Jay Chou and Seth Rogen in 'The Green Hornet' (Credit: Jaimie Trueblood/Columbia Pictures)

With tons of hype, The Green Hornet is that rare January release that delivers the goods.  Seth Rogen, star and co-writer of the film, rolls the dice by making the story’s hero, Britt Reid (Rogen), a highly unlikable guy for most of the film, and one could argue that Britt’s still a bit of a brat (albeit a likable one) by the end of the story.  Thankfully the gamble works, and hopefully audience members give The Green Hornet a shot (despite its highly lackluster trailer).  When morally centered newspaper owner James Reid (Tom Wilkinson) is killed, his layabout son Britt (Rogen) uses his dad’s money to take a bite out of crime as The Green Hornet!  Aided his father’s former employee Kato (Jay Chou), Britt infiltrates the underworld operations of Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz), an insecure and tightly wound criminal in the throes of a mid-life crisis.  Michel Gondry, the visually inventive director of Eternal Sunshine of  The Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep, was a rather odd choice to direct The Green Hornet, but he proves more than capable at handling a high profile studio film.  Although  Cameron Diaz pops up as a newspaper employee (and crime expert) who catches the attentions of Kato and The Green Hornet, the movie’s biggest love story lies in the bromance between the mismatched partners.  Kato is a gifted mechanic who modifies a black Chrysler Imperial into the Black Beauty, an intimidating weapon on wheels that gives the Batmobile a run for its money.  Britt, still reeling over his father’s death, is on an ego driven mission to prove that he’s more than just a self-serving heir.   Instead he lets this superhero thing get to his head and almost ruins his friendship with Kato.  Believing he could take down Chudnofsky all by his lonesome, the Green Hornet needs a few lessons in humility, and it takes him most of the story to break out of his selfishness.  The film does have its share of flaws; watching the picture in 3D brought nothing to the experience, and considering this is a Gondry picture, that’s a total disappointment.  Diaz does her best as the Lenore Case, and although she gets a several second action sequence during the film’s final moments, it’s a case of a little too late.  Also, a bit more interaction between Chudonfsky and The Green Hornet would have been welcome, and their final showdown gets lost amidst the escalating body count and the explosions.  The Green Hornet’s finest asset is the surprising chemistry between Chou and Rogen, and their bond is even more palpable than the Rogen/James Franco pairing in Pineapple Express (Franco has an amusing cameo in The Green Hornet).  Rogen is not exactly a box-office juggernaut, but the additional pull of Diaz’s star power, Chou’s international appeal (he’s a widely popular singer in Asia), and a healthy share of action may bring a sizable enough audience to merit a sequel.  The Green Hornet opens nationwide Friday.

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posted by Greg Srisavasdi