Coco (2017 film)

Directed by Lee Unkrich and screenplay by Unkrich and Adrian Molina from a story by Unkrich, Molina, Matthew Aldrich, and Jason Katz, Coco is the story of a 12-year old boy whose encounter with mysterious ghostly spirits accidentally transports him to the Land of the Dead where he tries to find his great-great-grandfather to return him to the living world. Inspired by the Mexican holiday in the Day of the Dead, the film is look of a boy wanting to know about his family’s roots as well as those who lived before his time. Featuring the voices of Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renee Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguia, and Edward James Olmos. Coco is a rapturous and touching film from Lee Unkrich.

Set in a small town in Mexico just before the Day of the Dead, the film is about a 12-year old boy who has a love for music and idolizes a famed musician despite his family’s hatred for it as it relates to some family secrets where the boy later encounters the spirit where he finds himself in the Land of the Dead. It’s a film that play into a boy who has a love for music but doesn’t want to upset his family as he’s trying to keep it a secret. The film's screenplay by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina follows the journey that Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) embarks on as he lives with a large family who makes shoes at their small town but they have a disdain for music dating back to their ancestors when Miguel’s great-great-grandfather left his wife Imelda (Alanna Ubach) to pursue a music career as Miguel believes his great-great-grandfather is the famed musician Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt).

Wanting to participate in a talent contest, Miguel runs away from his family where he tries to borrow de la Cruz’s guitar from his tomb as he finds himself in the Land of the Dead where he would meet his relatives including his great-great grandmother Imelda who tries to get him to return only if he doesn’t become a musician. The script has Miguel not just learn about family’s importance but also what it means to be great musician where he meets a dead trickster in Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal) who claims to know de la Cruz where they make a deal as Hector is eager to go to the land of the living to visit his daughter in the hopes he won’t be forgotten. During their journey together, Miguel would learn some big secrets about his family as well as why Imelda and Coco were abandoned as they reach de la Cruz’s home where he’s having his annual ceremony as more revelations occur about Miguel and his family.

Lee Unkrich’s direction is definitely astonishing in terms of the world he creates of the living as well as the Land of the Dead where it has a lot of attention to detail about the holiday that is the Day of the Dead. With the animation directors Guilherme Sauerbronn Jacinto and Nickolas Rosario, along with animation supervisors Gini Cruz Santos and Michael Venturini, Unkrich and co-director Adrian Molina provide a look and tone that play into this air of tradition that is celebrated annually in Mexico. It’s a celebration of loved ones who aren’t around anymore as pictures and murals are presented with the living offering food or something special where the spirits of the dead would take it as they cross over from the Land of the Dead to the world of the living as spirits. When Miguel takes a strum of de la Cruz’s guitar, it would transport him to the Land of the Dead as it’s a world that is about the celebration of life where Unkrich’s compositions in its wide and medium shots capture it with such grand detail.

The direction also create these compositions and matching images as it play into the movies that de la Cruz starred in as well as what Miguel would match as he plays music like the man whom he believes is his great-great grandfather. The animation takes great attention to detail in some of the spiritual creatures that Miguel meets as a street dog named Dante would join him in the journey who seems to know more than he lets on. The meeting between Miguel and de la Cruz is tremendous in its scale but it also play into secrets about Miguel’s family including his great-grandmother Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguia) whose memory is fading away. It adds to the stakes of what Miguel has to do to get home with the help of his deceased relatives who deal with revelations about their misfortunes. Even as they have to accept the power of music that can bring someone back to life and bring a family together. Overall, Unkrich and Molina create a dazzling yet heartfelt film about a boy whose love for music brings him into a journey to the dead in order to help his family.

