Sunday, January 16, 2011

The Green Hornet

While there is a wealth of superhero flicks released every year, this recent influx hasn’t seen one quite like The Green Hornet. Based on the longtime radio serial, Britt Reid (Seth Rogan) looks to make a difference in the community after the death of his father. With the help of his sidekick, Kato, (Jay Chou) Reid builds the persona of the Green Hornet. The film is split between comedy and action, with the focus leaning towards the former. Without the overexposure to fighting, the audience can appreciate Chou’s martial artistry more when it is showcased.

The script is written spot on for Rogan and since he wrote it, with his writing partner Evan Goldberg, I can’t say I’m surprised. The creative team behind teen comedies like Superbad and Pineapple Express are more focused with this effort. The story loosely sticks to the necessary aspects of the original Hornet storyline while updating it and making it more appropriate for younger audiences.

The problem with pacing comes in the film’s final action scene, which goes on too long. They may have gotten away with it if they didn’t add the cheesiness in there, but the grouping is still very watchable. With that being said, the abundance of cheese that is present in the rest of the movie is very funny and adds a great dimension to the story.

The crime throughout tends to deal with gang violence and drugs, but still has the feel of old style crime that is usually associated with the Hornet. Lead by Cristoph Waltz, the criminals have airiness to them that keeps the comedy flowing at all times. The same can’t be said for the ever-unnecessary Cameron Diaz, who provides awkwardness to a static role. Even after identifying the negatives, The Green Hornet has the potential to be a very strong bridge between comic books and comedy, which I would be happy to see transform into a multi-film franchise. (8.6 out of 10)

1 comment:

  1. i am leaving a comment (!!!) and was fortunate enough to see this with the critic himself, haha. so yeah, i went into this movie with low expectations (which is unfortunate, seeing as i love me some hero flicks!), and i'd have to say your review is pretty accurate! there was a def. emphasis on humor and even though i think the Green Hornet character came off super duper lame (was his only purpose to provide the outlet for media exposure and the money to fund the gadgets?) as compared to his B.A. sidekick, Kato, the movie wasn't a flop by any means and dare i say it was entertaining in the end.

    thanks tom!

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