I have often wished that the general Internet consensus would control their urges to type out their initial comments and opinions to every single news story or first look at something. There is no sense for an user to just wait and see the final product. Even if they do play the waiting game, they have to make sure to tell everyone that they are doing just that. And then argue with the other users for not doing the same. And then engage a total flame war.
One of the recent heated instances of pre-film release criticism was the casting of Seth Rogen in the superhero film THE GREEN HORNET. Film history seems to allude the many diluted cynical detractors; Like Rogen, Michael Keaton's start and expertise in comedy was pointed out by many harsh gossipers when he was announced as the then new Batman. Though Rogen's approach to his superhero doesn't bring the same mysterious and quiet dignity that Keaton brought to the Dark Knight, he certainly does a hell of a job creating one of the most über-narcissistic and polarizing heroes wearing a mask. Along with some fine direction from the hyper-visual Michel Gondry and a very good performance from Jay Chou, THE GREEN HORNET comes together to make an entertaining superhero film full of violent pulp and bitter arsenic.
The trailers don't do this film any justice to how cynical it really is: Seth Rogen is Britt Reid, a wealthy party-going buffoon who really has no love for his own life or the reality printed on the newspapers of his father's company, The Daily Sentinel. It's not hard to see why, since his father James Reid, played by Tom Wilkinson, is an acidic misanthrope and a hypocritical bastard who brought Britt up to become a tortured soul. After his father is killed off by a conveniently hilarious bee sting and he inherits the company, Britt continues to be on auto-pilot until he has a huge hissy fit over his newly bland-tasting daily cappuccino. He rehires his laid-off coffeemaker/car mechanic Kato, played by Jay Chou, only to forge a strong bond with him over drinks and long rants about the newly worm food James. The two cap their new friendship off by vandalizing a statue of James before unexpectedly unleashing a vicious beatdown on some robbing thugs. Britt experiences his first life-changing experience and sets out with Kato in creating an undercover vigilante to protect Los Angeles while also engaging his childhood dream of being a superhero.
Though my plot description goes over the top surface, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have written one of the harshest looks at the superhero genre. Both Britt and Kato are willing to kill their adversaries, whether it is a lowly thug or the top crime kingpin Ben Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz), and seem to have no consequences of spilling their blood all over the city. Britt uses his newspaper to inflate and spread his ever expanding ego. The two new "heroes" do not have enough intelligence to think outside of new guns and cars, so they exploit the college education of Britt's secretary (Cameron Diaz). And throughout the film, even after receiving some complications due to his personal and vigilante actions, Britt continues to maintain his single-minded neanderthal ways. This may be the deal-breaker for some viewers but I felt it fitted well with the superhero's pulpy past. Rogen and Goldberg both have created a giant satire aimed at the popularity of Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne while also mixing in some Mike Hammer.
The script brings many other great elements to the table beside being a anti-IRON MAN. Several sequences, most notably an opening scene with a cameoing James Franco, break the fourth-wall and poke fun at the conventions of the superhero and crime genres. Chudnofsky often is the one featured during these parts, as he starts off as a "disco Santa" looking gangster with a strange double-chamber pistol before transforming into a goofy costumed supervillain who spouts out a theatrical speech before killing someone. The script also touches upon the lingering criticism of the Green Hornet franchise, that the Kato character, especially the Bruce Lee version, is more interesting than the hero himself. The hero-sidekick feud between Britt and Kato leads to some hilarious but tense exchanges between the two, thanks to the terrific performances of their actors. The tension finally snaps with a fantastically choreographed fight in Britt's McMansion. This feud is further helped by the "bromance" angle of the film; Britt sometimes uses mean and homophobic remarks toward Kato but he actually cares about his new "brother".
Though it seems at first that Michel Gondry doesn't bring his usual visual overload for this film, he does use it at key moments, such as the hyped-up "Kato-vision", where objects and people are attacked in a certain order. Probably my favorite sequence of Gondry's is when Chodnofsky lays down a bounty on the Green Hornet and the screen splits apart into many boxes, following the messengers and the goons all seemingly in one take. Acting wise, Seth Rogen does a great job in portraying Britt's assholism and Jay Chou is able to go beyond his thick accent to play the lovable Kato and is jaw-dropping with his martial arts prowess. Though not very show-boating like his previously famous role, Christoph Waltz is entertaining as the dull but mentally campy and deranged Chodnofsky. Cameron Diaz surprisingly is fine in this film. I felt she would be the weak link when she first walked into the room but she handles herself well with the two leads.
Aside from the grim violence and harsh tone that might hurt some viewers, the film suffers greatly with its "Lord of the Rings" ending sequence. After a extensive car chase and a near HARD BOILED -like shootout, the movie continues with several more false endings and scenes. Despite these problems, THE GREEN HORNET is certainly the first great film of 2011. Some may say that I maybe overrating it, especially since its a good companion piece with the other polarizing superhero parody KICK-ASS, but it still was very funny to watch and serves as the easiest entry for many viewers to experience the world of Gondry.
FINAL REVIEW: 4 / 5
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