Son of the Pink Panther

Roberto Bernigni takes over the lead in this last installment of the Pink Panther series. Unfortunately, his sweet, childlike persona is more reminiscent of the great Buster Keaton than of the late Peter Sellers.

However, a stand out in this rather uneven film is the great Robert Davi in the supporting role of "Hans". Again cast as the "heavy" of the piece, Davi brings an effective comic timing to the role of "Hans". So often taken for granted as the perennial "tough guy", Davi shows that he can also play a comic heavy and milk the laughs for all they're worth. Especially effective are his scenes with Bernigni. As Bernigni overacts and proceeds to chew up the scenery, Davi gives a cool, subtle performance. His reactions to the buffoonery around him elicits more laughs than the over zealous Bernigni.

This is still an enjoyable film but does make one long for the brilliance of Peter Sellers. Still, judge it on its own merit and enjoy it for the wonderful performance of Robert Davi.