Lovecraftesque

As a movie, this does not amount to much. The jokes are not all that hilarious, the acting is not all that brilliant, the plot is not all that engaging, the special effects are not all that terrific. But, it is not pretentious. It knows what it is, and does it relatively well. However, I would recommend it only if one does not have anything better to watch. In the final analysis, the truth is that this movie is significantly better than the original that it is spoofing. This is no big achievement, for just about anything would be better than that ridiculous piece of turd. The Starving Games inherits that ridiculousness - but that's part of the point of the movie.

I'll never understand why The Pink Panther series has become a classic. While mildly entertaining at times, the whole thing is thoroughly spoiled by the intensely stupid Clouseau, extremely annoyingly played by Peter Sellers. If what they set up to do was to come up with an irritating, irksome movie they sure achieved their goal. Why anyone would want to sit through Peter Sellers' idiotic antics in this movie is beyond comprehension. What he does would be cute and amusing in a child. In an adult, it is plain creepy and irritating. Its saving graces: Solid craftsmanship behind the movie, the beautiful Capucine and Claudia Cardinale and the always reliable David Niven. Come to think of it, had they got rid of Peter Sellers and made his character a bit less stupid and irritating, the movie would have been thoroughly enjoyable. It's just a shame that Peter Ustinov didn't play instead.