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Genre: Comedy
Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Paul Giamatti, Jeffrey Tambor, Ken Jeong, Mike Tyson, Jamie Chung, Juliette Lewis, Nick Cassavetes, Mason Lee
RunTime: 1 hr 42 mins
Released By: Warner Bros
Rating: M18 (Coarse Language And Some Nudity)
Official Website: http://hangoverpart2.warnerbros.com/

Opening Day: 2 June 2011

Synopsis:

In “The Hangover Part II,” Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) travel to exotic Thailand for Stu’s wedding. After the unforgettable bachelor party in Las Vegas, Stu is taking no chances and has opted for a safe, subdued pre-wedding brunch. However, things don’t always go as planned. What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can’t even be imagined.

Movie Review:

“It happened again,” confesses Phil to Tracy in the brief flash-forward at the beginning of the movie. Ask yourself this- how much did you enjoy the first movie? And how much are you willing to see the Wolf Pack do it all over again? If your answer is yes to both, then we guarantee you that you’ll absolutely love “The Hangover: Part II”, because Todd Phillips’ answer to his most successful R-rated comedy ever is essentially wilder, crazier and a whole lot funnier.

The groom may be different this time round- Stu (Ed Helms) is the one getting married- but the premise is pure déjà vu. Phil (Bradley Cooper), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) are back to join Stu in his wedding in Thailand, but after a supposedly harmless seaside toast to the groom, Phil, Alan and Stu wake up to find themselves in a Bangkok hotel room. Of course, how can their night of debauchery and drunkenness be complete without some physical disfigurements, an animal and oh a missing member of the party?

Yet again, the trio’s quest is to find the fourth guy- the one misplaced happens to be Stu’s soon-to-be brother-in-law, Teddy (Mason Lee- Ang Lee’s son by the way)- though this time their monkey business has also turned literal in the form of a chain-smoking capuchin monkey. And among the other bizarre characters they will meet is a wheelchair-bound monk on a vow of silence, a straight-talking tattoo artist (Nick Cassavetes replacing Liam Neeson who in turn replaced Mel Gibson), and a local crime lord (Paul Giamatti).  

Phillips is the only returning writer from the original, but newcomers Craig Mazin and Scot Armstrong have more than gotten the hang (pardon the pun) of the comedic beats which made the first movie such an unadulterated delight. There is nary a dull moment in the entire movie, with each of the new supporting characters adding their own colour and verve to the story. They also know a crowd-pleaser when they see one- hence the return of the off the wall Asian gangster Mr Chow (Ken Jeong), who once again plays a pivotal role in what went down the night before.

With the experience of Las Vegas, Phillips returns with renewed vigour and confidence to tell yet another raunchy tale of misadventure- and he isn’t afraid to push the limits even further. Mr Chow’s penis is mistaken by Stu and Alan for mushrooms; said capuchin monkey likes to give blowjobs; and last but not least, Stu realises that the morning after that the prostitute he had sex with the night before is in fact a lady-boy. The assuredness by which he directs the madcap proceedings shows in many of the daring creative decisions he exercises in the film, and many of these shocking moments are also laugh-out-loud hilarious.

But as with always, it is the chemistry between the cast that holds the movie together. Here, Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis slip almost too easily into their respective roles, and the friendship and camaraderie among the diametrically opposed characters is even more convincing and enjoyable to watch thanks to the actors’ familiarity. Galifianakis’ infantile act has lost some of its novelty the second time around, but his socially maladjusted character still gets some of the film’s best lines. The scene-stealer however turns out to be Ken Jeong, whose wacky exuberance and derring-do through some of the most insane moments simply lights up the screen.

Indeed, with the combined appeal of Jeong, Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis, who can resist such a boisterous reunion of the Wolf Pack? Sure, it’s basically the same s**t happening all over again, but who’s complaining when it turns out as uproarious as before? A huge part of the delight of the first movie came from watching Phil, Stu and Alan have fun with the kind of gleeful abandon we wished we could summon in our own lives. And once again the Wolf Pack has given us the chance to live vicariously through their misadventures- so really what are you waiting for?  