Cinematographers Matt Aspbury and Danielle Feinberg do amazing work with the look of the lighting and backgrounds of some of the interiors at the places in the Land of the Dead including de la Cruz’s home with its usage of colorful lighting and shades. Editors Lee Unkrich and Steve Bloom do excellent work with the editing as its usage of rhythmic cuts help play into the drama and humor with some flashback montages to establish key moments in the film. Production designer Harley Jessup and art director Tim Evatt do incredible work with the look of the buildings and the bridge of orange petals with help from visual effects supervisor Michael O’Brien in adding some textures including the look of the old movies starring de la Cruz.

Sound designer Christopher Boyes does amazing work with the sound as it help play into the way a guitar string is tuned as well as the sounds of the spirit creatures in the Land of the Dead. The film’s music by Michael Giacchino is phenomenal for its mixture of lush orchestral music and traditional-based Mexican mariachi music that play into the drama and sense of adventure as the music soundtrack that is cultivated by music supervisor Tom MacDougall feature an array of original songs composed Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, Germaine Franco and Adrian Molina with Michael Giacchino, and some traditional pieces as the music is a major highlight of the film.

The casting by Carla Hool, Natalie Lyon, and Kevin Reher is superb as it feature some notable small roles and voice appearances from Pixar regular John Ratzenberger as dental patient crossing over to the land of the living, Natalia Cordova-Buckley as the famed artist Frida Kahlo, Carla Medina as the departure agent, Cheech Marin as a corrections officer, Gabriel Iglesias as a clerk working at the Land of the Dead, Lombardo Boyar in a dual role as a mariachi Miguel meets in his small town and a musician from the Land of the Dead, Luis Valdez in a dual role as Miguel’s uncle Tio Berto and Don Hidalgo, Sofia Espinosa and Jaime Camil as Miguel’s parents, Herbert Siguenza as Miguel’s late identical twin uncles in Tios Oscar and Felipe, Selene Luna as Miguel’s late aunt Tia Rosita, and Alfonso Arau as Miguel’s late great-grandfather/Coco’s husband in Papa Julio.

Edward James Olmos is terrific as Hector’s friend Chicharron who lives in a world of those who are being forgotten where Miguel learns about Hector’s fate if he is to be forgotten. Ana Ofelia Murguia is wonderful in her brief role as Miguel’s great-grandmother Coco as a woman whom Miguel spends a lot of time with as he’s convinced she’s waiting for someone. Renee Victor is fantastic as Miguel’s grandmother who runs the family shoemaking shop as well as be the family’s lead enforcer in ensuring that music isn’t around the family. Alanna Ubach is brilliant as Miguel’s great-great-grandmother Mama Imelda who is also Coco’s mother as a woman that is trying to get Miguel home but also carries some family secrets about why she dislikes music where she later is forced to deal with the revelations that tore her family apart.

Benjamin Bratt is amazing as Ernesto de la Cruz as the famed singer who was considered the greatest artist in all of Mexico as he is believed to be Miguel’s great-great-grandfather where he’s a man that loves what he does but is ambiguous about how he became so famous. Gael Garcia Bernal is incredible as Hector as a trickster that is trying to cross to the land of the living to see someone important whom he believes would remember him as he helps Miguel to find de la Cruz as he claims to know him leading to some major revelations for Miguel. Finally, there’s Anthony Gonzalez in a sensational performance as Miguel as 12-year old boy that loves music and wants to play music where he finds himself in the Land of the Dead and hopes to get the blessing of the man he believes is his great-great-grandfather to become a musician so he can return to the land of the living where he would learn the importance of family as well as sacrifice.

Coco is an outstanding film from Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina. Featuring a great ensemble cast, rapturous visuals, a heartfelt music soundtrack, and touching themes about the importance of family. It’s unquestionably one of Pixar’s best films but also a film that manages to embody the idea of family and how to celebrate those who are no longer around but remain alive in spirit and through love. In the end, Coco is a magnificent film from Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina.

