Inspector Gadget's Last Case: Claw's Revenge

Believe it or not, Inspector Gadget's Last Case is what got me hooked on the whole Gadget thing.

My name is Miriam and I am twelve years old, so obviously I wasn't around when Inspector Gadget was at the top of his career. Sure, I'd heard of him, but I didn't really know him.

While reading, note that I NEVER SAW THE ORIGINAL SERIES (I would if it came on!). This is just about the only Gadget thing I've ever watched (even though I am now obsessed) and I will be focusing on what I liked about it since everyone else is so negative. For all you pessimists, I've got some cons down there, too. =P First off, for a childish sense of humor, you could deem this movie pretty funny. I thought it was, so sue me. I also thought the animation and character designs were good, and I'm also happy there was more Gadget in it, since he's my favorite character. (I do NOT like Penny.) Then there was Claw (his voice was awful, though) and the Madcat; I thought they were done fairly good too. Gadget's idiocy seemed pretty well in place, if not a bit exaggerated (i.e. sucking his hat-hand thing's thumb. Would make a good screen shot, though. =P) Oh, and I liked the song that ran in the credits. Yes, I am strange.

And, like all movies, there are some negatives, too.

Talking cars? What's up with that? You can tell this was aimed at younger boys. That wouldn't bother me quite so much if there wasn't the fact that the cars basically saved the day. I would have much preferred if Penny and Brain had taken their place. And, apparently, Gadget loved his car more than would be called natural. A bit weird, to say the least.

Oh, and the Chief was downright mean to Gadget. I mean, sheesh, yeah, he wasn't always the most cheerful of people, but he didn't HATE Gadget, from what I've read. Like the Inspector, his personality was exaggerated.

Well, that's pretty much all I have to say about this movie. I thought the animation made up for the car-centered plot and that it was overall pretty decent; more so than the live-action Gadget films (butchered, butchered, BUTCHERED!) at least. Maybe I'm just biased because this is what got me into Gadget in the first place, or maybe my mind is twisted, or maybe I'm just odd, but I really liked this movie, even if I'm the oldest it's recommended for.

While on a routine pursuit in the Gadgetmobile, Inspector Gadget witnesses two of Claw's men take some sort of potion that gives them a sudden growth boost. This information is put to one side as his car goes through emergency engineering to keep him going. However when the pair are both back on the streets they find that the potion is just the start as they have to deal with an Italian stereotype the size of a skyscraper and the presence of a supposed new crime fighting hero in town.

Although I used to watch this as a kid, I can't really remember if it was any good or not and the only thing I can remember was that Gadget played a sort of Wallace to Brain's Gromit. Yes, Penny was always annoying but generally it was quite amusing (I think). With this rather silly plot though, the focus was pretty much on Gadgetmobile and Inspector Gadget, neither of whom are that great here. For most of the plot we have silly gags but not enough of them. In the final third Brain comes into it a bit more and reproduces some of the stuff I remember from my childhood but even then it is very basic and really lacks any wit or invention.

The delivery doesn't help – the characters look good but the backgrounds are roundly poor and the music is constantly "wacky" even when there is nothing of note happening on the screen. The voice work is nothing special but suits the material reasonably well. LaMarche does a good impression of the original; Byrnes is OK and Moss makes for a very modern and feisty Penny. Dobson and White are both really annoying cars but at least Drummond gives good Claw.

Overall this is a very basic film that will do enough to distract the age-group that it is aimed at. However adults looking for a trip down memory lane will be disappointed to find that it is all lacking in fun and laughs and is really just a bit of a cheap rehash in the aftermath of the Hollywood live-action version.

If you like Inspector Gadget and his cartoons, this film is for you. I was never a fan of the series as a child. It's okay but I prefer an ensemble of characters. This film is about 75 minutes of light-hearted adventure ideal for family viewing especially youngsters. If you enjoy Gadget and his abilities to stop crime, I still thought I heard Don Adams in the voice. Sadly he passed away but the replacement voice does an adequate job here too.

When I was watching INSPECTOR GADGET'S LAST CASE, I felt as if I was nine years old and watching the original series again. Sure, the Gadgetmobile was talking and Dr. Claw had a different voice, but it seemed to me that it was just like the olden days when I would watch INSPECTOR GADGET before leaving for school later on that morning. Claw, by the way, is just as he always was - and you don't see his face except when he is masquerading as Devon Debonair, at which point his face is disguised - remember, he has drunk the special serum, so we still don't know what he really looks like. At all other times he is in his chair with his face hidden from view and now wears a new golden claw. I wonder why his face is always hidden from us?

This film essentially deals with Inspector Gadget's arch-nemesis Doctor Claw who has returned after many years to the now-peaceful city of Metropolis. Claw's plan is to foil Gadget once and for all by using a newer "cooler" crimefighter to help destroy Gadget's popularity. Sadly the film fails miserably, the series was great, but it was revived nearly 20 years later with tragic results. Without the voice of Don Adams as Inspector Gadget it just doesn't cut it anymore; Dr. Claw is not only visually less frightening, but sounds more like a wrestler with a cold, than his original intimidating self. Granted this is a children's movie, but the plot is so painfully weak (heaven forbid I mention the animation) that it pales in comparison to the original series. Someone has decided to updated Penny as well to bring her two decades up to speed, she now has some quasi-punk rebellious clothing style and doesn't play half the role that she did in the TV series. The Gadgetmobile talks, as well as including a plot angle that focuses entire ON talking cars. Maybe I'm just a kid who loved the show who's grown up jaded, but I thought that the live-action version was more pain than I could bear, but now they go and spring this complete watering-down of the quality TV series on us. It's more than I can take.