Movie Rating:

(Wilder, crazier and even more f***ing hilarious, Part II is more of the same kind of unadulterated fun you wanna have with the Wolf Pack) 

Review by Gabriel Chong

In Japanese with English & Chinese Subtitles
Genre: Sci-Fi/Adventure
Director: Takashi Yamazaki
Cast: Takuya Kimura, Meisa Kuroki, Hiroyuko Ikeuchi, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Toshiyuki Nishida, Meisa Kuroki, Takumi Saitô, Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Naoto Takenaka
RunTime: 2 hrs 13 mins
Released By: Encore Films & GV
Rating: PG (Some Fighting Scenes)
Official Website: http://www.encorefilms.com/spacebattleshipyamato

Opening Day: 24 March 2011

Synopsis: In the year 2199, Earth has lost its blue colour and is so polluted that human life is becoming impossible. Filled with hope, the 'Yamato' sets out with a mission to stop the destruction of the planet. A drama as vast in scale as its stage of infinite space, told over days of love and war for those who have set out to save the Earth.

Movie Review:

There is just something about viewing modern Japanese-made science fiction/fantasy, be it in the forms of comic or TV show or movie that simply takes one back to childhood. If I were to pinpoint a reason, perhaps it is because of the Japanese general reluctance to adapt to a gritty futuristic and high-tech production aesthetic thus only serving to evoke memories of Saturday morning television no matter the age of the viewer. However, this is not to say that the tech-crazy Japanese do not employ modern techniques to the production process. They do, but they also somehow manage to preserve a nostalgic feel to their work.

Speaking for those who grew up in the nineties, even if one has never heard of Space Battleship Yamato before, a recollection of past enjoyment drawn from watching shows like Ultraman, Transformers and the Power Rangers is all is needed to have fun watching the movie.

Based on the widely popular 26-episode anime series of the same name from the 1970s, Space Battleship Yamato has been reproduced into multiple movies from the end of its series right up to the early 2000s. When the latest installment opened in Japan in December 2010, the locals loyally lapped it up, pushing it to overtake the much-anticipated first part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. If nostalgia has nothing to do with it, which I hardly doubt so, its form probably does. Unlike its animated predecessors, the movie is shot for the first time in live-action. So to Takuya Kimura fans – feel free to rejoice that you will be seeing him in the flesh on screen instead of simply hearing him through an animated character.

Playing the heroic yet reluctant leader who only does things from his own book, it is no wonder why he has been picked to play leading man Susumu Kodai. His trademark charm and internationally-recognizable face are definite pull factors because let's face it, not everyone is drawn to watch movies because of things like plot and filming technicalities. Do watch out for the mess-immune nature of his famous locks. It seems that Gatsby products can really make your ‘do stay in place even after long-distance space travel and alien-fighting.

Compelled to partake in a do-or-die mission to save the world from an impending radiological doom and attacks from an alien race known as the Gamilas, Kodai is forced to take over the Yamato – the last functioning battleship on earth, when its Captain turns ill mid-journey.

The space battle scenes and the exterior scenes of the Yamato are definitely something to look forward to in the movie as they are no less superior than the ones we are used to watching in Sci-fi hallmarks like Star Wars and Star Trek. Crazy flight maneuvers and cool gadgetry add on to the excitement of an action-packed movie filled with likable characters and situations that seem impossible to get out of alive. Two hours, however, can get a bit tiring for those who just want to find out the ending.

As we follow through the tale of honour and sacrifice (a lot of dead heroes in this one), one cannot help but notice the poignant irony of the story considering the current situation that is faced by Japan. In fact it gets slightly discomforting knowing that the movie might end well, but reality itself is not as reassuring.

Movie Rating:



(Pray For Japan)

Reviewed by Siti Nursyafiqa

SYNOPSIS:

Academy Award® Nominees Mark Wahlberg (The Departed), Christian Bale (The Dark Knight) and Amy Adams (Doubt) star in this “remarkable†” film. Based on a true story, two brothers, against all the odds, come together to train for a historic title bout that has the power to reunite their fractured family and give their hard-luck town what it's been waiting for: pride. Micky Ward (Wahlberg) is a struggling boxer long overshadowed by his older brother and trainer, Dicky (Bale), a local legend battling his own demons. Their explosive relationship threatens to take them both down - but the bond of blood may be their only chance for redemption.

