I keep seeing this commercial with The Green Hornet...

[Panther_Gunn]

Wait, "Mr. Mom" is going to be Batman?

I was just about to touch on that. (get your minds out of the gutter.    this is a family-friendly forum!  )  I guess I'll have to console myself with "There's going to be a klingon on the bridge of the Enterprise!?!  That's stupid!"

There are times, however, when the teeth gnashing that goes along with announced casting are well founded.  Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl.  Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy.  Nick Cage as Superman.  Jack Black as Green Lantern.  Granted, a lot of the problems we have had in the genre being translated to movies have been more a problem with scripting or directing, but casting can also play a role in things being bad.

Having said all that, I saw a new trailer last night, kind of short, and it focused only on all of the action bits, with no character dialogue.  Obviously aimed at a different demographic than the earlier link.

[Tomato]

to me it has more to do with the intended cast as a whole, not a single actor. In most of the cases you mentioned as bad, it wasn't just one person who set things off poorly. B&R has Ahnold, thurman, silverstone, etc. Cage's superman's also included Tim Burton, whose film style is almost too gothic for Batman, let alone Superman. Conversely, Begins may have had Mr. Mom, but it was also filled with other great actors... Neeson, Caine, Oldman, etc.

One actor does not a film make... especially the title character. Worry more about the director, the producer, and the supporting cast.

[Tawodi Osdi]

Mater, you seem a little confused with your Batman movies.  The Batman with Mr Mom was the one with Michael Keaton as Batman and Jack Nicholson as the Joker.  I admit I was skeptical of Keaton as Batman because your typical Keaton character was either a blue collar worker or a slob and not someone who was either heroic like Batman or classy like Bruce Wayne, but he managed to pull off both roles decently enough.

[Tomato]

Blah... In my defense, I wrote that in between my two plane flights today and I was only barely paying attention. Either way though, Keaton was surrounded by actors like Jack Nicholson and Michael Gough, so it wasn't like he was exactly in a vacuum either.

[Uncle Yuan]

Wait, "Mr. Mom" is going to be Batman?

Oh, no.  Johnny Dangerously is.

[bredon7777]

Looks like Green Hornet is dealing with the usual comic book movie issues --- outcry that no way can this person play this character.  


You know, I don't see GH being a putz anywhere.  In fact, when I see the GH --- I see nothing but action. 

RTT

Dude, are you watching the same trailer I am?

Spoiler

Shooting himself with the gas gun- putz
Shooting Kato with the gas gun - putz
"Let's call him the Green Bee!"- putz
The doofy expression on his face when he goes "we'll act like villians but really be heroes" -putz

Now, if you want to be charitable, you can write off the third one as keeping up an act in front of others. But the others just destroy Rogen's credibility as the character in my eyes.  GH should be like Batman - when the people who are in on the secret are around- he drops the act and is totally focused.  The fact that he's acting like a putz when hes only with people who know the secret makes him a putz 100% of the time, sorry.

Its not the look- he looks fine. Hell, I've seen a trailer where he barely opens his mouth as the GH, and that looks like a movie I'd be interested in seeing. But they insist on showing him as a putz, which is completely the wrong take on the character and more or less completely kills my interest.


I've got nothing against humor- I think Katos line from the trailer "I'll go with you, but I don't want to touch you" is killer- but it arises naturally from the situation and the characters- not from one of the actors shoehorning his trademark putz-makes-good routine in where it doesn't belong.

[BWPS]

I'm pretty sure I'm the target audience for this and I don't think that's a problem because a movie like this should. I go to see a lot of movies featuring the same cast members from 40 Year Old Virgin again and again and they are usually funny. I go to see most comic book movies if they look good and often when they don't. I'm not going to see this in theaters unless someone tells me it's awesome, which I strongly doubt based on the trailers. No line in any of the trailers made me laugh, and the action is heavy on sparking gunshots and CGI bodies being kicked by a CGI guy which kinda spoils the only reason I ever watched Green Hornet: Bruce Lee kicking other people. If anyone on here who sees it is like "sweet! ... also I hated X-Men 3" and rottentomatoes is like "60% or more!* " I would go see it I guess but I feel like that's not the case.


