Green Hornet or UMNO's Hornet ... same thing. No sting.

This Green Hornet doesn’t sting

(The Green Hornet) I went to see this movie out of curiosity. It was the late Bruce Lee who made famous the character Kato, side-kick of The Green Hornet.

The TV series which lasted for 26 episodes (1966-1967) had Van Williams as masked vigilante. But everybody knows now that it was Bruce Lee who was the martial art powerhouse in the show.

In the latest movie version of The Green Hornet, Asians are more interested in Jay Chou, the Taiwanese singer, musician and actor, who has courageously taken on the role of Kato.

It is common knowledge among movie fans that Chou can’t throw two punches to save his own life but for this film, he has tried to put his best foot and fist forward as directed by the fight choreographer.

This remake of the green masked fighter and his side-kick Kato has swerved into a different direction as far as interpretation is concerned.

Seth Rogan (Britt Reid/Green Hornet) and Jay Chou (Kato) are two very different personalities who pose as crime fighters but in the eyes of the public, they are criminals. The movie is shallow but it is
a barrel of laughs.

Rogan is a natural comedian. Chou is somewhat taciturn in most scenes. I am not sure if Chou is really conversant in English but as Kato, his command of the language was suspect and at times, shaky.

It may be unfair but I can’t help thinking of Bruce Lee as Kato. The fight scenes were not convincing but then this movie is not supposed to be an exhibition of authentic wushu skills.

In one epic fight scene in the old TV Green Hornet, Bruce fought with his student Dan Inosanto. It was a spectacular fight befitting of any world-class martial arts tournament.

There was none of this kind of fight sequence in the present Green Hornet. However, director Michel Gondry made up for the lack of pugilistic panache with a really cool Black Beauty (car) and loads of pyrotechnics.

Multiple machineguns

Without going into an actual comparison, the Green Hornet car Black Beauty can give the Batmobile a run for its mileage. It is equipped with multiple machineguns, extendable spikes on its front wheels, rocket launchers and infra-green light for night vision.

This is strictly a guy’s movie. Cameron Diaz just happens to be there to add some spice to the show. She plays Lenore Case, the sexy secretary of Britt Reid.

To spice up the plot, Lenore have a tantalising effect on the libido of both Kato and Green Hornet. The altercations subsequently lead to punch-ups and damage to the living room furniture.

The story is so silly that no Green Hornet comic fan or fan of the TV series could embrace it in all seriousness. Children below the age of 12, however, may find it quite entertaining.

It was average for me with a couple of good laughs along the way. One has to realise that the Green Hornet is based on its original comic version in the 1930s.

Not only the story but the fight sequences have also to be modified to suit modern times and to achieve some measure of credibility.

Don’t be ashamed to see this movie if you are a fan of The Green Hornet. Satisfy your curiosity. It is not all that cheesy. After all, it has Jay Chou.

Chou is not as flamboyant a character as Bruce Lee but he comes across as second best in the absence of a more suitable candidate.

The movie is surprisingly lengthy, almost two hours, so you will get your money’s worth. Suspend all expectations and leave them outside the cinema hall, and you may just enjoy The Green Hornet.