Columbo: Butterfly in Shades of Grey (1993) Directed by Dennis Dugan

(Review originally written at 7 November 2008)

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

17 years after his previous Columbo movie appearance, William Shatner again plays the murderer within a Columbo movie. His role is better and more interesting than was the case in his previous Columbo movie appearance but his performance isn't really though.

Shatner goes terribly over-the-top with his role and he actually is a real B-actor, with an A-actor's status however, due to his "Star Trek" fame. It's actually quite fun to see him act but for all the wrong reasons, especially in the way he delivers his lines. Peter Falk on the other hand is really great, perhaps even better than usual. He seemed to be in a good mood while playing in this. He provides the movie with some great relieving humor.

No big surprise that the movie features some good humor since the movie is directed by Dennis Dugan. Dugan is a director who mostly directed comedies throughout his career. He began his career with directing for TV but now days he also has some successful and well known theatrical movies behind his name, with "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry" and "You Don't Mess with the Zohan" as the most recent examples.

The movie has a real typical Columbo movie plot, that follows the usual formula and features all of the right requirements. So no surprises in this movie really or anything that makes this movie a special one but it's all good enough to please the average Columbo lovers. The killing is actually done quite good and original too bad that the rest of the movie its plot isn't that good or interesting. I love though how Lt. Columbo is trying to put pressure on the Shatner character by using his obvious love for his (step)daughter against him, later in the movie.

So yes, despite Shatner this is still a fine average and certainly watchable Columbo movie entry.

7/10

Watch trailer