Green Hornet

Seth Rogen is very much something of the flavor of the week. No fault to him (well except for taking the checks), he's a talented soul that audience are, at least at the moment, responding too. The trouble is, when you are in such demand there is the temptation to either do the exact same thing over and over and over again (I'm looking at you Adam Sandler), or to take on projects that aren't exactly your thing. I thought that the "Green Hornet" was an example of such a mismatch that would implode on it's own improbablities.

I forgot that Michael Keaton played batman.

I'm not saying that Seth here shows the same depth that Michael did, but I can say he was very much the heart of the picture wich is even more improbable given Seth's usual comic range. The story is familiar. Our hero is the son of a famed news paper publisher and never got on well with his father. He becomes something of a playboy party hound to distance himself from his father. Then his dad dies, and he realizes that when you define yourself by "I'm not my dad," it all becomes hollow when there is no more dad.

Now milling around in a huge house, and going to work in a place he really doesn't understand, he's left with this need to DO SOMETHING. DO SOMETHING GREAT. And here is where Kato comes in. Kato's just the guy who makes his coffee but as they talk he finds Kato's hidden talents. An incredible inventor and martial artist it soon becomes clear they are something of a team. Seth provides direction and money and Kato provides all the actual heroics and nifty gadgets. They create the myth of the Green Hornet. An ultra cool villain who's secretly a good guy.

I have to admit, I liked this film. It was spiffy and moved along at a break neck rate. Seth really did provide the heart to the film even though he was also sometimes a jerk, but we tend to forgive him. It's a case of bad puppy syndrome. The car, the black beauty, is classic superhero pimping style. I'd like one please.