Inspector Gadget's Last Case - Claw's Revenge

Starring:Maurice LaMarche, Tina Bush, Jim Byrnes, Michael Dobson, Brian Drummond, Blu Mankuma, Tegan Moss, Colin Murdock, Richard Newman, J. White, Dale Wilson, Kimberly Hawthorne, Brendan Beiser
Director: Michael Maliani
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
When the inept inspector accidentally thwarts a bank robbery by Dr. Claw's minions, the evil Claw devises a revenge scheme that puts the Gadgetmobile in the shop and Gadget out of a job. During this 73-minute animated feature, things go from bad to worse for Gadget when he abandons his beloved car for a more sophisticated model in the hopes of better competing with Metro City's new superhero Devon Debonair, who's stealing all his good works and publicity. Then Debonair buys Gadget's cast-off, re-dubs it the "Debonairmobile," and provides him with fancy parking quarters and a personal buffer. Gadget may be too dim to figure out the connection to Claw, but thank goodness his niece Penny can think for both of them. While there's an underlying lesson in loyalty, the inspector's real forte is goofy fun. (Ages 3 to 12) --Kimberly Heinrichs
Description
Go-Go Adventure! Go-Go Excitement! Go-Go Gadget! Fasten your seat belts...and get ready for super-charged fun! Inspector Gadget and his four-wheeled partner, Gadgetmobile, are all revved up for high-speed adventure.

Amazon.com

When the inept inspector accidentally thwarts a bank robbery by Dr. Claw's minions, the evil Claw devises a revenge scheme that puts the Gadgetmobile in the shop and Gadget out of a job. During this 73-minute animated feature, things go from bad to worse for Gadget when he abandons his beloved car for a more sophisticated model in the hopes of better competing with Metro City's new superhero Devon Debonair, who's stealing all his good works and publicity. Then Debonair buys Gadget's cast-off, re-dubs it the "Debonairmobile," and provides him with fancy parking quarters and a personal buffer. Gadget may be too dim to figure out the connection to Claw, but thank goodness his niece Penny can think for both of them. While there's an underlying lesson in loyalty, the inspector's real forte is goofy fun. (Ages 3 to 12) --Kimberly Heinrichs

Description

Go-Go Adventure! Go-Go Excitement! Go-Go Gadget! Fasten your seat belts...and get ready for super-charged fun! Inspector Gadget and his four-wheeled partner, Gadgetmobile, are all revved up for high-speed adventure.

Customer Reviews:

Utterly plot-less and only slightly entertaining.......2005-10-08

I got this DVD well over 2 years ago and only decided to watch it yesterday. I don't know why it took me so long as I do like the Inspector Gadget show and even the new Gadget and the Gadgetinis. While it may have a bright color pallet and all the technical sophistication of a modern animated movie, there are some old things missing that bog this Gadget right down the toilet.

First of all the classic Inspector Gadget theme song and music is completely absent. The composer tries to compromise by doing a score that sounds similar but it's still just no good enough. The Gadget-mobile is now a talking car, not a car that can turn into a van. Plus it looks a lot cuter and rounder instead of being plain cool. Penny no longer has her computer book and she and Brain hardly make an appearance at all.

The plot is non-existent. There's something about a transformation formula and Doctor Claw using for some never revealed evil but that's all I got. What the deal was with the short/giant Italian guy I will never know. It had nothing to do with anything.

And if the title is anything to go by, his last case is wrapped up in no way whatsoever. And he stays on the force so why it's called 'last case' is a mystery also.

I wasn't impressed at all. This is an affront to a great animated show that is strangely absent on DVD, but don't let that prompt you into buying whatever Inspector Gadget DVDs you can. I sold this mere seconds after finally watching it. No kid will like or appreciate this and no fan of the old show with tolerate it.

Even Penny and Brain Couldn't Save Uncle Gadget This Time.......2005-01-26

Inspector Gadget was probably my all-time favorite 80's cartoon. I enjoyed both the first and second seasons of the series as well as 1992's Christmas special "Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas". Some Gadget fans are quick to criticize the second season (1985) of the show, but they need to compare it to DiC's 2002 release of "Inspector Gadget's Last Case: Claw's Revenge" for then, they will find the second season to be absolute gold.

Being a Gadget fan, I couldn't resist the opportunity to see the animated Inspector Gadget in something that wasn't Gadget Boy-related. I purchased the film, and I swore to myself that I'd be objective; I knew that sometimes artistic liberties would be taken from the original series. I was not even prepared for what I was about to watch.

There was barely a shred of the original show still intact.

Here is a short list of just some of the cons for this movie:

*The humor is non-existant from the original series.

*Penny and Brain (originally having a nearly equal part in the series as Gadget) are missing from the action for fifteen to twenty minute intervals.

*The original music by Saban & Levy is not there, and the score that exists is subpar. (Understood that Saban has his own production company now, but at least "Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas" had good music, even without Saban.)

*Don't expect to see any of Gadget's gadgets which made the show so endearing, such as gadget-copter, gadget-brella, gadget-mallot,gadget-coat (which actually was used but it was not even called the same thing), as well as his standard other hat and hand gadgets. In this movie, his gadget legs were telescopic instead of springs. That kind of stuff annoys true fans of the show, and simply aren't necessary to change.

*The gadgetmobile from the original series is now a fast-talking, supposedly "hip" convertible. All the fans from the original series enjoyed the gadgetmobile transforming into the gadget van and vice versa.

*Chief Quimby is now very short-tempered and even mean to Gadget. He was always grumpy in the original series, but this pushes the situation a bit much.

*Penny no longer has a computer book.

Are there any positives to this movie? Ok, here goes...

*Maurice LaMarche does a good job of taking over for the great Don Adams as Inspector Gadget.

*In one scene, Chief Quimby alludes to an actual villain from the cartoon series: the Great Wambini (classic "Gadget" villain from the second season, voiced by Louis Nye).

Looking for more redeeming factors for this movie? Well, you're out of luck. Life is about making choices and living by those choices. Most situations in life have a purpose even if it is to teach a lesson. The lesson learned here: keep to the original formula! "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." True Gadget fans should steer clear from this movie; you will surely be disappointed.

Hopefully, DiC will continue to release more of the original series on DVD. So far, Volume 1 of "The Gadget Files" has been released as well as "Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas". As a true Gadget fan, lover of 80's animation and many of DiC's programs, I urge you the viewer to purchase these two DVD's which are excellent and sure to bring back good memories.

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