MOVIE REVIEW:

The 83rd Academy Awards are over (hands up, those who thought host James Franco had a “I’m too smart for this” smirk throughout the award presentation ceremony), and this David O Russell movie made stars Christian Bale and Melissa Leo recipients of the Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress categories. Yes, they are deserving winners, but one person we feel was left out of the limelight is the movie’s leading man Mark Whalberg, who also took on the producer role for this biographical sports drama movie.

The film’s protagonist is professional boxer Micky Ward, who has a almost good for nothing older half brother Dicky Eklund. Born in what we may call a dysfunctional family, Micky’s life isn’t one that we are envious of: Overshadowed by his drug addict brother, his only role in the boxing arena is to be a “stepping stone” for other boxers to defeat on their way up. It doesn’t help that he has a fiery tempered mother who manages his career, and a whole gang of sisters who can’t seem to keep quiet. Based on the true story of the boxer before his went professional in the mid 1980s, this is a tale, in our humble opinions, meant to inspire the spoilt young brats of our generation.

Let’s talk about the Oscar winners first. Bale clearly had it in his pockets when he took on the very showy role of Dicky. The character is a former boxer whose peak of success is long gone, and besides being addicted to crack cocaine, he has evidently fallen apart. The Dark Knight managed to lose a lot of weight and sport a balding patch to portray this real life character – the result is, of course, a success. Leo also has her role of Alice Ward, mother to nine children, to thank for her win. Her vivacious and blistering portrayal of the suburban mother is attention grabbing, and is possibly the sort of character which will impress the Academy.

And that leaves us with Wahlberg, who puts in what we may consider the best performance of his career yet. Although not as loud mouthed or ostentatious as his co stars, he manages to have us seated throughout the film’s 111 minutes to root for the champion in Micky. His undaunted and unwavering spirit is one that has us wanting to do something about our own lives, and to live a fulfilled life without regrets. His fine performance is complemented a fine ensemble cast which includes Amy Adams as his girlfriend and Jack McGee as his father.

This is a predictable story of overcoming the odds to realising your dreams, but it is also an engaging one which will have your eyes glued to the screen till the real life Micky and Dicky appear on screen during the end credits to remind you that dreams do come true if you fight for them.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

NIL

AUDIO/VISUAL:

There is nothing to complain about the movie's visual transfer, and is presented in its original English soundtrack in Dolby Digital 2.0.
   
MOVIE RATING:
   

DVD RATING :

Review by John Li

Posted on 9 April 2011

WINNING WITH CHARM Posted on 05 Apr 2011 Li Nanxing is widely known as Singapore’s Chow Yun Fat, but Taiwanese star Aaron Chen discovered that besides Nanxing’s good looks, the star also has the same affable easygoing charm as the Hong Kong actor. In fact, Nanxing’s charm was so winning that Aaron accepted a supporting role in the actor’s big screen acting and directing debut after just one meeting with hi ... more

If there’s something we could tell composer Clint Mansell if we met him in person, it’d be this: "You’ve got guts, sir". For readers who are familiar with the English musician’s works, the devastatingly beautiful tunes of scores from films like "Requiem for a Dream", "The Fountain" and "Moon" are probably haunting you – in a good way, of course.

A friend of auteur director Darren Aronofsky, his latest work for the psychological drama is, needless to say, another breathtaking piece of work. And which other composer would adapt Tchaikovsky’s ballet piece into a bravura score that evokes sensations of thrill and horror? Furthermore, this daring piece of work is chilling at its best, and Mansell probably knows that he would be disqualified for an Oscar nomination by using tracked themes of other pre existing music.

But he went ahead and did what was best for Aronofsky’s erotic psycho thriller, and boy, what a mind blowing listening experience it is.

The 42 minute album begins hypnotising you with "Nina’s Dream", a alluring but innocent sounding cue. In "Mother Me", the piano and strings motif is introduced, and it is these two elements which will take centre stage as the album progresses. Emotions of repression are heard in following tracks like "A Room of Her Own", "A New Swan Queen" and "Lose Yourself". These tracks are underplayed with an unspoken sensation of tyranny, and you know very well that something dramatic is brewing.

In "Power, Seduction, Cries", Mansell brings on a menacingly lush orchestration which brings to mind pictures of doom and destruction. The action begins in "Night of Terror", and from there, the music never lets you go – "Stumbled Beginnings", "It’s My Time", "A Swan is Born" and "Perfection" take you on a roller coaster ride of heightened senses and concludes the sequence with a crashing finale which leaves you almost breathless.

