Movie Review: The Green Hornet

Yes, I realize there’s that “other” “Green _____” superhero movie coming out this weekend, and no, this isn’t a review for that. But I did finally get around to watching The Green Hornet last night, and I thought this was as good a time as any to review it (especially since Green Lantern is getting pounded on by the press.)

One of the things I love about lowered expectations is that you can enjoy a movie you might not otherwise have liked. I really wanted to like Green Hornet. I wanted to see it in the theaters, but then it did so poorly with the critics, that I decided to save my money. It finally popped up on Netflix, and by the time it got to my house, I was ready to be disappointed, even with lowered expectations.

The thing is, the movie should be good. It’s got Seth Rogen in it, and he’s been funny in quite a few films. But it’s also directed by Michel Gondry, who helmed the wonderful Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It has cool cars, masks, lots of guns and explosions–this should be totally up my alley.

But was it?

I’m happy to say that it was, for the most part. I really liked the blend of action hero and comedy that it had going for it. The hero isn’t afraid to look stupid, and that was fun. But at the same time, it also leads to the movie’s biggest flaw: the hero doesn’t really have anything heroic about him, but he thinks he does. Kato does *everything* cool in the movie. (He’s really a great character. I want a Kato in my life.) The Green Hornet’s superpower is being conceited and a jerk. It’s really hard to root for a guy like that, and so you keep getting kicked out of the movie each time he does another jerky thing–especially when he does those jerky things to Kato. The balance there is off, and it affects the film.

That said, it was a fun way to spend a Thursday late evening, and I recommend it. Is it the best movie ever? No. But it’s better than a lot of them, and good for some mindless relaxation, which I needed last night. Three stars.

As for the Green Lantern . . . maybe I’ll do the same thing I did with the Green Hornet. Maybe by the time I get it on bluray, I’ll be able to enjoy it.