Inspector Gadget (1999)

User Rating:

3.9/10   

Director:

David Kellogg

Writers (WGA):

Andy Heyward (characters) and
Jean Chalopin (characters) ...

Release Date:

23 July 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Action | Adventure | Comedy

Tagline:

The ultimate crime fighting machine.

Plot:

A security guard's dreams come true when he is selected to be transformed into a cybernetic police officer.

Plot Keywords:

Gadget | Inspector | Security Guard | Remake | Disembodied Head

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Tue. Nov. 17

8:00 PM

WGNAMER

Cast

Matthew Broderick	...	Inspector Gadget / Robo Gadget / John Brown
Rupert Everett	...	Sanford Scolex
Joely Fisher	...	Brenda / Robobrenda
Michelle Trachtenberg	...	Penny
Andy Dick	...	Kramer
Cheri Oteri	...	Mayor Wilson
Mike Hagerty	...	Sikes (as Michael G. Hagerty)
Dabney Coleman	...	Chief Quimby
D.L. Hughley	...	Gadgetmobile (voice)
Rene Auberjonois	...	Artemus Bradford (as René Auberjonois)
Frances Bay	...	Thelma
Mr. T	...	Himself
Richard Kiel	...	Famous Big Guy with Silver Teeth
Richard Lee-Sung	...	Famous Villain with Deadly Hat
Bobby Bell	...	Famous Identifier of Sea Planes (as Robert N. Bell)

Also Known As:

The Real Inspector Gadget (USA) (working title)
Astynomos Sainis (Greece) [el]
Detektiv Gadget (Finland: Swedish title) (TV title) [sv]
Etsivä Gadget (Finland) [fi]
Gadget (Sweden) [sv]
Go! Go! Gadget (Japan: English title) [en]
Inspecteur Gadget (France) [fr]
Inspector Gadget (Portugal) [pt]
Inspector Gadget (Denmark) [da]
Inspector Gadget (Argentina) [es]
Inspector Gadget (Italy) [it]
Inspektor Gadget (Germany) [de]
Inspetor Bugiganga (Brazil) [pt]
Müfettis Gadget (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

MPAA:

Rated PG for whacky violence/action, language and innuendo.

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Norwegian | French | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | USA:PG (certificate #36799) | South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Germany:6 (w) | New Zealand:PG | Norway:7 | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:U | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Trivia:

Even though there were more than 60 gizmos and gadgets grafted to John Brown's body and appeared, the Inspector Gadget in the cartoon series said to have an estimate of 14,000 gadgets.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Gadget is hanging off the building at the end of the movie, a crewman's shadow can be seen for a short time during the overhead view.

Quotes:

Gadgetmobile: Let's team up: I'll go after them; and you say 10-4!
Inspector Gadget: 10-4?
Gadgetmobile: Right. See ya!
[speeds off after some escaped convicts, leaving Gadget just standing there]

Movie Connections:

Features "The Simpsons" (1989)

Soundtrack:

Wild Wild Life

NO NO Gadget ...

I used to have a fascination with the cartoon back in college when it was being made. It had much the charm of "Get Smart". While it admittedly had its faults, it was rather enjoyable.

Naturally I was very interested in seeing the film version. That was before I saw it. Afterwords I wished it had never been made.

Besides being miscast all around (who on Earth though Broderick was even close to the role?) it just didn't make the grade.

The effects were reasonable and perhaps the ONLY thing I liked about the movie; seeing a live-action version of the gadgets in action! What was missing was a story and treatment which made it funny or charming or interesting.

The original was a wacky cartoon with a very lighthearted attitude. It was FUN. The motion picture became murky and took itself FAR too seriously. If it had seriously had a great plot or went crazy enough to make it seem like a "cartoon on film" it might have been enjoyable.

As it exists it doesn't deserve to be considered part of the "Gadget Legacy".