Anybody who likes the Pink Panther cartoons are very likely to get a kick of the Inspector series. Count me as somebody who does like Pink Panther cartoons, if more the 60s efforts and found myself liking The Inspector cartoons just as much as the 60s Pink Panther cartoons as a child. Like them even more through adult eyes with the humour being funnier and getting more out of the villains.
There are far better cartoons though than 'Sacre Bleu Cross'. It is a more than watchable and actually just above average cartoon with enough of the usual strengths, but there are far funnier and more imaginative The Inspector cartoons in the series. Put it around low middle perhaps when ranking the series' cartoons, as far as the previous ones go it is better than 'Napoleon Blown-Aparte' (the only one to not do much for me of the previous cartoons) while being on par with 'The Pique Poquette of Paris', having pretty much the same strengths and flaws as that.
Best asset is the animation. Fairly simple in terms of drawing but never ugly, while the somewhat abstract backgrounds have nice attention to detail, more so than the Pink Panther cartoons (not a knock at all on the animation of that series), and don't look sparse. But it is the deep and rich colours that stand out in this regard. Liked the jauntiness and jazzy slinkiness of the music, which didn't sound too cheap or repetitive.
Continue to love the chemistry between The Inspector and Deux Deux, two great and beautifully contrasted characters with the former being more bumbling and the latter being quieter. There are amusing and charming moments, the clear highlight being with the hand grenade, and Pat Harrington Jr as always does a great job with the voice work. The villain is bizarre, his name gives a pretty good idea of how much so, but entertaining, if not one of the most inventive villains of the series.
Sad though that the story for 'Sacre Bleu Cross' is very predictable and tired, and could have done with more energy as the cartoon does flag. Those and most of the writing bring the cartoon down significantly.
Would have liked sharper physical comedy and wittier verbal humour (the irony doesn't come out enough and the word play is not as inspired), which is what makes the best The Inspector cartoons work, did think that there were nowhere near enough laughs here. Or at least ones that are truly funny or memorable.
Overall, an above average (just about) The Inspector cartoon but a bit lacking. 6/10
There are far better cartoons though than 'Sacre Bleu Cross'. It is a more than watchable and actually just above average cartoon with enough of the usual strengths, but there are far funnier and more imaginative The Inspector cartoons in the series. Put it around low middle perhaps when ranking the series' cartoons, as far as the previous ones go it is better than 'Napoleon Blown-Aparte' (the only one to not do much for me of the previous cartoons) while being on par with 'The Pique Poquette of Paris', having pretty much the same strengths and flaws as that.
Best asset is the animation. Fairly simple in terms of drawing but never ugly, while the somewhat abstract backgrounds have nice attention to detail, more so than the Pink Panther cartoons (not a knock at all on the animation of that series), and don't look sparse. But it is the deep and rich colours that stand out in this regard. Liked the jauntiness and jazzy slinkiness of the music, which didn't sound too cheap or repetitive.
Continue to love the chemistry between The Inspector and Deux Deux, two great and beautifully contrasted characters with the former being more bumbling and the latter being quieter. There are amusing and charming moments, the clear highlight being with the hand grenade, and Pat Harrington Jr as always does a great job with the voice work. The villain is bizarre, his name gives a pretty good idea of how much so, but entertaining, if not one of the most inventive villains of the series.
Sad though that the story for 'Sacre Bleu Cross' is very predictable and tired, and could have done with more energy as the cartoon does flag. Those and most of the writing bring the cartoon down significantly.
Would have liked sharper physical comedy and wittier verbal humour (the irony doesn't come out enough and the word play is not as inspired), which is what makes the best The Inspector cartoons work, did think that there were nowhere near enough laughs here. Or at least ones that are truly funny or memorable.
Overall, an above average (just about) The Inspector cartoon but a bit lacking. 6/10