Pixar Films: Toy Story - A Bug's Life - Toy Story 2 - (Monsters Inc.) – (Finding Nemo) – The Incredibles - Cars - Ratatouille - WALL-E - Up - Toy Story 3 - Cars 2 - Brave - Monsters University - Inside Out - The Good Dinosaur - (Finding Dory) – (Cars 3) – The Incredibles 2 - Toy Story 4 - (Onward) - Soul (2020 film) - (Luca (2021 film)) - Turning Red - (Lightyear) - (Elemental (2023 film)) - Inside Out 2 - (Elio) – (Toy Story 5)

© thevoid99 2018

Blade Runner 2049

Based on the characters from the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep? by Philip K. Dick, Blade Runner 2049 is the sequel to the 1982 film Blade Runner by Ridley Scott as it involves a police officer who makes a chilling discovery that would lead to the end of humanity as he turns to a man who had disappeared thirty years ago who had his own experience with replicants. Directed by Denis Villeneuve and screenplay by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green from a story by Fancher, the film is a futuristic sci-fi film set in Los Angeles where a cop tries to save humanity as he also cope with what is at stake as the role of Officer K is played by Ryan Gosling with Harrison Ford reprising his role as Rick Deckard. Also starring Jared Leto, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Mackenzie Davis, Lennie James, Dave Bautista, Barkhad Abdi, Wood Harris, Carla Juri, and Robin Wright. Blade Runner 2049 is a sprawling yet intoxicating film from Denis Villeneuve.

Following a blackout just a few years after the events in 2019, an LAPD cop who hunts older replicants in order to rid of them for society where he makes a discovery that would change humanity. It’s a film that follows up what Rick Deckard had discovered years ago that eventually lead to his disappearance and what cop in Officer K is trying to find upon this discovery he made when he was trying to arrest an older replicant in Sapper Morton (Dave Bautista). In this discovery, K is dealing with what he’s found as he wonders if there is more to him than just being a cop who lives alone with a hologram AI named Joi (Ana de Armas) as his companion. The film’s screenplay by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green isn’t just about this sense of identity that K is dealing with but also in this discovery that everyone wants to know including a replicant manufacturer in Niander Wallace (Jared Leto) who sees it as the next big step into his creation.

The first act revolves around what K has discovered as he would meet with Wallace’s enforcer Luv (Sylvia Hoeks) who gives him some information about his discovery as it involves Deckard. Yet, K’s journey would lead him to try and find something as he would report to Lt. Joshi (Robin Wright) who believes that something is off as she wants K to find out what is going on but in secrecy as he’s later pursued by Luv. The second act isn’t just about what K is discovering but also more about his identity as he turns to Joi for help with that identity as it relates to a toy horse he believed he had when he was a child. Upon finding this toy horse and numbers on that horse that he also found on a tree when he was arresting Morton, it would eventually lead him to Deckard who has been in hiding. Upon meeting Deckard, K would realize what is at stake but also why Deckard had to leave as it relates to something bigger than himself as well as his own personal involvement.

Denis Villeneuve’s direction is definitely grand in terms of the scale of what he is creating as it is set in 2049 Los Angeles with futuristic versions of the state of California and Las Vegas as this mixture of farm country, cities, and wastelands. Shot mainly in Budapest, Hungary with some of it shot in Iceland, Spain, and other locations, the film definitely has a unique approach to the visual presentation as it begins in this kind of desolate yet beautiful land that is a place for synthetic farming as Villeneuve’s usage of the wide shots would showcase the scope of these locations. The scenes set in Los Angeles is cramped yet vast in terms of the holographic ads and other things that play into something that is futuristic as Villeneuve would create different look and feel for certain places and locations throughout the film.

