inspector Gadget 2 is considered a more faithful adaptation of the original animated series. The characters' personalities were altered to be more in line with their cartoon counterparts and Dr. Claw's face is never shown. Gadget and Claw are never referred to as "John Brown" and "Sanford Scolex", their respective civilian names from the first film (though Claw's communicator is still labeled as "Scolex Industries").
With the exception of D. L. Hughley, who returned as the voice of the Gadgetmobile, none of the actors from the 1999 film reprised their roles.
Like the first film, the film received negative reviews from critics and fans of the original animated series, but it received worse than the first by audiences and fans of the first film. It had received a 40% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Plot
A glitched Inspector Gadget once again has to fight his arch-nemesis, Dr. Claw, with the aid of a female Gadget: G2.
Why It's Still Isn't the Greatest Film Ever Assembled
- Misleading title: By its name, this movie is supposed to be a sequel to the 1999 film, however, it introduces too many new elements that are out of place for the Inspector Gadget series, the plot lacks continuity with the first one, plus the new cast and the new location, makes the movie feel more like a reboot rather than a sequel.
- Brenda Bradford, the scientist from the first film who saved Gadget's life twice, was removed, probably to make G2 the new love interest of Gadget.
- By the same way, several minor characters from the first movie don't appear for any explained reason.
- For some reason Claw still has his claw instead of a robot arm like in the cartoon.
- Awful acting, except French Stewart as Gadget.
- A very poor rendition of the Inspector Gadget theme, a stark contrast to how well it was done in the first film. There is only a better rendition in the trailers.
- Terrible CGI. It looks blatantly fake throughout the entire film.
- Most of the story is weak.
- Plenty of childish and mean-spirited moments.
- Chief Quimby is an unlikable jerk unlike in the first film where he was more like his cartoon counterpart, who was gruff but well-meaning.
- In this, he's somewhat incompetent and also partly responsible for Dr. Claw getting away with certain thefts by putting only one officer on the case (G2) and firing Gadget even though he proved his innocence (with the circuit override chip).
- The slapstick tries to come off like Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and The Mask, but fails miserably in doing so.
- The scene where Gadget and G2 swap chips creates a big continuity error with the first film, where Claw killed Gadget by destroying his chip, only for Brenda to revive Gadget with the power of love. Shouldn't they both have been killed by swapping chips?
- Bad direction by Alex Zamm.
- The pacing isn't great.
Redeeming Qualities
- This movie is a slight improvement over the first movie, with a slightly better grasp on the source material than the first one, such as Dr. Claw's face being hidden the whole time (Even though you can see parts of his face at some moments), Penny is a blonde and an active character, and Inspector Gadget is wacky, odd, goofy and says his catchphrase Wowsers!
- Some of the acting is okay:
- French Stewart gives a slightly better performance as Gadget than Matthew Broderick in the first film to be closer to Don Adams' impression in the cartoon and he does pull off the emotional scenes as well.
- D.L. Hughley reprises his role as the voice of the Gadgetmobile, being the only actor from the first film that reprises his role.
- There are some scenes that are amusing and funny.
- The part where a poor man gets his braces yanked off by the magnet is kinda funny.
- There is less product placement in comparison to the first film and even when it is shown (such as McDonald's), it isn't blatant or in your face.
- The idea of a female Inspector Gadget sounds interesting; G2 herself is a cool character, too bad that she had a lot of wasted potential.
- The ending song Up, Up, Up by Rose Falcon is pretty good and memorable.
Trivia
- Matthew Broderick was in talks early on to reprise his role as Gadget, but ultimately backed out.
- An animatic of the opening scene was released online, showing that the film was originally going to be more tied to the first film, with Dr. Brenda Bradford being mentioned.
- Elaine Hendrix (G2) performed all of her own stunts, including the fight scene against Claw's minions. Hendrix had to learn to do backflips for the scene where G2 splits in half, which can easily be mistaken for a CGI replica of her torso, but it was indeed her.
- The film location was entirely set in Brisbane, Australia, most notably was South Bank Parklands and William Jolly Bridge.
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- 2000s films
- Abusing the show
- Action films
- Based on cartoons
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- Comedy films
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- Disney
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- Sequel films
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- Movies that killed the franchise
- Live action films based on cartoons
- "It's made for kids"