A slimmed down Seth Rogan takes the lead as Britt Ried/the Green Hornet, the son of the editor of the Daily Sentinel and heir to the media empire after the passing away of his father. After discovering and befriending Kato (played by Jay Chou), his father’s mechanic (and coincidently coffee maker), the two become partners and pose as bad guys while they rid the city of crime.
Though the movie begins with Rogan playing his notorious women-loving-stuck-in-adolescence-and-still-partying role, he soon transforms into a superhero, albeit not the brave, gallant man of honor that you would expect a masked vigilante to be. In the beginning, one wonders if Rogen took on more than he could handle, but as he sticks to comedy he manages to surprise the crowd without deviating too far from his on-screen personality that he is best known and loved for.
Complimenting the bumbling hero is Chau, the Green Hornet’s “sidekick”, who is actually the muscle, brain and the front-man of the duo. Chou executes his role well and contributes effectively to the chemistry between characters. Though the subordinate, Chou holds his own and adds much with the stunts and ball crunching fight scenes which remind us of why we love karate-chopping-ass-kicking Asians so much.
Besides the commendable performance of our two front-men, the minor characters were slightly disappointing. The issue not being their acting, but the roles given that insult their talent. Given Christoph Waltz’s incredible performance in Inglorious Bastards, it is exciting to see him reappear as a villain, but his character barely taps into the drug lord’s mind he plays. However, Waltz does well with what he’s given - the facial expresses, delivery of lines, and nonchalant killing of people is done flawlessly.
Perhaps the biggest let down is Cameron Diaz. Maybe it’s because she’s already passed the height of her career, her appearance doesn’t sway the audience, one way or another. If anything, it’s unclear as to why Diaz would have been picked for the role of Lenore Case, Rogan’s secretary that just about any female actress could have filled. Again, nothing about her performance suggests that Diaz shouldn’t have been in the movie, it’s just won’t contribute to her career any.
As far as the story goes, a few developments like the reason the two men choose to wear green and take out hooligans were weak. However, where it lacks in strong plot, it makes up with the interaction and conflicts between characters be it familial, romantic or just between friends.
Another redeeming factor is Black Beauty, the getaway car that puts the Batmobile to shame. The stunning mid-1960s Chrysler Imperial is customized with all sorts of guns, gizmos and fancy gadgets that assist the pair in defeating crime lords. A
truly incredible car, it’s worth watching the movie just to see the sleek body glide across the screen.
One more reason the movie is likeable – it has some well done fight scenes. A mix of Chuck Norris moves, kicking-in-the-face, and martial arts, the action packed segments are choreographed well and aren’t overdone. The movie in 3D adds to the flying fists, explosions, and falling shrapnel of glass that are scattered throughout the movie.
Currently screening at QFX, if you’re in the mood for laugh out loud humor, impressive fighting, and heroes unlike others, this movies comes highly recommended.
Directed: Michel Gondry
Cast: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz, Cameron Diaz
Stars: 2/5
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