The direction also utilizes some close-ups and medium shots for some unique compositions in the way characters interact with each other as well as some of the moments in the action. Villeneuve would include bits of humor in the film but much of the film is dramatic with some suspense and action as the drama relates to K’s loneliness and the revelations about what he discovered as it add to him questioning his own identity. By the time Deckard arrives in the film, it does recall elements of the past that includes this very eerie meeting between Deckard and Wallace into what the latter could do and why he needs this discovery that K made. All of which would have K play a big part into giving Deckard something he had lost and find peace over this loss as well as give K some meaning in his life. Overall, Villeneuve creates an exhilarating and rapturous film about a blade runner trying to save humanity by uncovering a discovery that could help those as well as stop a creator from playing God.

Cinematographer Roger Deakins does phenomenal work with the film’s cinematography as it is a major highlight of the film for the way he would give various locations a different look and feel from the grey exteriors of the farming land and garbage wasteland to the usage of sepia-drenched lighting for the exteriors of Las Vegas and the array of lighting and shades for many of the film’s interior scenes. Editor Joe Walker does excellent work with the editing as it has some jump-cuts for some of the action as well as some straightforward cutting for the drama and suspense. Production designer Dennis Gassner, with set decorator Alessandra Querzola and supervising art director Paul Inglis, does brilliant work with the look of K’s apartment as well as the LAPD building and the place where the Wallace Corporation is and other aspects to make Los Angeles look really futuristic. Costume designer Renee April does fantastic work with the costumes as it does provide the characters some personalities into some of the clothing that Joi wears as well as the clothing of other characters to play into the futuristic world.

Hair supervisor Lizzie Lawson and makeup supervisor Csilla Blake-Horvath do terrific work with the look of some of the characters including a few prostitutes as well as Joi in the different personalities she takes to please K. Visual effects supervisors Pierre Buffin, Richard Clegg, Paul Lambert, Petr Marek, Viktor Muller, and John Nelson do incredible work with the visual effects from the look of the city in some parts as well as the holograms and some of the action sequences as it is top-notch work. Sound editor Mark A. Mangini and sound designer Theo Green do amazing work with the sound in creating some sound effects as well as in the way guns and the flying cars sound. The film’s music by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch is great for its mixture of electronic bombast and ambient textures to create a score that is always engaging and help to play into the action and suspense while music supervisor Deva Anderson brings in some music that K listens to like Frank Sinatra as well as a couple of songs by Elvis Presley and variations of Tears in the Rain by Vangelis.

The casting by Zsolt Csutak, Francine Maisler, and Lucinda Syson is marvelous as it feature a couple of cameo appearances from two characters from the original film in Edward James Olmos as Deckard’s old colleague Gaff and Sean Young as the replicant Rachael with help from Loren Peta as Young’s double. Other notable small roles include Wood Harris as a cop named Harris, David Dastmalchian as a police scientist named Coco, Barkhad Abdi as a black markets analyzer in Doc Badger, Lennie James as a wasteland businessman in Mister Cotton, Hiam Abbass as a mysterious underground leader in Freysa, and Dave Bautista in a superb small role as the replicant Sapper Morton. Mackenzie Davis is terrific as a replicant prostitute named Mariette who is asked by Luv to follow K while being very discreet about her true motive while Carla Juri is wonderful in a small role as a mysterious memory designer in Dr. Ana Stelline who creates memories for replicants.

Jared Leto is fantastic as the replicants creator Niander Wallace as a man who is trying to create a new form of replicants as a way to get rid of humanity’s flaws as he believes this new discovery would be the key to what he wants. Robin Wright is excellent as Lt. Joshi as a LAPD official who orders K to find out about this discovery as well as question his own offbeat behavior as she is aware of what is at stake. Sylvia Hoeks is brilliant as Luv as Wallace’s replicant enforcer who is tasked with finding more about this discovery as she is this dangerous and powerful individual who is eager to get what she wants by any means necessary. Ana de Armas is amazing as Joi as an artificial-intelligence hologram who serves as K’s companion that tries to help him understand as well as wanting to feel alive to prove that there is more to her than just some program.

