THE GREEN HORNET (2011). I LOVE this movie. Let me start off by saying im a massive fan of The Green Hornet. When Tim Burtons BATMAN (1989) was released, ITV Night-time started showing repeats of the 1960s TV Series (with VAN WILLIAMS as BRITT REID/GREEN HORNET and BRUCE LEE as KATO) in the early hours of the morning and I had my uncle James Jimbo Parkes harrased to set his VCR to record them, which he duly did (tar Jimbo ;) ). I thought it was terrific, Williams was the perfect superhero casting and Bruce Lee was just insanely good and charismatic as always. When I got older I tracked down some classic Comics and Books at Comic Conventions and eventually met VAN WILLIAMS when he appeared on THIS MORNING in Liverpools Albert Dock. So naturally throughout the Internets younger days I followed the progress of the movie adaptation with much interest. In the mid 90s KEVIN COSTNER was attached to direct and star, for MIRIMAX, with JASON SCOTT LEE (who of course made his name playing Bruce in DRAGON - THE BRUCE LEE STORY) as KATO. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your predilection) the twin flops of the under rated and unfairly maligned WATERWORLD (1995) and THE POSTMAN (1997) halted Costners involvement in the project and next up was GEORGE CLOONEY who left the project to make BATMAN AND ROBIN (and he hasnt looked back since :D ). The project floundered for a bit untill JET LI was signed to play Kato, but with no one signed to play The Hornet that was something of a strange decision and one that highlights a major potential problem with the mythology, as with the 60s TV series with KATO/BRUCE LEE/JET LI, you have a sidekick who is arguably cooler than the main character. And this is why I love the 2011 movie so much. In an age dominated by superhero cinema it would be too easy for a film about The Hornet to just blend in and be forgotten. Not so with this movie MICHEL GONDRY constructed a fun, exciting piece of pop art with enough kisses to the past for fans of the character but with a fresh perspective on the material. I remember the internet nearly going into meltdown when SETH ROGEN was announced as The Hornet and also screenwriter and ill admit the prospect didnt exactly fill me with joy and I was dreading a piss take on the scale of Stiller/Wilsons STARSKEY AND HUTCH. But the more I thought about it the more I realised for the character to work in a modern movie he had to stand out and NOT be part of the furniture. While Rogen isnt astonishing on the level MICHAEL KEATON was in BATMAN, he is certainly emphatic and an everyman and he makes The Hornet into an human character, flawed, funny and passionate. As KATO, JAY CHOU is of course cool, but there is a sweetness there too and its easy to buy ROGEN and CHOU as best pals and there is a slickness to their double act and they handle the action/fight scenes as well as SLY or ARNIE would. MICHEL GONDRY makes this movie something special, light and frothy when it needs to be, BANG hard hitting and bruising when required, never forgetting that its a comedy (evident in the performances of CAMERON DIAZ and the always excellent CHRISTOPH WALTZ), but also loading the movie with enough Ammo for the action scenes, all of which featuring THE BLACK BEAUTY are a work of art. Look, the movie is no DARK KNIGHT, its not even IRON MAN 3, but its a unique experience and one that stands on its own two feet and is never less than enjoyable. LETS ROLL KATO!
Posted on: Tue, 29 Apr 2014 05:22:31 +0000
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