This, of course, is done by crafting and bending Tchaikovsky’s masterful classic tune of "Swan Lake".

When the addictive album ends with "A Swan Song (for Nina)", you feel like you are left hanging over a cliff with a disturbing peace wants to cling on to you forever. 

ALBUM RATING:

Recommended Track: (14) A Swan Is Born

Review by John Li

Posted on 12 February 2011

Genre: Action/Adventure
Director: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Kelly Reilly, Eddie Marsan
RunTime: 2 hrs 8 mins
Released By:  GV
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.sherlock-holmes-movie.com/

Opening Day: 24 December 2009

Synopsis: In a dynamic new portrayal of Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous characters, "Sherlock Holmes" sends Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson on their latest challenge. Revealing fighting skills as lethal as his legendary intellect, Holmes will battle as never before to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy the country.

Movie Review:

Our impression of Sherlock Holmes is someone intelligent, bears a moustache, smokes a pipe, and wearing a checked hat, going around dark valleys poking his nose into the seediest darkest crimes to solve mysteries nobody else can. He probably isn’t exactly the type you’d want to be seen at parties, given how boring he can get, going on and on about he cracks cases with his impressive logic. That’s our impression of this fictional character of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a creation of Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Trust director Guy Ritchie to give Mr. Holmes a makeover, transforming to someone who is intelligent (check), smokes a pipe (check), pokes his nose into danger (check), and most importantly, someone who is witty, wisecracking and someone whom we’d want to be seen hanging around at parties. An added bonus – he pulls some fierce punches. After all, Ritchie is the filmmaker who gave us the very stylistic Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000). And who better to personify Mr. Holmes than Robert Downey Jr., one of Hollywood’s finest actors whose recognition is long overdue.

The world began taking notice of the Oscar nominee in 2008’s Tropic Thunder and Iron Man – despite being mainstream blockbuster movies, the man proved that he could act. And with his latest portrayal with the well known detective, he has another credential to add to his resume: a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy is already in the pocket.

Downey Jr. is joined by another capable and sometimes overlooked Jude Law in this action packed (strange but true) movie where the legendary sleuth and his assistant Dr. Watson (Law) closes another case after finally catching serial killer Lord Blackwood, But when Blackwood mysteriously returns from the nether world and continues his killing spree, the duo must continue with the case again. What must Holmes do to unravel the clues that will lead him into a twisted web of murder and gasp, black magic?

We should have known better – being the logical man the dauntless detective is, how can any supernatural elements be involved? The screenplay written by Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham and Simon Kinberg will explain every detail to you by the end of the movie, how tricks were played, how murders were carried out, how crimes were committed. No voodoo involved here, only manipulation of an intelligent mind. And this is where you’d feel as smart as Mr. Holmes – you get extra points for guessing the riddles before Downey Jr. reveals them at the end of the movie. No room for imagination and thoughts? Nope, we weren’t looking for that in the first place.

Joining the two charming men is Rachel McAdams as temptress Irene Adler, adding some sensuality to the mix. She probably has something up her sleeve, as you’ve guessed, given how men are known to give in to temptation easily.

Ritchie knows how to make an accessible flick – the engaging action sequences (Mr. Holmes delivers some mean punches), the impressive computer generated effects (the finale on a towering construction site is wowing), the sizzling chemistry between the leads (the sharply written dialogues are a hoot) and most importantly, saving some bit for a sequel. Yes, you heard it right, we are expecting a sequel. More of the charming cast? More of the adrenaline driven fight sequences? More crime solving antics? Bring them on!

Movie Rating:  



(This entertaining flick headlined by charming leads should end 2009 on a nice note)

Reviewed by John Li

How we wish we could bask in the tropics with the fowls in this 3D computer animated film, in the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, no less. Imagine, hours of singing and dancing (swing those hips, ladies!) in the second largest city of Brazil. Till the day we can enjoy the company of the blue macaws Blu and Jewel, we would have to make do with this swing-a-licious soundtrack album.

