6 | / 10 |
Users | 3.9 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.9 |
Following the death of his father, Britt Reid, heir to his father's large company, teams up with his late dad's assistant Kato to become a masked crime fighting team.
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Tom Wilkinson, Christoph WaltzAction | 100% |
Comic book | 43% |
Comedy | 26% |
Martial arts | 14% |
Crime | 7% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Hindi
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (2 BDs, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
BD-Live
Blu-ray 3D
movieIQ
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
You're a human swiss army knife!
Take James Bond, slap on the Lone Ranger's eye mask, ditch Q, pick up a cool Asian sidekick, drop 20 years, add 20 pounds, and the end result would
be someone like The Green Hornet. That name doesn't really have the same ring to it as The Green Lantern or The Green Goblin or
Green Peace or an OD Green Piece or Going Green or Green With Envy or Greenbacks; OK, maybe it does, but whatever, it's cool. Here he is,
finally in his own
honest-to-gosh movie, a few years late to the party, a couple of dollars short, and a happy meal or two too many, but it's finally the Hornet's turn to
sting, to buuuuuzzzzzzzz audiences and prove that a superhero doesn't have to have a man at the end of his name, man, to be
coooool. And sure enough, this ain't your older brother's mid-2000s superhero movie, either. Nope, this is something a little more
unique, maybe, a movie that's not so much about crime fighting or such exciting nonsense but about relationships, real
relationships, the kind born from a chance meeting and that instant spark, a chemistry that seems almost like fate but that really just happens to
all come back to a really good cup of Joe. With a leaf in it. Who was it that said coffe can't save the day? Because they were
wrong. Dead wrong. Because The Green Hornet's gonna getcha! Gee whiz, too much caffeine, maybe? Or is The Green
Hornet really this much fun?
Fun times.
The Green Hornet's 1080p 2D transfer was sturdy but just short of spectacular. The same may be said of
this
3D version in a general sense, but it introduces a few problems that lower the score relative to the 2D version but place it as an average 3D transfer.
First, The Green Hornet is one of the infamous "3D conversions" that studios have been pumping out of late; think The Last Airbender, Clash of the Titans, and Alice in Wonderland. Hornet is head and shoulders better than
Airbender and Titans, but not quite as strong as Alice, which is probably the current reference-standard for a live-action 3D
conversion. The Green Hornet never looks quite naturally spacious across the third plane; sure there's some strong general depth, but
there's
also some images that look artificially, rather than naturally, spaced. General shots of spacious areas -- the main office in the newspaper, Britt's home
with its open floor plan, and the like lend themselves well to a nice sense of realistic space, but cramped or more general medium-range shots in
smaller
spaces
appear somewhat flat. In fact, there's a few instances where characters look flat against a deep background, or vice versa where a shapely character
appears in front of a seemingly flat backdrop. The transfer fails to take advantage of a few shots ripe for a fantastically intricate 3D presentation, such
as
the "roller coaster"-like system in the paper's printing area, which looks flat even when the camera moves and tracks all around it. Debris from
explosions or sparks from a blowtorch never seems to float into the living room or hover off the screen, but a machine gun that spits out shell casings
in
the final extended action sequences does manage to toss the brass right at the viewer's head for what may be the best effect in the movie, as short
as it
may be.
The more common attributes accompanying The Green Hornet in 3D seem like a step down from the 2D version. For whatever reason, this
version looks always a little soft; the softness seems increased in a few scenes, but it's certainly not quite as sharp as the natural 2D version. Black
crush is more prevalent here, too, perhaps a result of the 3D conversion process and the image being filtered through the glasses. Colors, too, seem a
touch less vibrant; this is a rather dark movie to begin with, and even brighter scenes are often devoid of much in the way of snazzy eye candy color.
Kato wears a read sweater early in the film, which may be the single brightest element in the movie. It looks quite sharp, but as a general rule colors
seem a bit more reserved in 3D. Fine detail is good, but not great, influenced by that touch of softness that runs throughout the movie. Still, clothing
and facial textures are good, as are some more subtle elements, like the fine detailing on the bronze statue that's seen a few times in the
movie. The image is in no way hindered by any problematic banding or blocking. This is a solid all-around transfer, and is probably a good baseline
against which to compare the typical 3D conversion. There's even very little in the way of "ghosting" artifacts, but The Green Hornet never
really
delivers much in the way of "pop." Even though general dimensional sensations are there, the image is not always perfectly and naturally seamless.
3D definitely works better, most of the
time, anyway, when filmed as such. Conversions are coming along in quality, but they're not quite capable of equalling native 3D content, at least not
yet.
The Green Hornet's dazzling DTS-HD MA 5.1 "3D Optimized" lossless soundtrack is every bit as good as the material suggests it would be. Maybe the track is a little hotter than the "normal" DTS track or surround effects juiced up to a higher volume than what's found on the 2D release, but frankly, there doesn't seem to be a noticeable difference in raw quality with the "enhanced" version. This version still features lots of directional activity, abundantly clear music and effects, and a hefty low end all make this track a first-class winner. Deep, rumbly, but tight bass blasts into the soundstage as things blow up with some regularity throughout the movie, the effects supported by the remaining speakers through which various objects become tossed and strewn hither and thither with great realistic effect, completing the sensation of the explosions and putting the listener in the middle of the action. Indeed, every speaker is active and ready for action with every scene; gunfire tears through the soundstage with heavy, devastating authority in chapter thirteen (and in a few other places), while the entire soundstage carries various action and ambient atmospherics alike with remarkable precision. Music is crisp and effortlessly energetic, retaining a lifelike vitality and seamless spacing that's evident in every note. Lastly, dialogue reproduction is smooth, crisp, and always center-focused. The Green Hornet is another Action movie sonic marvel from Sony.
The Green Hornet's Blu-ray 3D release contains extras on both the 3D and dedicated 2D discs. The commentary track appears on both the
3D and 2D
platters, and there's one additional 3D-only extra. Otherwise, the remainder of the 2D supplements are identical, and the 2D disc is identical to that
found on the standalone 2D release. This package also features a third DVD
disc, but no digital copy.
Disc One:
The Green Hornet is a pleasant surprise. It falls under the "Superhero" umbrella but plays more like a Buddy Comedy. Not in the least bit thematically dark; maybe a little sloppy around the scripted edges; and featuring a lame-o villain who, in his defense, is really just a generic stand-in that gives the plot a counterpoint against whom the heroes must battle, The Green Hornet works in spite of its shortcomings thanks to excellent casting and spot-on performances from its chemistry-laden leads. The Green Hornet is best enjoyed as a laid-back brainless romp that's more about loud action, witty dialogue, and lots of punch-counterpunch antics. As a pure Superhero movie in the same vein as The Dark Knight, forget about it; this is more like Iron Man, albeit with less flash and not quite the same quality of story but certainly enjoying the same kind of innate humor and lighter side that balances out the action, except in Hornet the movie is about the laughs first, the action second, and the story a distant third, pretty much the opposite of Director Jon Favreau's modern masterpiece of the Superhero genre. Sony's Blu-ray 3D release of The Green Hornet is strong. However, the 3D presentation isn't superior to the 2D counterpart, the lossless soundtracks seem identical despite the "enhanced" monicker, and there's only one 3D-exclusive extra. Still, buyers get three copies of The Green Hornet in one box, and the 3D is worth watching, even if it's not a stellar presentation. Recommended for 3D owners.
2008
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1989
2013
2004
Special Edition
1966
2008
2010
Director's Cut
2003
2013
2020
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20th Anniversary Edition
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