Sure, the obvious sentiment from countless critics and moviegoers alike about yet another glossy superhero flick on the rise was…”yeah, that’s nice…let’s see what this particular entry brings forth” in the wake of the kinetically-charged arrival of The Green Hornet.

Quite frankly, we have been spoiled over the course of the years by the big screen adaptations that brought us big-budgeted box office hits such as praiseworthy fare (Superman, Batman, The X-Men, Iron Man and Spider-Man film franchises) to middling splashy wonders (The Hulk, Flash Gordon) to the unthinkably bad (Ghost Rider, Daredevil, Underdog, etc.). So naturally there is going to be a developed indifference about another big fancy-footed fantasy joining the ranks of the established cinematic superhero genre. Again, the predictable forethought begs the question: will newcomer The Green Hornet be a welcomed hit or an expected miss?



Well, the stakes are considerably high for art-house director Michel Gondry’s nuanced nosedive into the superhero sweepstakes as his masked crime-fighting caper The Green Hornet is an anticipated eye-popping entry waiting for the Gondry-esque hallucinatory flourishes to captivate eager fans of the touted tandem in print tycoon Britt Reid/Green Hornet (Seth Rogen) and loyal chopsocky chauffeur and trusty sidekick Kato (played here with surging impishness by Jay Chou).

Gondry, the gifted auteur behind the brilliantly in-depth and mind-bending melodrama Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, was ordained the “automatic sensationalist” designated to fortify The Masked Marvel with specialized glitz, gadgetry and gumption. In short, he does somewhat succeed…partially at best, though.

For starters, Gondry dares to add a distinctive freshness to his interpretation of Seth Rogan’s take as successfully minted roguish Los Angeles-based newspaper publisher turned crime fighter whose slacker mannerisms may be a turnoff for ardent Hornet enthusiasts preferring a more straight-laced, conservative approach.

The casting of a smug Rogan raised some questionable eyebrows as few wanted someone more dapper and daring in the lead role (George Clooney followers unite in your wishful thinking but remember that embarrassing blemish known as 1997’s Batman & Robin?). Nevertheless, Rogan’s off-kilter spirited portrayal is palatable given the chintzy but ambitious material being presented in smirking instalments.

Although jubilant and spunky, The Green Hornet has its sluggish moments that echo traces of mediocrity. Hence, the comic book actioner never allows itself a creative chance to challenge the familiar conventions of a typical haughty hero-worshiping romp. The often cheeky banter between Rogan’s Reid/Hornet and Chou’s chippy Kato feels forced and sketchy at times. The film is bogged down with synchronised car chases and frenetic fight scenes that lumber on in gloriously repetitive, over-the-top senseless ecstasy.

As the percolating pair, Reid/Green Hornet and the acrobatic martial arts minion Kato are slated against the underworld of undesirables—most notably the dastardly gang-boss Chudnofsky (as played by Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz from “Inglorious Basterds”). Reid (and his alter ego Green Hornet) is faced with evil forces roaming both within his massive newspaper empire and in the vulnerable streets of the corrosive city that his heralded publication caters to journalistically. As the Costumed Crusader, Reid is out to avenge (with needed help from the karate-crazed Kato) a friend’s murder and curb the drug-dealing denizens that infect the inhabitants of his beloved LA landscape.

On board to flavor the hedonistic scenery includes a curvaceous journalist with noted conviction (Cameron Diaz) and patriarch James Reid (played by the wonderfully Oscar-nominated actor Tom Wilkinson) upon whose death is the reason why the glib Britt Reid inherits the immense fortune of the newspaper business in the first place. Emmy-winner and Oscar-nominated Edward James Olmos fills the gap playing an editorial writer. As for Chou as the free-frolicking Kato, he is convincingly cool, collective and steps up to the plate as the finesse fighter doing battle with the bombastic bad guys.

Originally, The Green Hornet was a revered radio program in the 1930’s that left an indelible mark on the audience’s curious imaginations. Plus, TV trivia fans may recall the short-lived 60’s series of the same name that spun off from the highly popular Batman craze on ABC-TV. Notably, an unknown Bruce Lee—soon to be world-wide famous as a movie martial arts icon—would make his boob tube debut to the broadcast masses.

Unfortunately, The Green Hornet did not copy Batman’s national success in the television ratings and never quite caught on despite the majestic Black Beauty car (infinitely better than the Batmobile) or the catchy “Battle of the Bumblebee” dizzy theme song and most of all…the Dynamite Duo of the Masked One and his Asian pouncing protégé.

Overall, Gondry’s The Green Hornet has its lapses of sheer frivolity but never sustains as a solid superhero saga worthy of Gondry’s collaborative capabilities. The movie slightly works solely for the mere fact that it embraces an irreverent edge and urges to be something non-traditional in its flippancy. The 3-D realm as promised by the film’s marketing machine is minimal and never plays a characteristic part one way or the other.

True, The Green Hornet barely stings but Gondry’s crime-fighting fable is still escapist fun for what it provides in its supercilious, souped-up consciousness.

Critic’s Rating: ** stars (out of 4 stars)

The Green Hornet (2011) Sony Pictures
1 hr. 48 mins.
Starring: Seth Rogan, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz, Cameron Diaz, Tom Wilkinson, Edward James Olmos
Directed by: Michel Gondry
MPAA Rating: PG-13.