Get into the rhythm of things with “Real in Rio”, the first track that kicks off the 30 minute album. The ensemble cast (Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, will.i.am and Jaime Foxx) sings their hearts out in this infectious tune that will have you tapping your feet and bobbing your heads – bring out those percussion instruments to play along, we say! The tracks that follow are fun and carefree too, as you’d find out in “Let Me Take You To Rio (Blu’s Arrival)” and “Mas Que Nada (2011 Rio Version)”.

And was it will.i.am and Jaime Foxx’s voices you heard earlier? Yes, The Black Eyed Peas’ member and the Oscar winner team up in this movie to voice a redheaded bird and a yellow canary respectively. Their showcase “Hot Wings (I Wanna Party)” is a must listen, and for the two odd minutes of the song, we found ourselves shamelessly imagining that the spotlights are shining on us at the party’s dance floor. Things are made better with Hathaway’s (the3 actress was trained in musical theatre during her student days) lovely voice in an almost ethereal accompaniment.

The resident villain voiced by Jemaine Clement is hilarious in “Pretty Bird”, an anthem spoken/ sung by the cockatoo as he chronicles his rise and fall as a celebrity fowl. Elsewhere, R & B singer Taio Cruz performs the radio friendly “Telling the World”, Brazilian artiste performs the contemporary “Balanco Carioca”, while the album’s executive producer Sergio Mendes rounds up the eclectic collection of music with the relaxingly enjoyable “Copacabana Dreams”.

One thing which we feel could have been included is John Powell’s (How to Train Your Dragon, Mars Needs Mums) energetic score. But that doesn’t prevent this soundtrack from being a highly recommended album – get ready to spin it in your player to bring on the culture, the music, the colours and the fun of Rio!

ALBUM RATING:

Recommended Track: (4) Hot Wings (I Wanna Party) – will.i.am, Jaime Foxx & Anne Hathaway

Reviewed by John Li

Posted on 9 April 2011

Peter Chan's WU XIA Teaser starring Donnie Yen, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tang Wei Posted on 14 May 2011 In this first trailer, "the microscopic forms of martial arts" are shown in the scenes with "shivering muscles", "reverse-circulating blood vessels" and "a flying broken tooth". Donnie Yen's homicide, Takeshi Kaneshiro's investigation and Tang Wei's vulnerability translate the main story plot of WU XIA. WU XIA features four important scen ... more

Genre: Action/Comedy
Director: Michel Gondry
Cast: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz, Edward James Olmos, Tom Wilkinson, David Harbour
RunTime: 1 hr 59 mins
Released By: Columbia TriStar
Rating: PG (Violence and Some Coarse Language)
Official Website: http://www.greenhornetmovie.com/

Opening Day: 27 January 2011

Synopsis:

Britt Reid (Seth Rogen), son and heir to Los Angeles' largest newspaper fortune, is a rich, spoiled playboy who has been happy to maintain a direction-less existence. When his father James Reid (Tom Wilkinson) dies, Britt meets an impressive and resourceful company employee, Kato (Jay Chou). They realize that they have the resources to do something worthwhile with their lives and finally step out of James Reid's shadow. Kato builds the ultimate weapon, The Black Beauty, an indestructible car with every weapon imaginable and Britt decides that in order to be heroes, they will pose as villains. With the help of Britt's new secretary, Lenore Case (Cameron Diaz), they learn that the chief criminal in the city is named Benjamin Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz). He has united all the gangs under his power, and he quickly sees that the Green Hornet is a direct threat to the prosperous criminal underworld he controls.

Movie Review:

The modern-day titular superhero (as played by Seth Rogen) is the playboy son of ‘The Daily Sentinel’ newspaper magnate James Reid, a fearless crusader of justice killed by what appears to be a fatal bee sting. Unlike his dad, Britt is a slacker man-child not unlike the Rogen persona one has come to recognise from his previous comedies “Knocked Up” and “Superbad”- in other words, underachieving, immature and maybe even obnoxious. Indeed, this isn’t your typical superhero movie- though technically, the Hornet’s not a superhero at all.

Born in the 1930 as a radio serial developed by Lone Ranger creator George W. Trendle and revived in several incarnations including the short-lived ‘60s television series with Bruce Lee as Hornet’s Asian sidekick Kato, the Green Hornet was a masked vigilante whom, like Batman, fought crime from behind a mask armed with nifty inventions courtesy of Kato. Still, Rogen playing the debonair hero was always going to be a stretch, so it’s a good thing that Rogen- together with his frequent collaborator Evan Goldberg- were also given the creative reins to the movie.

