The Green Hornet
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz
2/5
Casting Seth Rogen – the fat, gobby bloke out of Knocked Up – as iconic superhero The Green Hornet was always going to be bit of a gamble. Much of the film’s success was going to hinge on whether the actor could strike the right balance between comedy and action.
As it turns out he falls short on both counts. Rogen is thoroughly unlikable as Britt Reid, a buffoon who inherits his father’s media empire.
After a drunken night with his dad’s mechanic, Kato (Chou), the pair decide to pose as villains but fight crime. Their efforts bring them on a nasty collision course with mob boss Chudnofsky (Waltz).
While Rogen is poor, he is not exactly helped by a lame plot, an awful villain and an underwritten love-interest (Diaz, wasting her time). Getting Michel Gondry to direct also proves to be a mistake – the French auteur strings together some sloppy action scenes.
The only real redemption arrives in the form of Chow who, while getting tongue-tied occasionally, kicks serious ass, and the Black Beauty, the heroes’ gadget-laden car.
For fans of the TV series, though, The Green Hornet will be a crushing disappointment.
Good for: Fans of fancy karate moves.
