The Green Hornet review thread.

[Punk&ComicBooks]

So I was watching some old episodes of the 60s GH on youtube just now. I`ve seen plenty of the tv series just not each and every single episode and one in particular I just came across that I havent seen made me like the movie even more. Yea yea I know you`re all uptight about the comedy element but aside from that this movie pays even more of a homage to the series than I thought it did already did. I wont spoil the interesting comparison I came across but its like the movie GH was to the tv series like the latest Hulk movie was to the Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno. In the end Seth Rogen and Michel Gondry didnt just know what they were doing as professionals but I think they knew as true fans GH as well.

 

[HighFivingMF]

Personally I thought it was great, if I want to watch the TV shows I'll go watch the TV show. This is a different version and I accept it and enjoy it as that. Now, I wasn't alive when the show aired, but I started getting into Green Hornet (watching the show) when I found out about Kevin Smith would be writing the movie. Then I read the new comics they released to promote Seth's movie. I haven't seen anything Hornet-related I haven't liked yet.

I hope we get a sequel, since the story for the sequel was hammered out by Evan and Seth before they even thought of the origin story. And I'd like to see them make another villain.

Spoiler

P.S. Bloodnofsky was awesome.

 

[Prison Mike]

Did you see what I meant about wanting to punch Rogan in the mouth?

He was just so over the top *****ey sometimes it took me out of the movie for a second.

Other than that I like it though.

I liked Rogen in the movie. I didn't want to punch anyone in the mouth. I liked all the actors.

 

[HighFivingMF]

Did you see what I meant about wanting to punch Rogan in the mouth?

He was just so over the top *****ey sometimes it took me out of the movie for a second.

Other than that I like it though.

Of all the people you picked one of the ones that didn't claim a problem with Rogen?

 

[Tanin]

Both my wife and I loved the film. I'm just glad Kato didn't do all the ass kicking and they do show the Green Hornet doing some fighting.

 

[Punk&ComicBooks]

Both my wife and I loved the film. I'm just glad Kato didn't do all the ass kicking and they do show the Green Hornet doing some fighting.

Yes, the Green Hornet sure did! And what people dont realize is that Kato has always been the best of the two and not just because GH is played by Seth Rogen in this film. Whether it be tv, movie or comics Kato was the expert in the physical stuff but GH called the shots and he can actually do some ass kicking himself when the chips are down!

 

[DarKJediKnight]

Is this supposed to be a comedy? Because I don't like the film. I know this is an unpopular opinion in these parts of the board, seeing how it was positively received here. (And this is the first time I'm posting here, since I don't make up my mind about a film until after I've seen it) I don't think the kind of "comedy" or "fun" or whatever you want to call it is the same as Incredibles, in fact I don't think Incredibles is a comedy at all. The Incredibles have heart, Britt Reid here is just like a kid who want to beat up criminals without any real motivation at all, and why is Kato much cooler than the main hero?

 

[Karelia]

Simply put: Kato has always been the cooler one. Bruce Lee played the character on the 60's TV series, so he helped make Kato the cooler character. So the movie kept in line with that in a way. As the post above you said, Kato was always the expert fighter.

 

[BillPardy]

Is this supposed to be a comedy? Because I don't like the film. I know this is an unpopular opinion in these parts of the board, seeing how it was positively received here. (And this is the first time I'm posting here, since I don't make up my mind about a film until after I've seen it) I don't think the kind of "comedy" or "fun" or whatever you want to call it is the same as Incredibles, in fact I don't think Incredibles is a comedy at all. The Incredibles have heart, Britt Reid here is just like a kid who want to beat up criminals without any real motivation at all, and why is Kato much cooler than the main hero?

The joke is that the side kick does all the real work. And after seeing it tonight I'd have to agree its not the same brand of comedy as the Incredibles, and really its not even much of a Seth Rogen comedy. I felt like it was played very straight, the jokes aren't generally meant to have the audience rolling in the isles, they're more so to give the movie a light tone.
Only thing weird to me is the pacing (weird not bad), the movie just flows... flat. Its so insanely consistent that it felt more like watching back to back episodes of half hour TV series. Like Disc one of season one of The Green Hornet.
Being a chubby guy myself I found watching Seth Rogen kicking some ass very satisfying. Its always bothered me that every guy that gets the big idea of being a super hero already has the physic.
Also the origin of Hornet seems more close to Kick-Ass then anything, a guy with fantasy that he brings to reality (for no better reason then it would be cool.)
I thought the movie was excellent, I think it does the Hornet justice. And is the different super hero movie we needed.

 

[WildcatNC]

Of all the people you picked one of the ones that didn't claim a problem with Rogen?

Just because he responded to me.


I really LIKE Rogen and he wasn't bad for most of the movie. Just wish the *****eness had been a little more subtle.

 

[Donut]

I'm Ungassable

 

[Prison Mike]

Someone earlier said that the humor is similar to Iron Man 1. I agree. It was in the back of my mind as I watched the movie and could see the similarities.

 

[Punk&ComicBooks]

Someone earlier said that the humor is similar to Iron Man 1. I agree. It was in the back of my mind as I watched the movie and could see the similarities.

All the more why people dont give this movie a chance simply cuz its Seth Rogen, and thats wrong! Cast a big action star in this role and let the movie play out exactly the way it did with the humor and all and everyone would have been happy...what a bunch of easily lead closed minded $%&***

 

[bullets]

I'm going to see this again friday. I don't think it has much competition either.

 

[Blade X]

OK, I finally seen this movie and I thought it was largely underwhelming, if not flat out crap.

