Steineded How sad is this?

Spidersecu Don't Believe the Hype

Verity Robins Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Cristal The movie really just wants to entertain people.

bowmanblue There are some films you just watch without knowing an awful lot about them. For me, 'The Green Hornet' was one. Okay, so I generally like superhero movies and Seth Rogan's brand of crude/adult humour always tickles the more immature side of me. Plus I've never even read a Green Hornet comic (or did it originate on the radio? See, I don't even know that!) so I can't really compare the film to the source material. Anyway, in short, I really enjoyed it and went round recommending it to anyone I happened to stumble upon. It was only after a few weeks of it being released did I realise that it was almost universally not liked. Did I watch the same film? I've had a look at a lot of the negative criticism and it seems that much of it revolves around Seth Rogan himself. Yes, he's normally that chubby bloke who smokes too much in all those comedy films that sort of roll into one. Yes, I would agree that he's not exactly the first leading man you'd think of when you were about to sit down to a superhero movie. People seemed to only see Seth Rogan playing the same old Seth Rogan character he always does. I guess that could be seen as a fair point. However, I argue that 'The Green Hornet' isn't your average superhero movie. Our protagonist wasn't bitten by a radioactive spider and therefore attained superpowers. He's just a rich guy. And not particularly fit. However, anyone – even a rich guy in a mask – can land a devastating blow to a thug if he whacks him hard enough with a piece of lead piping (this is basically what our 'hero' does). Therefore, Rogan's ineptitude is actually the whole point. He knows nothing and isn't physically intimidating. So how come he's a hero? Enter 'Kato.' Kato is the guy who makes The Green Hornet's cups of coffee in the morning. However, making a swirly leaf pattern isn't his only skill. Arguably, he DOES have superpowers (not that they're ever really explained). Not just is he a wizard with a wrench and can knock up an armed vehicle to the standards of 'The A-Team' but he also sees dangerous situations practically in slow motion, meaning he can use his martial arts powers to defend his employer (and part-time buddy). Not only does this lead to Kato saving The Green Hornet's (not particularly toned) backside on numerous occasions, but also makes for quite an entertaining way of filming a fight scene in a genre saturated with simple whacking people and the occasional 'bullet-time' effect.Other criticisms are levelled at the supporting cast, namely the (obligatory) baddie and love interest (Christoph Waltz and Cameron Diaz, respectively). Yes, Chudnofski is the villain, but he's actually poking fun at the usual bad guys you get in superhero-based movies. He's constantly striving to be one, but quite often getting the overall feel wrong, despite being more evil and violent than anything you find in your average Marvel movie. I suppose that I can see how Cameron Diaz hardly has an awful lot of 'character development' put into her role. She's kind of only there for 'star power.' She's well used to action and comedy and yet never really gets to do either here. However, at least she never sinks so low as to just be the 'damsel in distress' that are so commonplace in the genre.Basically, 'The Green Hornet's' biggest weakness is that it is probably too many things to appeal to one mass audience. It's not just a superhero film, it's also an action movie, a comedy and a satire that pokes fun of the conventions and clichés you'd normally find with the genre. I guess if any sort of superhero film wants to evolve from a stand-alone film to a profitable franchise it needs to have plenty of merchandise to go with it. This film is mainly aimed at adults (even though there's not that much violent/drug use/profanity so it never got the obligatory computer game, McDonalds Happy Meal tie-in or action figures for the kids to play with. However, if you're generally a fan of Rogen's work/sense of humour, plus you're up for a little fun being made of all those 'shared universes' out there right now, then give this one a try. It's simple, but fun.

Tss5078 I know, it was pretty hard for me to imagine Seth Rogan as a superhero too, but as it turns out things aren't exactly as they appear. In this 2011 re-imaging of the series, Rogan play Britt Reid, the son of a billionaire publisher, who (surprise surprise) is a big time party animal, with no real ambition in life. When his father passes away suddenly, Reid is given this huge empire to run and with no idea how to do it, he starts to lean on the people around him, people like Kato (Jay Chou). Reid knew Kato for years, but knew nothing of what he could create and nothing of the skills he was capable of. With Kato's help, Reid decided to take on crime in the city, only one problem, he sucks at it. This film may be the most evenly scored film I've ever reviewed, because I can honestly say my like and dislikes were exactly fifty-fifty, most notably were the cast. Seth Rogan in the right setting is brilliant and in the wrong setting is just annoying as hell, with that hardly laugh and his never taking anything seriously, it is perhaps never more abundantly apparent as it is here. Cameron Diaz also adds nothing to the cast, but name recognition and a lazy one sided performance. On the other hand, Jay Chou was fantastic as Kato, he was clever, funny, exciting, and in my opinion he made this movie, it simply isn't a superhero film with him. Then there is Christoph Waltz, the man with the mesmerizing voice who forever capture our attention in Inglorious Bastards, and has been the quintessential bad guy in everything since. The bottom line is the new Green Hornet isn't without it's problems, but the story here is better than I expected it to be, there are some stand outs among the cast, and the special effects and fight scenes were hit or miss. This is the kind of film you'll be into or you won't. Just like my list, audiences are going to be fifty-fifty on the one as well.

jasonpachar When Van Williams and the great Bruce Lee made The Green Hornet and Kato famous back in 1966, who would have thought that 45 years later in 2011 that funny-man Seth Rogen and Jay Chou would team up and suit up in the Green & Black suits to keep the tradition alive? I don't think none of us saw that coming. I have to give director Michael Gondry his props, he delivered a one-of-a-kind movie that has started the new year off with a bang, slap, ka-bow. Incredible!!!! I can't leave out the wonderful supporting cast. We have seen her in Gangs of New York, we've learned that there was Something About Mary – Cameron Diaz delivered in this movie. And who can't forget about the villain – Chudnofsky aka Bloodnofsky (I guess I spelled that correctly) – Christoph Waltz was awesome. I was expecting a cheesy movie, but I got a rib-eye steak and a baked potato – this movie was off-the-hook.

schuster_mark I watched this movie last evening on DVD (2014). I did hear some negative press when it initially came out, but recently saw a trailer and was so impressed that both Tom Wilkinson and Christoph Waltz were a part of it, I had to watch. I was neither blown away or completely disappointed. I don't usually take sides on this kind of stuff, but I thought the script could have been written a little better regarding the treatment of Kato, the Asian Kung Fu driver and accomplice to the Green Hornet. I just found it uncomfortable watching the same old storyline, repeatedly, from the 1940s where the "white guy with loads of money" is completely oblivious to the fact that he's nothing without his partner. There could have been a much better message written and I think it would have ultimately made the "bromance", which they clearly were going for, stronger as a result.Christoph Waltz is wonderful to watch, but sadly unmatched by anyone else in scenes with him, except perhaps a cameo by James Franco. It would have been nice to see Christoph Waltz and Tom Wilkinson in more scenes together, but unfortunately this does not occur.Bottom line: Meh, it was okay. I like Seth Rogen and love comedies, so this was not a struggle for me to watch. But this movie could have been much more with a couple tweaks, and perhaps even been the franchise they were hoping for.