Harrison Ford’s performance as Rick Deckard is incredible as he provides this sense of a man who had seen and experienced so much in his life as he tries to cover his tracks while dealing with this newfound revelation over this discovery that he was involved in that also includes Rachael whom he mourns for. Finally, there’s Ryan Gosling in a sensational performance as K as a cop who copes with his identity upon this discovery he’s made as well as wanting to get answers as he is quite tough but also flawed as it is a very grounded and restraint performance from Gosling who brings a lot to a role of someone dealing with loneliness and himself.

Blade Runner 2049 is a magnificent film from Denis Villeneuve that features top-notch performances from Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford. Along with its great ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals courtesy of cinematographer Roger Deakins, a hypnotic score, and a compelling premise that explores the idea of identity and humanity. It’s a film that manages to be not just some sprawling sci-fi adventure film with elements of film noir, suspense, and action but also a film that says a lot about people and who they are as well as what can happen when one wants to use that power for his own reasons. In the end, Blade Runner 2049 is an outstanding film from Denis Villeneuve.

Related: Blade Runner - The Auteurs #68: Denis Villeneuve

Denis Villeneuve Films: August 32nd on Earth – Maelstrom – Polytechnique – Incendies - Prisoners (2013 film) - Enemy (2013 film) – Sicario - Arrival (2016 film) - Dune-Part One (2021 film) - Dune-Part Two - (Dune: Messiah)

© thevoid99 2017

LAMB Movie of the Month: Blade Runner (1992 Director's Cut)

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 6/12/05 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on a novel by Phillip K. Dick (whom the film was dedicated to), Blade Runner is a stylish, film-noir detective story set in the futuristic 2019 Los Angeles about a retired cop who returns to the scene to eliminate four murderous androids known as replicants. Directed by Ridley Scott and adapted into script by Hampton Fancher, David Peoples, and Darryl Ponicsan, the story is set in traditional film-noir with elements of character studies, conflict, and dark humor that only Ridley Scott can come up with. With a cast that includes Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Daryl Hannah, Edward James Olmos, M. Emmet Walsh, Brion James, and Joanna Cassidy. Blade Runner is a brilliant yet dark film from Ridley Scott.

It's 2019 in Los Angeles where the world is overtaken with many wondering who are the humans and who are the replicants. The latter of which, lives in a colony owned by a corporate head named Tyrell (Joe Turkel) as a new replicant named Leon kills an interrogater named Holden (Morgan Paull) as he escapes with three new replicants. A former blade runner named Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is contacted by a replicant named Gaff (Edward James Olmos) where Deckard is asked by his former superior Bryant (M. Emmet Walsh) to hunt down the four escaped replicants. Deckard takes the job as he meets Tyrell and his assistant Rachel (Sean Young) where Tyrell reveals information on the new replicants led by Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer). After asking Rachel some questions to see how the interrogation process happens, Rachel divulges something that adds to Deckard's suspicions.

The four replicants arrive to Los Angeles where Leon and Batty search for the inventor J.F. Sebastian (William Sanderson) while Deckard begins his investigation as he finds one of them in a woman named Zhora (Joanna Cassidy). Deckard later receives a visit from Rachel who asks about her interrogation and the images of her head as she wonders about her true self leaving Deckard confused. While being pursued by Bryant and Gaff, Deckard gains information from Chew (James Hong) about the replicants and what they're after. A young woman named Pris (Daryl Hannah) meets Sebastian as they befriend each other while Deckard finds one of the replicants as Rachel becomes a suspect. With Pris introducing Sebastian to Batty, they reveal what they from Sebastian as Deckard also learns about what Rachel is going through. This would lead to an all-out battle where Deckard has to make choices as he deals with the psychotic Batty.