*Though the worst movie of all time, The American, is in at 65% while this year's hidden gem of a comedy Cop Out is at 19%, so maybe I should start ignoring that.

[steamteck]

You guys must be seeing something different in the trailers than me. I barely know the Green Hornet so i have no investment in the character but it doesn't liook like a movie I'd want to see.  it just looks stupid and unheroic.

[steamteck]

Yeah, part of why I play devils advocate is that Michael Gondry is one of my favorite directors, somebody who could knock a project such as Sandman out of the park. I dont know how he got tangled up in a totally conventional film like this...

That said I understand what he is complaining about... comics are the most creative and crazy medium and a lot of fans tend to be extrmely close minded. People like Allan Moore, Warren Ellis, Garth Enis and Mark Millar have played with that idea in comics... but then again I'm the sort of guy who reads comics from Avatar and enjoys transgressive superhero stories like Watchmen or more recently Absolution. I love stuff like the Marvel "All Ages" line but I'll buy just about any R rated comic.                                    

Sounds like we have exact reverse tastes in many ways. I'll skip on almost any R rated comic. I absolutely loathed the Watchman on a primal level and could rant about it for a very long time.

Probably one of us will enjoy thefilm them no matter how it turns out. LOL

[BlueBard]

The fact that the director was so offended by the reaction at Comic-Con is a pretty strong indication that:

1. Comic readers were in the target audience.  (Or why would they have screened it there?)

2. They don't really get that target audience, or the reaction wouldn't have surprised them.

3. The director's comments indicate a general lack of respect for that target audience.


Fact remains, I can only go see so many movies and this one isn't making my list of "must-see".

[JeyNyce]

I was at Barnes & Noble yesterday and I read 2 version of the Green Hornet.  The first was an older graphic novel and GH was no joke.  The way it was set up Kato was not GH sidekick, but more of a partner (like Batman & Nightwing).  Then I picked up one that was a prequel to the new movie.  It was more of a back story for Kato and how smart he is and how his fighting skills are.  While it was interesting, it made GH look so stupid.  It was like Robin training Batman.  GH would said something like "Can I drive?" and Kato would replied "No cuz I don't want you to wreck the car again!"  What kind of BS is that?  Kato did all the work and GH hangs in the background.

[daglob]

Maybe it's because the scenes I've seen and the restaruant commercial portray GH as a yutz. Maybe I'm wrong; I remember that "The Frighteners" had two different commercials: one that made it look like "Ghostbusters", and one that made it look like "Nightmare on Elm  Street".

From what y'all are saying, it sounds like this is what is going on. Some publicity showing Seth Rogen comedy and some other publicity showing a serious action flick.

[lugaru]

I still dont see green hornet fans as the target audience, simply because they are not that many. The comic has been doing so-so at best.

As far as Kato doing all the work... well... that is pretty much the way it always was.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsO7Xr6njMA

[BentonGrey]

I still dont see green hornet fans as the target audience, simply because they are not that many. The comic has been doing so-so at best.

As far as Kato doing all the work... well... that is pretty much the way it always was.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsO7Xr6njMA

Not really.  One clip with Kato being awesome isn't hard to find, but the two of them were partners in the old series.  Kato was way better at hand-to-hand, and the Hornet was good with his gadgets and such.  He was still good with his fists, and he could hold his own (as he does in that clip).  However, it usually ended up with the Hornet figuring things out, and then the two of them jumping a gang of criminals.  The Hornet would take one or two, maybe using gas or the sting to disable more, but Kato would take on three or more, putting them all down really quickly.  They balanced out quite well. 

I have to say, while Brit Reid was probably not always as awesome as he would become as the Hornet, it definitely does not fit the character to have him be a worthless frat boy putz.  This is the descendant of the Lone Ranger's blood we're talking about after all.  He's part of a heroic bloodline.  The original Hornet mythos had him traveling to Africa and Asia as a young man, searching for adventure and such, not partying away his life.  I'm sorry, but this travesty is most certainly a betrayal of the source material.  Every time I so much as hear Seth Rogen's goofy voice speaking from behind that Hornet mask my stomach turns. 

