If you're looking for a fun time at the movies this weekend, you'll probably enjoy Michel Gondry's latest film, The Green Hornet. But if you're looking for something similar to Gondry's previous, more thought-provoking films, you'll be disappointed.
The director put a lot of thought into the small details of the film. One crime boss, name "Crystal Clear," has his entire motif just as thought out as a major character even though he only appears in a single scene. The Green Hornet's car has green headlights, making it stand out in a cool overhead shot of the vehicle driving through traffic on a Los Angeles freeway. But those small details don't make up for the lack of thought put into what exactly The Green Hornet is supposed to be as a movie.
The movie's trailer made me think that The Green Hornet would be a comedic take on the oversaturated superhero genre. Seth Rogan plays Britt Reid, an egotistic hero who pretends to be a bad guy in order to take down criminals. This approach feels fresher than 2010's Iron Man 2, which delivered mindless exploding fun but not much more. With the exploration of superhero arrogance, the feelings of overlooked sidekicks, and mid-life crises even criminal bosses have to endure, the film felt almost satisfying.
If the movie had spent a little more time trying to flesh out these elements, it could have been something really special. Instead, the human touches Gondry gives to every character in the film feel out of place. The movie doesn't do enough to prove it's not just another dumb superhero movie.
The visual effects are fun, but this film's visuals didn't merit a 3-D conversion. If you have a choice between seeing the film in 2-D or 3-D, save the $2 and see it without having to wear any goofy glasses.
I hope I don't make the film sound too awful with my criticisms-I did have fun while watching the movie, and it's worth seeing if you don't expect something with Gondry's usual high artistic value. I want to say that this movie bucks January's tradition of lackluster movies and that I loved the film. But after the film was over, I was left wondering what this movie could have been if it knew what it wanted to be.
A quick word to parents: given the lighthearted tone of the trailer and the material, I was surprised at the amount of openness when the villain discussed who he had murdered, and the language is saltier than I'd expected. Neither of these detracted from my movie going experience, but it's something you might want to be aware of when deciding whether or not to take your children to this film.
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Rated PG-13 for sequences of violent action, language, sensuality and drug content
Released by Columbia Pictures
Directed by Michel Gondry
Starring: Seth Rogan, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz and Cameron Diaz