With a wonderful screenplay that is filled with playful one-liners and stylish subtext, the credit goes to director Ridley Scott for bringing his visual approach to storytelling on the forefront. He brings in a mix of Asian cinema, classic film-noir, and post-modern sci-fi all into a stylish, grand spectacle with bleak settings. In his technical brilliance, Scott's use of slow-motion shots, entrancing camera angles, and eerie settings shows his brilliance to convey moods onto a single frame. Clearly, his inspiration was in film noir since the film is partially inspired by classic detective stories and it shows the brilliant range of Scott. He evens adds a bit of humor to balance out the film, even with the script that has that one famous line, "Wake up, time to die" along with some memorable one-liners.

In the acting, Scott relies on the script as his source and with the script, he helps conveys the tortured soul of Deckard along with a complexity of what he might or might not be. Even the villains, notably Batty has a complexity that isn't stereotypical of villains seen before and since. There's not many themes other than the post-apocalyptic world of human replicants trying to wipe out the human race. It's more about trying to figure out what you are, even if the life span is very short. While the love story of Deckard and Rachael might seem to be added on, it has depth since it's something that Deckard can fall back on, even if the timing is brief.

If Ridley Scott achieves himself on the technical side, many credit goes to his film crew, whom Scott has often relied on. Cinematographer Jordan S. Cronenweth brings a vast outlook with noir-like lighting textures in several interior, night scenes, and the neon lighting helps give the film its Asian, post-modern look. Production designer Lawrence G. Paull and art director David Snyder help bring that vision to life with their use of big screens, Asian architecture in the seedy L.A. world, and that grand, posh look of Tyrell's world as the film remains in its futuristic outlook. Helping out in the visuals is Douglas Trumbull who brings in great special effects for many of the film's visual sequences involving flying cars and the world of Tyrell. With editor Terry Rawlings bringing a nicely-paced feel to the film, the movie doesn't lose sight of its outcome or makes anything boring. Then there's the creepy electronic score of Vangelis who just uses hypnotic textures and atmospheres to bring the future closer to the screen with each note bringing more suspense as the film progresses.

Then you have the amazingly, talented cast that is brought to the film. While Joanna Cassidy and the late Brion James had small, villainous roles, they each do have memorable moments, notably James early in the film and in the scene where he says, "Wake up, time to die". William Sanderson is wonderful in his innocent role as Sebastian with his reclusive stature and childlike approach to the performance while Joe Turkel is excellent in his eccentric, calm performance as the dark creator Tyrell. While Edward James Olmos doesn't have much to do in the film, he is very memorable as the replicant Gaff with his weird smile and even stranger lines, including the final one as he brings some of the dark humor to the film. Noted character actor M. Emmet Walsh is excellent as Deckard's former superior who brings in a bit of sleaze and humor to a very memorable performance. Sean Young is wonderful and complex in her subtle role as Deckard's replicant love interest but it's Daryl Hannah who really stands out in her small role as one of the evil replicants with her girlish innocence and crazy personality where she gets into some intense action.

Rutger Hauer gives a great performance as the villainous yet complex Roy Batty. Hauer uses his charm, wit, and face to give a villain that many will remember while making him more depth-driven than other villains. Hauer makes sure his character isn't just a totally evil man but one who knows what he wants. Even in the final moments of the film, Hauer brings in some of his best acting into the forefront as you can see why he's a cult favorite among film buffs. Harrison Ford delivers one of his best performances as Rick Deckard with a mix of weariness and determination. While he's playing the hero, he makes sure it's one that people can relate to since he has no desire to kill but when he's brought back, it's only with reluctance. Ford doesn't make himself the usual tough guy in some of the fight scene he's in. He's not Han Solo or Indiana Jones but a man that has a lot of problems. Ford makes sure that Deckard is one that an audience can sympathize with while we root for him in his quest to stop the bad guys.

Blade Runner is a visually-exotic yet haunting film from Ridley Scott that features a marvelous performance from Harrison Ford. Along with amazing technical work as well as superb ensemble cast that includes Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Daryl Hannah, M. Emmet Walsh, and Edward James Olmos. It is truly one of the great sci-fi films ever created due to its visual effects as well as an entrancing story. In the end, Blade Runner is a magnificent sci-fi noir film from Ridley Scott.

