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The Snark Knight

For those of you not familiar with "The Green Hornet" - the 1930s George W. Trendle radio serial that rose to mild popularity via TV and film before a one-season run in the 60s co-starring Bruce Lee as trusty sidekick Kato - the new Seth Rogen incarnation may seem a little confusing. On the one hand, the film is clearly playing by the "Iron Man" playbook: Britt Reid (Mr. Rogen) is a spoiled rich guy with Daddy issues who fashions himself as a masked crimefighter because, basically, he's looking for a thrill. On the other hand, the film is such a goof that it's unclear if it's meant to be a real superhero movie or a parody of one.

In fact, Britt Reid could be Tony Stark's estranged slacker of a son. He's shown trashing hotel rooms, partying with random girls, waking up late in a palatial mansion - you know, the works. In the film, Reid's father James (Tom Wilkinson) is a newspaper tycoon (do we still have those?) who should win a Pulitzer for bad parenting (he rips the head off his son's doll as a punishment). When James dies from a bee sting (sense a theme?), Britt is left to run the newspaper and the estate. His only confidante is his Dad's mechanic - and expert cappuccino maker - Kato (Jay Chou). Together, they get drunk, dish dirt on Dad and decide to fight crime. The difference (which Britt thinks is "so cool") is that they will be vigilantes, not just "good guys". It's not much of a premise on which to base a comic book character, and it may explain why the Green Hornet never rose to the ranks of, say, a Bat-, Spider- or Iron Man.

The film - wisely - plays heavily on the relationship between Britt and Kato. Mr. Chou, whose childhood dream was "to become Bruce Lee", is the film's one stand-out: he's as charismatic as he is quick on his feet. The few martial arts sequences give a glimpse of the film "Green Hornet" could have been. The filmmakers also have a lot of fun with the Hornet's famed "Black Beauty" (a fully loaded '66 Chrysler Imperial). Unfortunately, much more screentime is given to Britt and Kato bickering, fistfighting, and even getting into a love triangle with an ill-used Cameron Diaz (clearly trying to be the Gwyneth Paltrow of the film). Likewise, Christoph Waltz - such a revelation in "Inglourious Basterds" - flounders as the crime boss Chudnofsky.

This is what you get when Seth Rogen co-writes (with Evan Goldberg) a Seth Rogen movie. "Hornet" falls victim to the same pitfalls as Rogen & Goldberg's "Pineapple Express" - scenes go on for too long, way past the time they stopped being funny; the mix of comedy and violence is ill-balanced; and Mr. Rogen is too often left to shout lines like buckshot to get a laugh.

The most amazing thing about this "Green Hornet" is that it's a Michel Gondry film. He of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" seems uncomfortable with the trappings of a major studio film - particularly the chase scenes. Only during two fun montage sequences does he get to explore his Gondryness (I'm all for a "paycheck movie" but, really Michel?). "Hornet" may also win the award for Most Unnecessary Use of 3D since the medium is not used to any great effect. Perhaps, after reading the script, the filmmakers wanted ensure something had an extra dimension.