Review of film: "THE GREEN HORNET" (enjoyable, but action "FLUFF" with Seth Rogen)

Review of film:  “THE GREEN HORNET”

In Detroit, there was a radio station with the call letters WXYZ.  In 1935, it was controlled by a man named George Trendle, who worked to develop a program called “THE LONE RANGER”.  When that show proved very popular, Trendle worked to create a similar program which he decided should demonstrate “… that a political system could be riddled with corruption and that one man could successfully combat this white-collar lawlessness."…

…  That new show was broadcast on radio in 1936 & was called “THE GREEN HORNET”…  The main character (Britt Reid) owned & ran a major metropolitan newspaper.  Over time, due to political “correctness” (and / or fears), his assistant / valet Kato was described as Japanese, then Filipino, and then (in 2 movie serials in 1940-41) as Korean…

…  Starting in the early ’40’s, the character also started appearing in comic books… In 1966-67, the story was used in an ABC TV series starring Van Williams (as Britt) & Bruce Lee (as Kato).  The program can periodically still be seen in re-runs on MY-TV in Chicago…  A Hong Kong “GREEN HORNET” film appeared in 1994, and a French short based on the character was released in 2006…

…  Since the 1990’s, work was done to try to put together an American movie with the character, but numerous problems developed & the project went thru numerous studios and potential actors…  Finally, comedian – writer – actor Seth Rogen came on board to shepherd the movie to completion, & it’s scheduled for national release as of 01-14-11…

…  I’ve seen an advanced screening of this new 3-D film.  As the movie starts, Britt’s father James (TOM WILKINSON) is bullying his son Britt, who responds with fear and anger at the treatment…  Twenty years later, James suddenly dies & the now-“grown” Britt (SETH ROGEN) is left in charge of the newspaper he ran…

…  The city where the paper is headquartered is filled with “apropos” lawlessness and corruption, as  characterized by an outwardly “unimpressive” but vicious megalomaniacal criminal named (“oddly” enough, simply) “Chudnofsky” (played by CHRISTOPHE WALTZ).  He eagerly removes anyone (whether competitors, victims or associates) who don’t promptly do his bidding…

…  The man who runs the day-to-day operations of the newspaper is Axford (EDWARD JAMES OLMOS).  He wants to report on the problems of the city, but he keeps being hamstrung by Seth--  who has delusions of grandeur and hoped-for self-importance, but who is inherently lazy, disinterested, klutzy & still very CHILDISH in many ways…

…  At one point, Seth chanced to meet his father’s valet & chauffer named Kato (JAY CHOU).  He’s initially impressed by him because he’d constructed a machine to make a great cup of COFFEE.  When he learns that Kato is a mechanical genius and martial-arts expert, Seth gets the idea that they should work together to fight CRIME, with Jay charged with designing & building the “Black Beauty” car with loads of fancy crime-fighting gadgets…

…  True to the still-unbelievable idea that tiny masks covering just their EYES will somehow “fool” people into being unable to determine who they really are, Seth and Jay roam around Los Angeles fighting lawlessness, while they act as if they themselves might BE criminals (which causes both the police & Christoph’s accomplices to chase them)…

…  Into the mix comes a comparatively bright (but “limited”) secretary for Seth named Lenore Case (CAMERON DIAZ), who is attractive to both him & Jay (which itself causes problems between the guys).  We also meet various henchmen of Christoph--  Popeye (JAMIE HARRIS), Chili (CHAD COLEMAN) & Tupper (EDWARD FURLONG, who’d appeared in the original “Terminator 2 – Judgment Day” film)…

…  Will we find out what (or who) really KILLED Seth’s dad (Tom)?...  Will the police or Christophe succeed in CAPTURING Seth or Jay?...  Who will start gaining real CONTROL of the city?...  What part will the city D.A. named Scanlon (DAVID HARBOUR) play in the overall plot?...

…  The movie actually turned out BETTER than expected in certain respects:  the ACTION scenes are well-done, & some of the numerous “gadgets” are quite “COOL”…

…  But, one of the problems is the CHACTERIZATION:  Rogen (in my opinion) went way “off-track” in trying to combine comedy & violence in his “OBSERVE & REPORT” movie.  While his work here isn’t as egregious, it’s nevertheless periodically OFF-PUTTING to see the “hero” (Britt) so often acting a FOOL, & somehow (with no training) suddenly turning into a badass “fighter” alongside Jay…

…  The OTHER main characters (Jay, Christoph, & Cameron) do a basically GOOD job with their roles.  But, the “comic-relief” of Seth’s character (as written) just doesn’t seem to “FIT”:  he’s just mildly “amusing” (generating chuckles rather than big laughs), & (while “restrained” for Seth), it came across to me as too frequently “CHEESY” & unbelievable (as a man still playing “games” like a little kid) to really “work” effectively with the “ACTION” crime genre inherent in the plot…

…  I ENJOYED the movie overall--  but it’s action “FLUFF” as constructed.  Thus, my rating is 7.5 out of 10 stars…