Related: Blade Runner 2049

Ridley Scott Films: (The Duellists) - (Alien) - (Legend) - (Someone to Watch Over Me) - (Black Rain) - (Thelma & Louise) - (1492: Conquest of Paradise) - (White Squall) - (G.I. Jane) - (Gladiator) - (Hannibal) - (Black Hawk Down) - (Matchstick Men) - (Kingdom of Heaven) - (A Good Year) - (American Gangster) - (Body of Lies) - (Robin Hood (2010 film)) - Prometheus - (The Counselor) - (Exodus) - The Martian - (Alien: Covenant) - All the Money in the World

© thevoid99 2012

The Green Hornet (2011 film)

Based on the radio series and 1960s cult TV show by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, The Green Hornet is about a publishing heir who teams up with his father’s longtime mechanic named Kato to fight crime while dealing with a mob boss going through some personal issues of his own. Directed by Michel Gondry and written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the film is a modern take on the origin story of the Green Hornet and his friendship with Kato; that was played famously by Bruce Lee on the TV show. Starring Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Tom Wilkinson, Edward James Olmos, David Harbour, and Christoph Waltz. The Green Hornet is an entertaining action-comedy from Michel Gondry.

After the death of his publishing magnet father James Reid (Tom Wilkinson), Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) ponders what to do as he’s given control to run his father’s newspaper in Los Angeles. When he decides to rehire Kato (Jay Chou) based on the coffee he made, the two talk about Britt’s dad as Kato reveals the things he’s done for Britt’s dad such as fix up his cars. Britt learns that Kato’s work is far more extensive than the typical mechanic work as the two decide to vandalize the statue of Britt’s dad where they encounter a crime scene as the two fight off criminals. This gives Britt an idea to go vigilante as he and Kato form their own vigilante team with Britt calling himself the Green Hornet.

With Britt telling the paper’s longtime managing editor Mike Axford (Edward James Olmos) to do more coverage on the Green Hornet, Britt gains a new secretary in Lenore Case (Cameron Diaz) who reveals to have a great knowledge on criminology. Yet, the attention about the Green Hornet’s antics gets the attention of crime lord Benjamin Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz) whose days of power is starting to wane. With Chudnofsky having a mid-life crisis, he decides to go after the Green Hornet as tension starts to emerge between Britt and Kato over the attention towards the Green Hornet as well as trying to win Lenore’s affections.

Following a spat with Kato, Britt meets up with one of his father’s longtime colleagues in district attorney Frank Scanlon (David Harbour) where Britt learns that his father’s death may have not been some accident. With help from Lenore based on her crime expertise, Britt realizes that there is a conspiracy going on that involves Chudnofsky as he realizes what to do but couldn’t do it alone.

While the film is essentially an origins story set in modern times about the Green Hornet and his partnership with Kato. Screenwriters Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg do try to infuse their own brand of silly humor to the origins story as they make the Britt Reid character someone who feels insecure about never being able to make his dad proud while finding some kind of brotherhood in Kato. Then there’s Chudnofsky as he’s a criminal who starts to go through issues due to the arrival of younger criminals as he thinks he’s becoming a dinosaur. While Rogen and Goldberg are able to make Reid, Kato, Chudnofsky, and Lenore very interesting characters, the only flaw in the script is that it does follow the formula of a typical origin story that involves hero partnerships. Still, Rogen and Goldberg are able to do more with the formula by bending genres and create engaging characters.

Michel Gondry’s direction is wonderful though it lacks a lot of the stylistic flair that he’s been known for with a lot of his film. While he does do a few ideas such as multiple split-screens, speedy montages, and other abstract shots that is typical of his work. There’s not enough of that as Gondry’s direction is more standard with action-comedies in terms of fast-paced action sequences and light-hearted scenes of humor. Yet, Gondry does make sure the film is entertaining and funny as he was at least able to create a solid film that does what is expected with the genre.

