The Green Hornet Blu-ray Review

The video presentation of "The Green Hornet" Blu-ray is an exemplary showcase of Sony's meticulous transfer quality. Presented in 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 on a widescreen 2.40:1 aspect ratio, the image is sharp and detailed with admirable clarity. Consistency is the hallmark here; whether it’s facial close-ups with pin-sharp eyes or the rendered flying debris during action sequences, the transfer maintains impressive stability. Fine film grain is subtly visible but never intrusive, reminding viewers of its 35mm origin. Black levels are outstanding, offering high-defined shadows, while colors remain bold yet controlled, particularly notable in the vibrant yellows and oranges during explosions. This transfer exudes a natural solidity with no signs of DNR or over-sharpening, ensuring a film-like presentation.

Contrasts throughout the movie are robust, benefiting significantly from a pristine, clean source. The sleek Black Beauty highlights maintain their trim perfection and there is no hint of print damage or annoying compression artifacts. The film’s dynamic range is evident even in low-light shots, where wonderfully deep blacks accentuate every dark frame. Although some scenes exhibit slight softness, they are few and do not detract from the film's overall crystal-clear image quality. This Blu-ray transfer impresses with its effortlessness in maintaining crisp and clear picture quality consistently from top to bottom and front to back, contributing to a polished visual experience.

The audio presentation of "The Green Hornet" on Blu-ray is a standout, featuring a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix that excels during the film's numerous action sequences. This mix transforms your living room into a dynamic sound environment with bullets ricocheting, glass shattering, and cars zooming past your ears, all meticulously timed to match the on-screen action. Notably, the immersive experience peaks during the nightclub bomb detonation in the opening sequence, which activates every speaker with staggering intensity, reminiscent of reference-level demo scenes from other notable action films. However, one downside is that dialogue intelligibility varies; Jay Chou's lines can be challenging to decipher, necessitating adjustments to the volume, while Seth Rogen’s dialogue remains consistently clear and audibly dominant.

The surround sound mix captures every element of the film's signature set pieces with accuracy and finesse. The low end is robust and tight, adding a punchy feel to explosions and gunfire without overwhelming the room. The music throughout is pristinely clear, harmonious, and energetically lifelike, maintaining excellent separation and spatial clarity across the channels. Directional effects are plentiful and precise, drawing listeners right into the heart of the action. Whether it’s gunfire tearing through chapter thirteen or the subtler ambient atmospherics, every speaker is actively engaged to deliver a rich and encompassing auditory experience.

In sum, "The Green Hornet" boasts an engrossing auditory landscape that enhances its on-screen action with great vigor and precision. While it might require some volume adjustments for optimal dialogue clarity, the overall sonic performance remains a top-tier exemplar of what an action movie soundtrack should offer. The tight bass, directional effects, and energetic music together create a thrilling audio experience that fully complements the film's visual spectacle.

The Blu-ray release of The Green Hornet offers a rich selection of extras, catering to both fans of the film and those interested in its production. The standout is the filmmaker’s commentary, featuring Seth Rogan, Neal Moritz, Michel Gondry, and Evan Goldberg, which provides an in-depth and frequently humorous exploration of the film’s creation. Several insightful featurettes highlight various aspects of the production, from the meticulous work on the 1965 Imperial "Black Beauty" to the dynamic stunts choreographed by the Armstrong family. For interactive content, the Green Hornet Cutting Room allows viewers to re-edit and share their own versions of scenes. Although the deleted scenes add little to the overall narrative, they offer additional context into certain character arcs and plot points.

Extras included in this disc:

• The Green Hornet Cutting Room: Create and share your own movie edits.
• Filmmaker’s Commentary: An engaging talk by Seth Rogan, Neal Moritz, Michel Gondry, and Evan Goldberg.
• Deleted Scenes: Nine scenes that provide more context.
• Awesome Gag Reel: On-set antics and humorous outtakes.
• Trust Me – Director Michel Gondry: Cast and crew discuss Gondry’s direction.
• Writing The Green Hornet: Insight into the writing process by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogan.
• The Black Beauty: Rebirth of Cool: Restoration of the film's iconic car.
• The Stunt Family Armstrong: Feature on the Armstrong family's stunt work.
• Finding Kato: Casting Jay Chou as Kato.
• The Art of Destruction: Examines the creation of explosive set pieces.
• Seven 3D Animated Storyboard Comparisons
• BD-Live access

This comprehensive list ensures a deeper appreciation for both the film and its intricate production process.

‘The Green Hornet’ arrives on UK region-free Blu-ray featuring an impressive 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 transfer with a widescreen 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The crisp, detailed image enriches the viewing experience with vibrant colors and excellent contrast, setting a high standard for Blu-ray picture quality. Complementing the visuals, the DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround mix delivers an immersive audio experience, particularly shining during action sequences. Despite Kato's occasionally indistinguishable speech, which isn’t attributable to the mix, both audio and visual presentations collectively serve as commendable demo material.

Seth Rogen steps up as Britt Reid, an aimless party animal who morphs into the titular Green Hornet following his father’s death. With Jay Chou’s Kato, an inventive gadget wiz and martial arts expert, by his side, Britt decides to tackle LA’s criminal underworld. This duo, while engaging in flashy stunts and humor-laden heroism, finds themselves facing off against Christoph Waltz’s villainous Chudnofsky. Although certain comedic elements sometimes miss their mark, the chemistry between Rogen and Chou carries the film, adding layers of charm to their evolving relationship.

While Michel Gondry's direction keeps the narrative lively and focused on the entertainingly bumbling partnership between Reid and Kato, ‘The Green Hornet’ adheres to familiar plot structures, requiring minimal cognitive investment from its audience. The film thrives on its balance of action and comedy, emphasizing the mundane yet endearing qualities of its heroes over traditional superhero tropes. Although it’s not without its flaws, ‘The Green Hornet’ offers playful escapism driven by spirited performances and dynamic action sequences, making it an enjoyable watch despite its lack of depth.

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 release of The Green Hornet is, as expected, rock-solid from top to bottom. Strong video, great audio, and a quality assortment of extras makes this disc one to own. Recommended.

Review Summary:

The Green Hornet diverges from conventional superhero films by embracing a Buddy Comedy style, reliant on lively dialogue and action sequences rather than thematic depth. Despite a somewhat clichéd villain and a few script missteps, the film endears with its strong cast and vibrant chemistry. It's more akin to Iron Man in tone but prioritizes humor over action or plot depth. Ultimately, it's an effortless and entertaining watch propelled by its humorous spirit.

Sony's Blu-ray rendition of The Green Hornet upholds high standards with excellent video quality, immersive audio, and a meticulous selection of extras. This package guarantees a top-notch home viewing experience, making it a worthy addition to any collection. Highly recommended for fans and collectors looking for an enjoyable action-comedy romp.