It is important to recall history when you look at this movie and understand why the script is designed the way it is. The basis of this is actually the old time radio series, not a comic book like other movie series in this genre. Because of this, the script is trying to update the 1940's to 2011. In some ways it does so successfully. My take on the lead characters development: The Green Hornet - Seth Rogan- the writers here decide to make him into Seth Rogan. That way the script can exploit his comedy and sprinkle his usual comedy into the script. So the Hornet is an airhead trying to do comedy. Is this successful - pretty much. He is no where near the radio hero.
Kato - Bruce Lee created an interesting image in their 2 year ABC series. Most of that is scrapped here. What we get instead is a more traditional Kato. While he is still a major martial arts fighter, he is more of a tech-no geek and without him the Hornet is a dreeb. This works too and allows the technological leap from the radio dramas to 2011.
The brains- there is Cameron Diaz as Seth's secretary. Her character makes perfect sense in this context. Kato is too busy to be the brains. The Hornet is too stupid to be the brains. Diaz makes the script work & I readily accept a 39 year old Diaz playing a 36 year old. She pulls off this support role perfectly.
The film is kind of like the radio series on steroids action wise. The first half is dominated by Rogan's comedy and even Kato sneaks in some punchlines. The films two villains, the nasty drug lord and the corrupt politician are pretty much traditional types of crooks the Hornet deals with. The film even manages to pull off the fact that these guys aren't considered good guys.
It is strange, but about 2/3rds of the way through the movie, Rogan actually has a flashback episode that clears up the plot line malaise that the viewer feels in about 5 minutes. Once you see this revealing sequence, you get along with the movie a little better. This sequence is like a flashback on steroids to explain the Hornets father's death.
This is a pleasant mixture of comedy and action which should please Rogan fans and it is pretty successful at bringing fresh life into some characters which date back many years as the last time it was done was in the 1960's and it was not real successful then as only Bruce Lee is remembered from the TV series.
Kato - Bruce Lee created an interesting image in their 2 year ABC series. Most of that is scrapped here. What we get instead is a more traditional Kato. While he is still a major martial arts fighter, he is more of a tech-no geek and without him the Hornet is a dreeb. This works too and allows the technological leap from the radio dramas to 2011.
The brains- there is Cameron Diaz as Seth's secretary. Her character makes perfect sense in this context. Kato is too busy to be the brains. The Hornet is too stupid to be the brains. Diaz makes the script work & I readily accept a 39 year old Diaz playing a 36 year old. She pulls off this support role perfectly.
The film is kind of like the radio series on steroids action wise. The first half is dominated by Rogan's comedy and even Kato sneaks in some punchlines. The films two villains, the nasty drug lord and the corrupt politician are pretty much traditional types of crooks the Hornet deals with. The film even manages to pull off the fact that these guys aren't considered good guys.
It is strange, but about 2/3rds of the way through the movie, Rogan actually has a flashback episode that clears up the plot line malaise that the viewer feels in about 5 minutes. Once you see this revealing sequence, you get along with the movie a little better. This sequence is like a flashback on steroids to explain the Hornets father's death.
This is a pleasant mixture of comedy and action which should please Rogan fans and it is pretty successful at bringing fresh life into some characters which date back many years as the last time it was done was in the 1960's and it was not real successful then as only Bruce Lee is remembered from the TV series.