I imagine the posters who have indicated that people like myself (i.e., Green Hornet fans) are not the target audience for this flick are correct.  However, that may not be intentional.  I think what you've got here is a case where, as BlueBard says, the powers that be really don't get part of their audience.  They thought they could tart up this character because no one knows him, and hey, his show was a spin-off of that campy Batman show, so it's gotta' be goofy anyway, right?  Then, when people don't like what they've put together, they blame their audience.  Personally, that director's response to the walkout disgusts me. 

[lugaru]

Well I think comics fans will hate Gondry after all this is over which is a shame, since he is a great director. Much like Comics fans hate Ang Lee, one of the best of our time.

Still he has made some near perfect movies and music videos. If comic fans "forgive him" he could make the perfect Sandman film.

Eternal Sunshine (A drama with Jim Carrey, another comedian).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnSgSe2GzDc

Science of Sleep (with a beautiful, hand made dream feel)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUCrM5i_W3c

[RTTingle]

I just can't understand how people over one facet of the character... say its a travesty of source material when they get everything else as close as possible.  Its not like this is totally unique to this character, or never been portrayed this way before.  Even in the Serials... the first 5 minutes it has Britt talking with Kato ---hoping he can prove to his father he is not just another lazy playboy.

I don't see it as a travesty of justice that this side of the character is being explored more.  I find it more interesting.  Its not that amazing to see someone who is heroic from the start take that extra step to become even more so.  I like my hero being a little flawed so to speak... especially from the start.  I like to see that transformation.  I think its very plausible that someone who is a goof can go through a change and be heroic.  I like the idea of the character being more than just one dimensional... a little more to his background to say and one thats not as heroic as Bruce Waynes so to speak.  

I'm sorry ya'll see it this way that is a travesty.  I simply don't.

I'd much rather see this... than have them change everything else and keep him completely heroic.

[GhostMachine]

From what I've seen, it looks like they've made Brit into a klutz and possibly a bit stupid, and Kato into the brains AND brawn. That's what I don't like. The movie looks interesting visually, but as fan of the old radio show and the old NOW Comics series I'm probably going to give it a pass.

What gets me is the Trundle estate has been very protective of the Green Hornet. When NOW Comics introduced a female Kato in one of the Green Hornet comics, they put the kibosh on that (and it wasn't even the same Hornet and Kato, but their decendants). So I'm surprised they allowed the filmmakers to do something that's actually worse. But then again, I guess there's a lot more money to be made here.

There's talk of doing a new Shadow movie. Hope the same people aren't behind it, because the last thing I want to see is Dane Cook as Lamont Cranston! 

[daglob]

I saw a different, longer trailer today, and it was 10-15% Seth Rogen playing a doofus and the rest looked like a fun movie.

[Uncle Yuan]

I just can't understand how people over one facet of the character... say its a travesty of source material when they get everything else as close as possible.  Its not like this is totally unique to this character, or never been portrayed this way before.  Even in the Serials... the first 5 minutes it has Britt talking with Kato ---hoping he can prove to his father he is not just another lazy playboy.

I don't see it as a travesty of justice that this side of the character is being explored more.  I find it more interesting.  Its not that amazing to see someone who is heroic from the start take that extra step to become even more so.  I like my hero being a little flawed so to speak... especially from the start.  I like to see that transformation.  I think its very plausible that someone who is a goof can go through a change and be heroic.  I like the idea of the character being more than just one dimensional... a little more to his background to say and one thats not as heroic as Bruce Waynes so to speak.  

I'm sorry ya'll see it this way that is a travesty.  I simply don't.

I'd much rather see this... than have them change everything else and keep him completely heroic.

RTT,

What I think I'm seeing here (and what I'm personally afraid of) is not a question of people worried about his heroism, but his competence.  If the character starts out as a adolescent stoner doofus and grows into a hero I don't think anyone here would have a problem with that.  The worry is that (given it's Seth Rogan) he will stay the adolescent stoner doofus comic foil, with Kato as the "real" the Green Hornet.

