This month’s movie of the month is The Green Hornet and I were at the gala premier of the film attended by the films’ stars Seth Rogen and Jay Chou.
This month’s superhero film, based on the character of the same name that had originated in a 1930s radio program and has appeared in a television series in the 1970s as well as various comic books and other media. Directed by Michel Gondry, the film also stars Christoph Waltz, Cameron Diaz, Edward Furlong, Edward James Olmos and Tom Wilkinson.
The Plot
Britt Reid (Seth Rogen), son and heir to Los Angeles’ largest newspaper fortune, is a rich, spoiled playboy who has been happy to maintain a direction-less existence.
When his father James Reid (Tom Wilkinson) dies, Britt meets an impressive and resourceful company employee, Kato (Jay Chou). They realize that they have the resources to do something worthwhile with their lives and finally step out of James Reid’s shadow. Kato builds the ultimate weapon, The Black Beauty, an indestructible car with every weapon imaginable and Britt decides that in order to be heroes, they will pose as villains.
With the help of Britt’s new secretary, Lenore Case (Cameron Diaz), they learn that the chief criminal in the city is named Benjamin Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz). He has united all the gangs under his power, and he quickly sees that the Green Hornet is a direct threat to the prosperous criminal underworld he controls.
The verdict
This film has received quite abit of mixed reviews since it’s U.S. release. Naturally critics in this part of the world were going to set their expectations low for the film.
Well the truth is you should throw your expectations out the window because you really won’t know what to expect and that’s the joy of it.
This movie or hero movie is a very entertaining movie and with this update we get to know the characters better. There’s that sense it’s realistic as the film progresses. Britt Reid is not a superhero even though in his head he thinks he’s doing all the good.
It’s great how credit is given to Kato at a point in the film because although Reid came up with the concept of The Green Hornet, none of it would be possible without Kato.
Overall it’s as Seth Rogen suggested, there are so many serious superhero movies being made or have already been made, The Green Hornet is something fresh with a much missed funky feel to it and the kind of ego that will develop when you think you have saved the world.
Do watch out for the cameo appearance by James Franco aka Harry Osborne from Spiderman at the start of the film.
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
It deserves this rating because it’s the kind of superhero movie that isn’t a superhero movie. There’s no one trying too hard in this film. They stay true to their character and the humor is natural.
It’s an action comedy and a good one.
The Green Hornet opens in cinemas Jan 27.
Between the cast of 1966 and 2011 there is alot of difference. Just like the rating the old series was quite a serious one whereas this one is more of a Beverly Hills cop kind of action comedy.
There is alot more focus on the characters behind the masks with The Green Hornet still finding his way even though doing good is something that’s in him even though he’s a very irresponsible person.
As for Kato, Jay Chou has expanded on the character made famous by Bruce Lee, adding habits, personality and humour to him.
About the Black Beauty
Just like the rest of the characters in The Green Hornet, the Black Beauty had to be cast. In the casting process, several cars auditioned, and the filmmakers were not sentimental during the process.
Producer Neal Moritz said that they looked at a different number of manufactures who wanted to buld a new Black Beauty with many different cars being considered.
“We didn’t want it to be too futuristic,” says Gondry. “There was very little CG that would work for the car. We wanted it to feel real – a real car, with a real solid engine.”
When at last the Imperial was suggested and agreed upon, it seemed like the natural choice. “The Imperial was definitely my preference from the beginning when I first got on the project,” says picture car captain Dennis McCarthy, who had worked with Moritz on the Fast and Furious films.
Throughout the story, Kato tinkers with the Black Beauty, converting her from a classic car to a fully loaded and quite suitable vehicle for the Green Hornet and his late night escapades with criminals.
Spolier Alert: The car in the first half of the movie has normal doors and then on the car’s second or third revision, it would have suicide doors.
Danker out!
Do support POPCulture Online by ‘liking’ our Facebook fanpage
Comments are closed