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Synopsis
On the outskirts of Riverton, the so-called “Safest City in America,” a pensive and bored Inspector Gadget (FRENCH STEWART) sits in his Gadgetmobile, along with his canine companion, Brain. Gadget is back on the job protecting the citizenry of Riverton, but it’s awfully quiet. His theory is that “it’s always the most quiet just before criminals strike,” so evil must be afoot. In a moment of overzealous crime fighting, Gadget arrests an elderly women for reckless driving -- she’s actually going .3 miles over the speed limit! But, as usual, things go wrong for the intrepid hero and in his effort to make the arrest, Inspector Gadget’s many crime fighting “accessories” go wildly awry creating a mass confusion.
When it’s time to report back to headquarters for a checkup of his system, Baxter (BRUCE SPENCE), the “Q” of the Riverton Police Department, delivers the prognosis - Gadget is a prototype, so things are bound to have some glitches. Never fear, though, the remedy is close at hand. Before Baxter can tell of his new “top secret,” Gadget is confronted by furious Police Chief Quimby (MARK MITCHELL). Turns out the little old lady arrested earlier was Quimby’s mother! Gadget is put on notice –- any more mistakes and he’s on probation.
Meanwhile, in the dead of night, and in a raging storm, something happens that will forever change our hero’s destiny. Gadget’s arch enemy and nemesis, Claw (TONY MARTIN), makes a daring escape from Riverton Prison. Now, evil really is afoot. Chief Quimby gives Inspector Gadget one last chance to redeem himself through the capture, and return to incarceration,
of Claw. And so the chase begins…
Plotting his revenge against Inspector Gadget by pulling off the “Crime of the Century,” the malicious Claw, surrounded by his evil minions, has turned an abandoned bowling equipment factory into his evil lair. A news report on television announces the Federal Reserve Bank has over five trillion dollars in pure gold bullion housed in an impregnable, fortress-like building in Riverton.
This is all the inspiration Claw needs to set his plan in motion -- he has 10 days in which to build the ultimate super weapon and strike. In the meantime, Riverton’s supercilious Mayor Wilson (SIGRID THORNTON), not one to miss out on a political point-scoring publicity opportunity, stands preening before the media, alongside Police Chief Quimby, to unveil the latest in crime fighting technology -- the next generation, state-of-the-art example of gadget policing. A large silver pod is revealed containing a beautiful woman, attired in head to toe bright blue leather. Enter G2 (ELAINE HENDRIX). The latest in high technology, G2 is all robot and a brief demonstration of her crime-fighting prowess leaves everyone impressed. Quimby quickly hands the Claw case to G2, superceding a crestfallen Inspector Gadget. Gadget’s niece Penny (CAITLIN WACHS), who wants to follow in the footsteps of her favorite crime-fighting uncle, has been doing some sleuthing of her own, accompanied by her trusty dog, Brain. She has uncovered a vital clue to Claw’s whereabouts that will give her despondent Uncle Gadget the jump on G2.
Even equipped with Penny’s helpful discoveries, inept Inspector Gadget still experiences a series of hair-raising and gadget-laden mishaps and public humiliations as he tries to prove his value. It’s obvious he’s no match for the sophisticated G2, who aces him at every turn in the quest to recapture Claw. Gadget’s ultimate disgrace forces him to relinquish his badge. Fortunately for Inspector Gadget, he has Penny, Brain and the Gadgetmobile on his side.
As fate would have it, Gadget learns that the final component needed to complete Claw’s secret weapon -- a giant ruby on loan from the Raja of India -- is being displayed at Mayor Wilson’s fundraising dinner at the Riverton Museum. While Mayor Wilson, Chief Quimby and G2 are there in an official capacity, Claw and his minions attend the event masquerading as the band. Inspector Gadget is there, too, in his new job -- as the doorman. Meanwhile, Penny does some sleuthing of her own and discovers Claw’s hideaway at a deserted bowling factory and realizes his dastardly plan for world domination has gathered momentum.
At the fundraising dinner, chaos reigns supreme -- Claw escapes with the ruby, Mayor Wilson escapes with her life, but is publicly humiliated in the process, G2 is rendered helpless, and Chief Quimby is ultimately left with no choice but to deactivate G2 and decommission the whole Gadget Program. Back at the bowling factory, Claw returns with the ruby and Penny walks right into his grasp. Fortunately, Brain is able to escape and seeks out the one person he knows can save the world from Claw’s evil scheme -- Inspector Gadget.
A quiet moment between Inspector Gadget and G2 as they ponder their bleak future is interrupted by Brain’s arrival. Using the “bark translator” to decipher Brain’s urgent barking, the duo deduce that Penny’s life is in danger, and they jump into the Gadgetmobile and roar off into the night to
rescue Penny and put a halt to Claw’s master plan once and for all. Time is ticking by as Claw’s “10 days to success” plan is quickly approaching. It is the day of reckoning as he unveils his super weapon -- a huge “time freeze” laser. But what is so important about the timing? At exactly 9:30 in
the morning, a satellite in outer space will pass over Riverton. Claw can reflect a time-freezing laser beam off the satellite’s parabolic mirror back onto the city, rendering everyone and everything immobile, and thus creating a perfect and uninterrupted pathway to the gold bullion. In a race against time, the Gadgetmobile miraculously out speeds the effects of the laser beam and gets Gadget, G2, and Brain out of the city limits and away from the paralyzing rays.
With Penny being held by Claw as a human shield, an all-out, drag-down battle ensues between the forces of good and evil. In a terrifying diversionary tactic, Penny is attached to a tangle of bombs and a 60-second timing device and launched off Claw’s vehicle.
KA-BOOOOM!!! As G2, Brain and the Gadgetmobile look on in horror, out of the smoke and rubble emerges Gadget and Penny. The usually-stoic G2 has had her robot heart shaken by this incident, and in a rare show of emotion, she awkwardly hugs Gadget.
It’s high noon on the Riverton Bridge when the adversaries finally come face-to-face. In a gadget-crazy showdown, technology is the winner as Gadget and G2 eliminate Claw’s minions, but the mastermind Claw, who has preplanned for all eventualities, escapes by blasting into space in a one-man rocket ship.
Back in electioneering mode, Mayor Wilson makes the most of every opportunity for re-election as she proudly presents Inspector Gadget and G2. Now both fully reinstated as Riverton’s prime crime fighters, Chief Quimby confirms their appointment and announces a doubling of the Gadget
Unit’s budget. Inspector Gadget steps forward to make the special announcement that “behind every great uncle, is a great niece.” Brave and tenacious Penny finally gets her just rewards, and is decorated with a Junior Inspector Award for meritorious conduct.
As the story draws to a close, another private moment between Inspector Gadget and G2 suggests that there may be romance afoot.
And what about Claw? Well, he’s gone for now, but he’ll be ba-ack …
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