[Mr. Hamrick]

I just can't understand how people over one facet of the character... say its a travesty of source material when they get everything else as close as possible.  Its not like this is totally unique to this character, or never been portrayed this way before.  Even in the Serials... the first 5 minutes it has Britt talking with Kato ---hoping he can prove to his father he is not just another lazy playboy.

I don't see it as a travesty of justice that this side of the character is being explored more.  I find it more interesting.  Its not that amazing to see someone who is heroic from the start take that extra step to become even more so.  I like my hero being a little flawed so to speak... especially from the start.  I like to see that transformation.  I think its very plausible that someone who is a goof can go through a change and be heroic.  I like the idea of the character being more than just one dimensional... a little more to his background to say and one thats not as heroic as Bruce Waynes so to speak.  

I'm sorry ya'll see it this way that is a travesty.  I simply don't.

I'd much rather see this... than have them change everything else and keep him completely heroic.

RTT,

What I think I'm seeing here (and what I'm personally afraid of) is not a question of people worried about his heroism, but his competence.  If the character starts out as a adolescent stoner doofus and grows into a hero I don't think anyone here would have a problem with that.  The worry is that (given it's Seth Rogan) he will stay the adolescent stoner doofus comic foil, with Kato as the "real" the Green Hornet.

The flip side of that argument is that it's VERY possible that Rogen's character will grow into the role.  Remember, the decision Brit Reid makes in the trailer to become a superhero seems to be made in a rash random, spontaneous manner.  He doesn't know what he's getting into, it seems Kato does.  By the end of the movie, Britt has realized the responsibility of the role he's undertaking and starts to take it seriously.  They become partners. 

Spoiler

I'm even suspecting that Britt might be the second Green Hornet and his father was the first... with Kato (or perhaps Kato's father) has his sidekick.

[lugaru]

Kato does come with some serious ordinance and gadgets... I would not be surprised if it is something to that effect Hamrick.

[Viking]

I find myself hoping that the movie follows a formula of "playboy/incompetent/doofus finds reason to alter his worldview to become more serious/competent/buttkicking."  It could very well be that such is the case, and that the trailers just haven't done a very good job of protraying this metamorphosis.  In my mind, the effect from the previews is more jarring because Seth Rogen appears to be even more of a playboy/incompetent/doofus than other examples of this trope.

When I saw Batman Begins and the Dark Knight, there was no doubt that the Bruce Wayne playboy was purely a cover act, and not the real character.  In the Iron Man movies, Tony Stark still has a healthy chunk of genuine playboy in him, but it is countered by regular examples that the man is a frigging genius with some serious skills.  In this comparative context, the trailer for GH makes Rogen's character look like a bumbling clown.

While the aforementioned Batman and Iron Man movies still had moments where the main character made a klutzy mistake, these were comparatively brief moments in the movies that made them look a little more human - and they certainly didn't show up in the previews.  (E.g., Wayne's apparent disdain for reading instruction manuals for his equipment, and Tony Stark's first recorded attempt of using repulsor technology to hover.)  In contrast, the much lambasted preview for GH seems to showcase Seth Rogen's ability to be bumbling and silly.  Hence, the fear that the GH movie could go really, really wrong.

Just my opinion, of course.  Hopefully, it is just a case of poor trailer-making.

[Panther_Gunn]

There's talk of doing a new Shadow movie. Hope the same people aren't behind it, because the last thing I want to see is Dane Cook as Lamont Cranston! 

Well, he's certainly ugly enough for the role!   

[Tawodi Osdi]

I just can't understand how people over one facet of the character... say its a travesty of source material when they get everything else as close as possible.  Its not like this is totally unique to this character, or never been portrayed this way before.  Even in the Serials... the first 5 minutes it has Britt talking with Kato ---hoping he can prove to his father he is not just another lazy playboy.

I don't see it as a travesty of justice that this side of the character is being explored more.  I find it more interesting.  Its not that amazing to see someone who is heroic from the start take that extra step to become even more so.  I like my hero being a little flawed so to speak... especially from the start.  I like to see that transformation.  I think its very plausible that someone who is a goof can go through a change and be heroic.  I like the idea of the character being more than just one dimensional... a little more to his background to say and one thats not as heroic as Bruce Waynes so to speak.  

I'm sorry ya'll see it this way that is a travesty.  I simply don't.

