First of all, please allow me to apologize to fellow movie lovers out there who like and defend X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Please note that I don’t apologize to Fox. I still hate them. LMFAO! However, after hearing people’s comments and expectations towards The Green Hornet BEFORE the release and actually watching it, I understand now, why some people DO like XMO:W when I (and plenty others) felt like it’s a total crapfest. It will be revealed as I go along. Please bear with me, as this also happens to be my first article. Here goes:
The Green Hornet opens with little Britt showed as a good hearted kid who wants to help others, but being mistreated by a busy father with stiff integrity and principle. This, I’m sure, is the setup for Britt’s character, which would explain why he helps people later on, even though it backfires on him. Good setup, in my opinion. Short yet to the point.
Then, yes, I fully admit, it turns into a totally completely Seth Rogen movie, plus a lot of amazing action. This is where the revelation of why people like XMO:W kicks me square in the balls. I don’t mind this at all! “This” being The Green Hornet turned into a Seth Rogen movie. I realized that I know close to nothing about The Green Hornet. I never heard the radio show, never read the comic books and only watched a handful of episodes of the old series when I was, like, 7 or something, that I don’t remember ANY of it. The story, the characterization. Everything! I only know that it’s the story of a rich man who wears a mask, accompanied by his trusted sidekick (who kicks serious ass) played by Bruce Lee, and they fight crime in a cool car. That’s it!
With that in mind, everything makes sense in this movie. A kid spoiled into a… well, a spoiled brat, by a motherless situation and a busy unattentive father, WILL surely become an A-hole kid in a grown-up body. One thing led to another, he inherits a crapload of money and realizes that becoming The Green Hornet is simply a different way of partying with a dose of adrenaline rush and ego booster, all based on the hatred towards his late father.
Die hard fans of The Green Hornet, however, by this time would think “Crap, this is NOT The Green Hornet! Where is the scary, serious, Britt that I know and love?” I know for certain because that’s exactly the thoughts I had when I watched XMO:W. But here, I fully accepted this rendetion of The Green Hornet because he has every reason to be this way. To be a complete A-hole vigilante until very close to the end of the movie. Even the gas gun makes sense! LMFAO! My thought on that is, that scary, serious, Britt that everyone else know and love will certainly come to be in the tenth or twelfth sequel. But for now, I like this hero, I like this movie. It’s funny as hell, action packed, visually amazing (that everyone would surely expect from Gondry,) some sexy women around (but not too much nor too revealing that I felt safe watching it with my ten year old son) and Cameron Diaz is not annoying.
Other notes on the movie:
Jay Chou doesn’t even try to be Bruce Lee. And that’s a good point. He doesn’t need to and there’s enough good homage to Bruce Lee anyway. He doesn’t try to speak English perfectly, which is also a good thing, because it accentuates who he is. He looks chubby than in his previous movies, but still good as Kato.
Cristoph Waltz is good as Chudnofsky. Too bad his character is changed in the end. It shouldn’t have been. That’s probably the only down side of the whole script.
Cameron Diaz is not too sexy and not trying to be, which is very good, because she’s not. Not anymore. She’s actually perfect for this role.
The whole story is light and predictable. But the twist of how things came to be for Britt, Kato, The Green Hornet, the role of Diaz, is unorthodox and enjoyable.
The 3D, though it’s a conversion, is AMAZING! I think this is why Gondry chose to direct a full length feature film now. Because 3D technology is available. He has to make a film in 3D. There’s no other way he should make a movie. Every single shot looks like we’re watching a living moving diorama. Visually, this movie is stunning.
All in all, it’s a solid funny, action packed movie with a good entertaining story. So, okay, you may not agree. Don’t crap your pants. Just leave your comments in the usual place. Be gentle. Remember, it’s my first time. LOL!