Directed by
Michel Gondry
119 minutes
Rated MA
Reviewed by
Andrew Lee
The Green Hornet
Synopsis: Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) is the son of wealthy newspaperman. James Reid (Tom Wilkinson). A constant disappointment to his father, he’s become a playboy, sponging off his dad’s wealth. Then his father dies from an allergic reaction to a bee sting and he’s faced with running his father’s newspaper. But he’s more interested in defacing his father’s grave with the assistance one of the man’s former servants, Kato (Jay Chou). One inadvertent vigilante action later and Britt becomes The Green Hornet, with Kato as his “executive associate”.With The Green Hornet the most visually inventive director around turns in something that is fun, but uneven. The idea of Michel Gondry doing an action comedy (in 3D no less!) should have film fans salivating. I know I was. But I was disappointed. It’s stylish, but more conventional than I hoped for and full of wasted potential. But on the other hand, I was entertained, and I’m not going to let my own frustrated hopes get in the way of being fair to what is, for the most part, a really fun film.
Gondry's film is stupid, and campy, but it’s also got some very smart elements to it. James Reid is a jerk, an abusive father who never seemed to care for his son. Kato and Britt bond over a mutual loathing of the man. Britt’s transformation into The Green Hornet isn’t some lame “I will avenge my father’s death” conventional device. For one thing, his father just dies. Instead of craving revenge, Britt feels like doing something worthwhile with his life, and being a masked vigilante suits his egomaniacal impulses. He enjoys the rush. Kato is into it because there’s not a lot else to do when you’re a martial artist with a knack for pimping out cars with machine guns and rocket launchers. I love the unusual birth of their alter egos, and I love that even when Britt learns more about how his Dad tried to do good in the world he remains a bad father. That kind of emotional complexity isn’t something you expect from a big budget action comedy. And the fact that not only does The Green Hornet have it, but also manages to wring a couple of good jokes out of it makes this a film that can be forgiven for much of its clumsiness elsewhere.
And it is a very funny film. While less than the sum of its parts, none of the parts is particularly unsatisfying. There’s a lot of laughs, a few genuine laugh-out-loud moments, and some very weird humour as well. Jay Chou was an amazing find, and as Kato he delivers a lot of deadpan humour. Much like the old Green Hornet TV series was known to many as “The Kato Show” for Bruce Lee’s performance, Seth Rogen is knowingly playing second fiddle to the very funny Chou. The rivalry between Britt and Kato is well played, though when it comes to blows, it’s not entirely convincing that Britt could hold his own against Kato. And Cameron Diaz as Britt’s secretary, Lenore, is seriously under-served by the script.
Although rather a mess, The Green Hornet is a whole lot of fun. The final gigantic action set-piece is a great mix of bizarre comedy and well-choreographed chaos. Mixed praise I know, but whilst I enjoyed it a lot, I wondered why so many talented people couldn’t make it even better. Oh, and don’t bother with the 3D, it’s not offensively bad, but it’s not great either. Save the money for the popcorn, because it is a great popcorn film.
Want more about this film?
Want something different?