I'd much rather see this... than have them change everything else and keep him completely heroic.

RTT,

What I think I'm seeing here (and what I'm personally afraid of) is not a question of people worried about his heroism, but his competence.  If the character starts out as a adolescent stoner doofus and grows into a hero I don't think anyone here would have a problem with that.  The worry is that (given it's Seth Rogan) he will stay the adolescent stoner doofus comic foil, with Kato as the "real" the Green Hornet.

The flip side of that argument is that it's VERY possible that Rogen's character will grow into the role.  Remember, the decision Brit Reid makes in the trailer to become a superhero seems to be made in a rash random, spontaneous manner.  He doesn't know what he's getting into, it seems Kato does.  By the end of the movie, Britt has realized the responsibility of the role he's undertaking and starts to take it seriously.  They become partners. 

Spoiler

I'm even suspecting that Britt might be the second Green Hornet and his father was the first... with Kato (or perhaps Kato's father) has his sidekick.

The formula of the movie character being a descendant of the original worked out well with the Maverick movie.  Realizing that the Gibson's Maverick wasn't Gardner's Maverick was a terrific surprise.

[BlueBard]

Are we still talking about this?

Ok... when somebody goes and actually sees the movie, please post a review.  Maybe you'll change my mind or maybe you'll confirm my first impression.  Until then, is this really worth our time?

[BentonGrey]

Well I think comics fans will hate Gondry after all this is over which is a shame, since he is a great director. Much like Comics fans hate Ang Lee, one of the best of our time.

Still he has made some near perfect movies and music videos. If comic fans "forgive him" he could make the perfect Sandman film.

Eternal Sunshine (A drama with Jim Carrey, another comedian).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnSgSe2GzDc

Science of Sleep (with a beautiful, hand made dream feel)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUCrM5i_W3c

Haha, you're probably right.  Deserved or undeserved, I certainly have a bit of a grudge against Ang Lee after that Hulk movie.  If this Gondry is the fellow who made Eternal Sunshine, though, I suppose it is obvious that he's a very talented fellow.  I loved that movie.  However, talented or not, his comments don't fill me with much respect for him personally.  

RTT,

What I think I'm seeing here (and what I'm personally afraid of) is not a question of people worried about his heroism, but his competence.  If the character starts out as a adolescent stoner doofus and grows into a hero I don't think anyone here would have a problem with that.  The worry is that (given it's Seth Rogan) he will stay the adolescent stoner doofus comic foil, with Kato as the "real" the Green Hornet.

Precisely Yuan, although for my part, even if it is written in such a way that a respectable transformation is called for in the script, I have zero faith in Rogen's ability to portray that.

BB, yeah, you're right...but where would the fun be in something a sensible as that.

[JeyNyce]

New trailer Gangsta's Paradise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIcDUG4gFEY

First time I saw it I thought: IT SUX!  watching it again, it's not so bad, kinda funny.

[RTTingle]

New trailer Gangsta's Paradise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIcDUG4gFEY

First time I saw it I thought: IT SUX!  watching it again, it's not so bad, kinda funny.

Cute... clever use of the song, considering.  Heh heh heh.

I managed to snag preview passes for a showing the night before release.  I'll toss up my review.

Later,
Rich

[BentonGrey]

New trailer Gangsta's Paradise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIcDUG4gFEY

First time I saw it I thought: IT SUX!  watching it again, it's not so bad, kinda funny.

Cute... clever use of the song, considering.  Heh heh heh.

I managed to snag preview passes for a showing the night before release.  I'll toss up my review.

Later,
Rich

I look forward to your review.

[Mr. Hamrick]

New trailer Gangsta's Paradise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIcDUG4gFEY

First time I saw it I thought: IT SUX!  watching it again, it's not so bad, kinda funny.

Cute... clever use of the song, considering.  Heh heh heh.

I managed to snag preview passes for a showing the night before release.  I'll toss up my review.

Later,
Rich

I was thinking about trying to get preview passes but as awful as I have felt the past few days, I'm gonna be doing good to make it into town to the bank today.  Beyond that, I don't want to make any plans I have not already made for the next couple weeks.