Cinematographer John Schwartzman does a nice job with the cinematography with some stylish shots to complement the comic-book like look of the film or some of the day and nighttime exterior shots while utilizing some wonderful shading for some of the interior scenes. Editor Michael Tronick does a very good job with the editing as he creates some wonderful, fast-paced rhythms for the action scenes along with stylish cuts like the multiple split-screen sequence.

Production designer Owen Paterson and set decorator Ronald R. Reiss do a wonderful job with the set pieces such as the Reid estate garage as well as the Reid mansion along with the building that Britt‘s father runs. Costume designer Kym Barrett does an excellent job with the costumes from the old-school suits that Chudnofsky wears to the costumes that Britt and Kato wear. Visual effects supervisors James Dixon and Justin Jones do some fantastic work with the visual effects such as the stuff involving the Black Beauty cars and various action sequences in the film. Sound mixers Nerses Gezalyan and John Pritchett do some terrific work with the sound to play up the action in all of its chaos.

The film’s score by James Newton Howard is stellar for what is expected with action-comedies in terms of bombastic orchestral scores that flows and such though it’s nothing that is really outstanding. The film’s soundtrack features an array of music ranging into various genres as it features cuts by Anvil, the White Stripes, Digital Underground, Coolio, Johnny Cash, the Rolling Stones, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Van Halen, the Greenhornes, and Jay Chou bringing his own Asian-pop into the mix.

The casting by Francine Maisler is brilliant as it features an ensemble cast that includes appearances from Edward Furlong as meth chemist, Jamie Harris and Chad Coleman as a couple of Chudnofsky’s henchmen, Analeigh Tipton as a date of Britt early in the film, and James Franco in a cameo as a young gangster Chudnofsky very early in the film. Edward James Olmos is very good as a longtime editor friend of Britt’s dad who tries to warn Britt about covering the Green Hornet while David Harbour is also good as a district attorney who tries to get Britt involved into schemes for his own political gain. Tom Wilkinson is pretty decent in a very small role as Britt’s dad as it’s really more of a cameo that doesn’t give him much to do. Cameron Diaz is excellent as Lenore, a secretary whose criminology expertise unknowingly helps Britt and Kato in how to create their own schemes while proving to be very smart as it’s a wonderful role for Diaz to be the straight woman.

Christoph Waltz is wonderful as the villain Chudnofsky as Waltz brings a very slimy quality to a criminal that essentially goes into a mid-life crisis while trying to find a way to make himself intimidating. Jay Chou is superb as Kato as Chou brings a real charm to his character though his English at times is a bit hard to understand. Yet, Chou was able to make his character a joy to watch as it’s a great tribute to the late Bruce Lee. Finally, there’s Seth Rogen who brings in his usual comic persona to the character as it’s pretty good performance that allows him to be brash and funny though it doesn’t entirely work at times. Still, he and Chou are able to make a good combo as they’re able to keep things exciting and funny.

The Green Hornet is a pretty good film from Michel Gondry thanks in part to a wonderful ensemble cast and its willingness to be entertaining. In comparison to a lot of other films based on comics or other superhero-driven material, it’s kind of weak since there isn’t a lot that really gives the film a chance to stand out. In terms of the other films that Gondry has done, it’s his weakest work to date despite the fact that he’s able to inject a few of his visual tricks into the film. In the end, The Green Hornet is a fun film that does what is expected for its genre.

Michel Gondry Films: Human Nature - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Dave Chapelle’s Block Party - The Science of Sleep - Be Kind Rewind - Tokyo!-Interior Design - (The Thorn in the Heart) - The We & the I - Mood Indigo - (Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?) - (Microbe & Gasoline)

© thevoid99 2011