Will "KatoVision" Save 'The Green Hornet'?

As you know, the reaction to the The Green Hornet's first trailer was mixed. At ComicCon, one of the looming questions would be if Hornet's panel could turn the tide of bad buzz. Even Seth Rogen was open about how desperate he was for Hall H to like the new footage, which came complete with 3D and our first look at the much mentioned KatoVision. Rogen couldn't have felt very positive considering that his panel seemed to be the beginning of the Hall H exodus -- a bad sign on a day of thin panels for the legendary Room of Madness.

So, what did we see? Essentially, a longer and recut version of the original trailer. Decidedly absent were all the Rogen "trademark" jokes, such as the line about taking Kato's hand for an adventure. This footage played Hornet a lot straighter and a lot more action oriented. If this cut had debuted originally, there wouldn't have been nearly as many "Rogen is playing Rogen! He's a stoner goofball!" comments. However, unless they cut that character angle and all silly lines from the film -- or unless it's really that slight -- audiences aren't going to be any more enthusiastic about Britt Reid.

The KatoVision was definitely cool. The camera zooms into Kato's eye, and gives you his version of a fight scene. It's definitely surreal and a bit more Michel Gondry-esque. He sees each weapon, which lights up in red next to his opponent, and he mentally calculates how to destroy them or it. It's also akin to a first person shooter -- the closest example might be using the Dead Eye "point and shoot" in Red Dead Redemption. Only fancier. With 3D. The 3D is still being converted in post and they stressed what we were seeing was rough. I was in the absolute worst seat, so take my word with a grain of salt, but I.it was pretty good 3D. Certainly not The Clash of the Titans' double heads and muddiness.


The fight scene was a quick, slick, and badass one. Lots of bones cracking, lots of screaming, lots of crunching. And lots of cars multiplying. Gondry loves the multiplying cars. Part of Kato's vision / technique involves time and space stretching as he throws someone across the hood of a car -- which becomes 20 cars, presumably to show how hard and fast he's throwing the guy.

The only problem? The scene in question kicked off with Reid breaking into a graveyard and beheading the statue of his dead father. The silliness is still there. It will remain to see if KatoVision and explosions can truly balance that out.