Josh and I will review this in detail on the Film Actually podcast (episode 116) but here are some initial thoughts. I will start by saying that I have been negative on this film since I first heard about the project’s production problems over a year ago, and now it would seem that I was kind of right.
Originally Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle) was going to direct and star as Kato to Seth Rogan’s Green Hornet. Chow decided he didn’t want to direct it and agreed to just play Kato. As the search for a director continued, Chow quit as Kato as well. Then Nicolas Cage, who was signed to play the villain walked and was eventually replaced with Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds). When Michel Gondry, an art house director probably best known for “Be Kind Rewind” and “Eternal Sunshine on a Spotless Mind” was signed I felt this film was doomed. He is a great director but completely wrong for the material, kind of like Ang Lee making “Hulk”. Later, as production finally got underway, the release date was pushed back to accommodate a post conversion to 3D. Those that have seen “Clash of the Titans”, “The Last Airbender” and “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” know that this doesn’t often end well.
So the film is here, what did I think? I didn’t hate the film and there are good things to be minded out of it, but overall it is a mess. I am officially over Seth Rogan, his style of comedy was funny when he was a support in “The 40 Year Old Virgin” and I liked him in “Knocked Up” and “Pineapple Express”. But he is now just repeating himself over and over. The character of Britt Reid is supposed to be a little obnoxious at the start of “The Green Hornet”, he is a spoilt brat. As the film goes on he is supposed to grow, learn and develop into a hero. Rogan is just the spoilt obnoxious brat throughout and that was grating. Jay Chou is a find as Kato. He fights well and has good comedy timing. The only thing he lacks is any kind of chemistry with Rogan but I am not sure if we can put all the blame on him for that.
Christoph Waltz was amazing in “Inglourious Basterds”, no doubt. Here he has the same kind of stillness and presence but he seems to be missing the menace and considering he is the main villain of the piece, that is a little problem.
Gondry has done his best but overall “The Green Hornet” is middling entertainment that is fun but overall empty and probably best suited to a night in front of the DVD player than a night out at the movies. Oh yeah, and the post conversion 3D really did suck. If you are going to pay cinema dollars, don’t bother with the 3D version.
originally published at My Year with Movies
