The Pink Panther 2

Right now you can watch The Pink Panther 2 in Australia on FilmBox+ and MGM Amazon Channel, and in the US on Hoopla — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. With 1,282 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Steve Martin's performance alone is worth the time investment. Put it on tonight on FilmBox+ and see for yourself.

There is a reason The Pink Panther 2 keeps coming up in conversation. The jokes in The Pink Panther 2 land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. When legendary treasures from around the world are stolen, including the priceless Pink Panther Diamond, Chief Inspector Dreyfus is forced to assign Inspector Clouseau to a team of international detectives and experts charged with catching the thief and retrieving the stolen artifacts. Steve Martin and Jean Reno lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2009. The Pink Panther 2 earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

The Pink Panther 2 is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Steve Martin anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.