While there were several good things in this movie (like Chudnofsky,Kato,the action,the Black Beauty,the costumes,and the Hornet gas gun), I thought that the portrayal of Green Hornet himself was what ruined this movie for me. GH was portrayed as an immature,silly,bumbling, idiotic,jealous,cowardly, clueless,egotistical,and largely useless jackass who could barely fight. Apparently the film makers behind this movie didn't "get it". They used their own personal perception and opinions about the 60's series that Kato was "cooler" and therefore should be the real/true hero of the duo. This is the same kind of stupid thinking that had Wolverine being the main focus of the X-Men movies. If GH was portrayed as being equally competent and equally useful as Kato (just like he was in the 60's TV series), then this movie would have been a hell of a lot better IMO.

 

[Blade X]

Simply put: Kato has always been the cooler one. Bruce Lee played the character on the 60's TV series, so he helped make Kato the cooler character. So the movie kept in line with that in a way. As the post above you said, Kato was always the expert fighter.

Here's the thing that you,the flim makers,and many fans who enjoyed this movie don't seem to understand. While Kato was indeed cool and an expert fighter in the 60's TV series (I don't think that he was ever that cool in the radio show,movie serials,and the original comic books from the 30's and 40's) it was NOT at the expense of GH. GH in the 60's TV series,radio show, movie serials,and the comics was the complete opposite of how the character acted and was portrayed in the movie. Also, GH did a lot of fighting in the 60's series and could easily hold his own against and defeat the bad guys in hand to hand combat.

 

[The Batman]

The idea that its somehow acceptable that kato is deliberately shown as "cooler" than GH just because Bruce Lee was cooler than Van Williams is ridiculous.

That's would be like 1980's Tim Burton saying "instead of improving the bad reputation of Batman, lets dress him up in ridiculous spandex again, have the cartoony efffects, and lets have Bruce and Dick be lovers, just because some people think that already."

Its kind of ridiculous that fanboys who would burn down movie studios if they portrayed Batman/Superman/X-Men,/etc. in a comedic manner wanna come in and down the fans who DO take GH seriously. I didnt mind it as a comedy, but their treatment of GH was still bad. And I wouldnt begrudge any hornet fan from being upset about how their character is being treated, nor would i make lame excuses justifying the comedic take.

 

[Karelia]

I can totally understand why fans of Green Hornet wouldn't like the film. The thing is he doesn't have a big following like Superman or Batman, so a different interpretation of the character shouldn't be that big of a deal. They changed Blade almost completely for the film and that worked out fine. This is a "modern" take on the character. And I liked the aspect that the sidekick was the real hero of the story.

 

[Blade X]

They changed Blade almost completely for the film and that worked out fine.

Except for Blade being half vampire (although it was revealed in his solo series from the early 90's that he was a Dhampire, which means he's half vampire) and having vampiric urges, the movie version of Blade was pretty much the same as the comic book version. So there's no comparison between the movie version of Blade and the movie version of Green Hornet.

 

[Karelia]

Well, this is what I read...

The film diverges almost entirely from prior comic representations of Blade, completely revamping the character's demeanor, powers and weaknesses. Traditionally, Blade was often presented as loquacious and boastful, yet in the film he is stoic and nearly silent. Rather than a normal human with immunity to vampirism and vampire hypnosis solely reliant on skill and ruthlessness, he is a superhuman with vampiric powers but none of the inherent weaknesses, with the exception of their thirst. To suppress his thirst, Whistler developed a serum, the original version being implied to be based on garlic and silver. The movie Blade is portrayed as an African American born in Detroit, Michigan, whereas the comic-books placed his birth in England.

Sounds like they altered the character to me anyways.

I do wish they would have toned down Rogen's d-bagness. If a sequel happens, I'd like to see him act a little more mature. I still would like him to be funny though.

 

[Paroxysm]

Bruce Lee would be one inch punching in his grave if he ever saw this. So glad I downloaded it instead of paying to see it in a theater.

 

[Blade X]

Well, this is what I read...



Sounds like they altered the character to me anyways.

I do wish they would have toned down Rogen's d-bagness. If a sequel happens, I'd like to see him act a little more mature. I still would like him to be funny though.

1. In the 90's series, Blade's birth was retconned into being born in New Orleans. So he was now an African American.

2. In that same series from the early 90's, it was revealed that Blade was getting physically stronger,faster,and healing faster. Which pretty much means that he was developing vampire powers without any of the weaknesses.

3. Since the NIGHTSTALKERS series, Blade had become less boastful and more stoic. I should also point out that in the movies, Blade was sometimes boastful and cocky.

 

[Karelia]

Well, I guess I just got my backside handed to me then.

 

[TheVileOne]

The 1960's TV series is my favorite version of Green Hornet, and I felt like the movie just missed the boat. I think they failed in making a good action comedy. Seth Rogen didn't work as the character at all. He never really becomes likable to me.

I'm not sure a modern update of the TV series would've worked as a movie, but I didn't feel like Seth Rogen did either.

 

[BLACK-SPIDEY]

Agreed, I took my old man to see this with me since he watched the series and he really liked it, and oh boy, oh boy, he was pissed off, he went on and on about how the green hornet was not a comedy and how Seth Rogen never took the character seriously,and I agree with him, I thought at some point after Britt

Spoiler

fights with Kato

he would get serious, apologize with Kato and take the fight to

Spoiler

Bloodnofsky and his dudes

, but no, Britt is an a-hole, throught the entire film, hell they should´ve just made the movie about Kato and I would´ve been more than happy with that.