The Green Pineapple
Apparently it was because of Rogen’s attachment to the project that a big studio (Sony) finally put its full weight behind the production. Kudos to Seth Rogen for using his star power to bring Green Hornet to the screen. But seriously… Seth Rogen as The Green Hornet?
OK let’s see. Britt Reid is a debonair, daring, young newspaper publisher. He goes to to toe with thugs and hardened criminals and prevails because he is shrewd, calculating, and possesses serious survival skills and physical prowess. Based on the trailer, it looks like Seth Rogen’s Green Hornet prevails — or survives — only because of the superior acumen of Kato. That scenario might work as a comic caper movie, but please don’t call it The Green Hornet.
Seriously, Seth, couldn’t you have gracefully bowed out of the starring role and served as executive producer or something? Maybe play a wacky best friend to Britt Reid? Please tell me that you tried to, but that Sony would only pony up the cash if you stepped in to star. Otherwise I may have to assume that you are just another victim of Hollywood ego inflation.
Finding the balance between comedy movie and action movie is risky and fails most of the time. Robert Downey, Jr. finds a near-perfect pitch in Iron Man because A) he is physically believable as the dynamic Tony Stark and B) he is an incredibly gifted actor. Seth Rogen, you are a funny dude, but you are no Robert Downey, Jr.
Unfortunately, judging by the trailer, it looks like Seth is taking a classic and beloved property and squishing and smashing it through a Pineapple Express-shaped cookie cutter. That is unfortunate because the resulting movie may turn out to be passably entertaining, middling fare, but it won’t be the treatment that The Green Hornet deserves.
