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Inspector Gadget |
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"I'm not me any more, I'm a hardware store,"
exclaims Gadget. And it doesn't get any better.
Drudging up the most inane elements of
Flubber and RoboCop, Disney
has recreated the television series
Inspector Gadget for the big screen.
Security guard John Brown suffers an accident
early in the film (he's blown up in a car crash).
Brenda, a robotic surgeon, saves his life by
replacing his human body with one made of
"gadgets." Henceforth, he's to be a
crime-fighting machine called Inspector
Gadget. He must defeat the villainous Claw
who killed Brenda's dad. Of course, Gadget
and Brenda fall in love.
Positive Elements: Inspector
Gadget goes after the bad guy, fights for
justice and lives out his vision of helping
others by bringing safety and peace to his
city.
Spiritual Content: A brief
appearance of an Eastern guru who urges
Gadget to find his inner peace.
Sexual Content: Minor sexual
innuendoes intrude during dialogue about
Gadgets newfangled "parts." A couple of
kissing scenes. A few low-cut evening
gowns.
Violent Content: Prolonged
"cartoon-style" violence takes up most of the
film's short 80 minute length. Car chases.
Helicopter chases. Explosions. Fist fights.
All of it is played for laughs. In one
scene Gadget's arm grasps a man's genitals.
Wordplay revolves around the term
"balls."
Crude or Profane Language:
Minimal. One mumbled d--n. "Gosh" and "Oh
God" also pop up a couple of times.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Claw
smokes a cigar.
Summary: Fortunately,
Inspector Gadget avoids the crude
bathroom humor that has become a stable of
many PG and PG-13 "kiddie action" films.
Sadly, lack of any distinguishable character
development, a sub-par plot and
Nickelodeon-style production should send any
self-respecting teen running out of the theater.
And the film's "laugh-track" approach to
violence renders it inappropriate for the kids
that it does appeal to. Fixated on its gadgets,
Inspector Gadget forgets to entertain.
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