While this reboot could have easily followed in the footsteps of the dark pathos that was Christopher Nolan’s Batman (you’ve got to admit, the similarities between the two playboy billionaire sons turned caped crime fighter tales are uncanny), Rogen and Goldberg have steered clear of those tendencies in favour of a fresh, funny and often irreverent take. What else should we expect of a hero who decides his first mission out with his newfound gadgets would be to drill the head off a statue erected in memoriam of his father? Or rely on his newly hired hot temp staff Lenore’s (Cameron Diaz) criminology expertise to decide where to find the next criminal hotspot?

These inspired comic moments come just as fast and furious as Rogen’s wisecracking, delivered yet again with Rogen’s signature casual vibe that you’ll either love or hate (if it isn’t obvious yet, we belong to the former camp). Rogen’s gibes are directed most often at his nimble and beyond-cool partner Kato, either poking fun at the latter’s halting delivery (when Kato says he “grew up penniless”, Rogen’s Britt interprets this to mean he “grew up penis-less”) or praising his technical wizardry (“You’re like a human Swiss army knife,” Britt tells Kato).

In the Apatow era of buddy comedies (of which Rogen was instrumental in ushering in), the Hornet-Kato relationship is no longer owner-manservant, but redefined as a ‘bro-mance’- which explains the multiple “I’m your man”-type verbal gags. Of course, the fact that Rogen and Asia’s own singer/musician/actor Jay Chou share genuinely affable chemistry helps their cause, and their exchanges have a pleasantly enjoyable back-and-forth rhythm characteristic of the best of such comedies.

Besides recasting the typical superhero characters, Rogen and Goldberg have done similar for the regular villain du jour, the Russian drug lord Chudnofsky. Here the big bad guy is one with self-esteem issues, introduced brilliantly in one of the opening scenes through an uproarious exchange with a young rival gangster (James Franco in an uncredited cameo) who calls him a “disco Santa”. Fresh off his Oscar-winning turn in Tarantino’s “Inglourious Bastards”, Christoph Waltz gleefully hams it up as the gangster whose unpronounceable name and bad dress sense becomes some of the film’s best running jokes.

That unorthodoxy continues in the form of Frenchman director Michel Gondry, best known for eclectic arthouse darlings “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Be Kind Rewind”. Gondry isn’t the obvious choice for a big-budget franchise like this, but the artisan’s keen visual flair remains intact. He is responsible for the film’s iconic Kato-Vision, that lets its audience appreciate things through Kato’s ever-vigilant eyes. He is also behind many of the film’s inventive action sequences, showing Kato moving in superspeed fighting off the bad guys in slo-mo. Rogen may deliver the humour for this film’s comedy, but Gondry puts the cool into its action, and the resultant action-comedy combination is a blast.

Certainly, having a cool car can’t hurt, and the Hornet’s sweet ride- a ’65 Chrysler Imperial- retrofitted with big guns and missiles puts the muscle into the action. This bit of retro is not alone- there’s also the turntable behind the Chrysler’s front seats and the old-school newspaper offices of the Reid’s newspaper empire- and are unmistakably Gondry’s touches, his affection for all-things old-school evident here as was in his earlier “Be Kind Rewind”. But Gondry proves just as adept with the 3D technology- a particularly inspired use the split-screen photography with different screens on different planes.

This is the result of a film that took more than a decade to make its way to the big screen, its legacy consisting of names such as George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Jake Gyllenhaal to filmmaker Kevin Smith and Asia’s very own Stephen Chow. Purists of the original “Green Hornet” may not be pleased with the liberties that Rogen and Goldberg have taken with the original material, but you’ll have to keep an open mind to enjoy this lively rip-roaring action-comedy masquerading as a superhero movie. On a final note, this reviewer and ardent-Jay Chou fan would like to congratulate the star for a brilliant Hollywood breakout turn- Chou is pure understated cool as Kato, and an absolute scene-stealer alongside Rogen.

Movie Rating:

 

(Put aside your preconceived notions of what a superhero movie should be and enjoy this fresh, funny, irreverent action-comedy that’s an uproariously entertaining ride through and through)

Review by Gabriel Chong