Ive seen alot of action stars starring in cheap family comedies like Vin Diesel in the Pacifier (2005) and Jackie Chan in the Spy Next Door (2010). But this time I see two big differences in this movie; Seth Rogan is the superhero and a superhero movie released in January? Seth Rogan is of all things; The Green Hornet, the superhero that started out on a radio show in the 40s and evolved into comic books and now has a new motion picture.
Britt Read (Seth Rogan) is a millionaire playboy who treats life like its handed to him on silver platter without needing to work a day in his life. However his does a 180 on him when his father is found dead and he inherits his fathers media empire. When he meets his fathers car mechanic Kato (Jay Chou) he makes three astonishing discoveries about him; He can make the most indestructible car in the world, he is a King Fu expert and he makes the best cup of joe in the world. This realization makes them form a partnership to fight crime in the streets of LA with a tricked out car. As the two gain more popularity under their alter ego of the Green Hornet, the cities most powerful crime lord Ben Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz) declares a gang war so bloody it would paint the town red.
The big difference between this superhero movie and others is that the hero poses as the villain which thereby makes the two leads the ultimate anti-hero's. What gives this movie a bit of the Seth Rogan flare to it is the fact that Rogan helped write the screenplay for the movie and when the lead helps write the movie it makes them feel more comfortable and familiar with the movie without the worry of making a mistake on some Hollywood big-shots script.
Rogan is very funny in this movie but this is mostly due to the fact that he helped write it. If he didn't I don't think he would do such a good job since to him it would t be like reading off carved ice. Jay Chou on the other hand really is the cornerstone of this movie. Although Rogan is the lead its Chou who makes the Green Hornet what it is since he is the one that does all the work in the superhero gig (literally) the stunt work he provides for the action sequences is terrific and is almost on par with Bruce Lee in the original Green Hornet film. Christoph Waltz is a bit of surprise for this movie. Although he was good it seems a bit too soon of a leap for him to go from action to comedy, yet he still does a great job of playing a charming yet terrifying villain. Cameron Diaz is the weakest link for this movie, you can just tell she has never really absorbed any of the lines in the script for this film and as such she is a stale insufferable know it all. Her part would have been suited better for a character better suited for what she is on the Inside like America Ferrara on Ugly Beaty.
I liked Green Hornet but I obviously didn't like it as much as I would other superhero movies like the Dark Knight or X-Men. So the movie is, the acting is ok, the special effects and stunt work is great and the script is decent, so to be perfectly blunt see the Green Hornet. And personally I wonder if that car would ever fall under being an Autobot or a Decepticon.
My Rating: 3/4 Shamrocks.
No comments:
Post a Comment