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Memorable, crazy movie

From my favorite movies..

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Hubert Fiorentini is a Parisian cop with a reputation for violence; after he hospitalises the police chief's son his boss insists that he takes some time off. Not long afterwards he gets a phone call from Japan, where he had previously been assigned. The woman who walked out on him nineteen years previously has died and left him everything. On arriving in Tokyo he learns that he has a daughter, Yumi, who hasn't been told who he is… and given that her mother told her that she was the result of a rape, so that she wouldn't seek him out, he has no immediate intention of telling her. He hasn't been there long when he realises that her mother was actually a victim of foul play. He then learns that Yumi's bank account, which he has control of until her twentieth birthday in two days' time, contains two hundred million US dollars! She took it off the Yakuza and they want it back.Anybody expecting something gritty will soon be disappointed as the opening scene shows just how over the top things are going to be as Hubert punches a suspect who then flies across the room. If however you enjoy things like the 'Taxi' films then this should be just the thing for you. The plot is fairly simple but that is okay as there is no doubt about who the bad guys are; the only real question is how Hubert will get the better of them. Jean Reno does a fine job as Hubert, playing it straight even during the more unlikely moments, Ryôko Hirosue was a lot of fun as 'Genki Girl' Yumi and Michel Muller provided more obvious comedy as Hubert's former colleague Maurice 'Momo'. The Japanese setting is interesting without feeling the need to show off important sights. It is a little surprising how just about everybody Hubert meets in Japan appears to speak perfect French though; given that this isn't meant to be serious that didn't bother me though. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to anybody wanting some good silly fun.These comments are based on watching the film in French with English subtitles.

Recap: Hubert is one of the sharpest policemen in the French Police. His methods are effective, but contains a high degree of violence. So, when he made his latest arrest he just happened to knock out four men, besides the suspect. One of these being the son of a parliament member. So even if he is effective, Hubert is not held in very high regard just now. He is made to take two months off, and he goes back to Japan where he worked many years before. There he discovers that he has a unknown daughter who got access to suspiciously lot of money.Comments: Starts off a little weak but grows as it continues. The beginning is actually a little too far-fetched, and a little silly to be honest, to take it seriously. And it doesn't get much more plausible, but it gets a lot more balanced. And sincerely, Reno, does simply rock. A few fight scenes are just spectacular. Not realistic, but very impressive. And accompanied by some fitting and good music too.If you watch this on DVD, make sure you watch it in its original French audio. The English dubbing is one of the worst I have heard and a few moments later unsynchronized seen. It is ridiculous, the movie is much better with original language and subtitles.Watch for the extraordinary choreographed fights, forget most of the other parts… 6/10

Wasabi is an ambitious, mindless action-comedy, written by Luc Besson, starring Jean Reno and a bunch of unknown actors, most of which are pretty annoying.The story revolves around a French cop, Hubert, who finds out he has a daughter and goes to Japan to take care of her. Shortly after, Hubert, his daughter Yumi and his colleague Maurice are being chased by angry mobs, without knowing why.The high budget doesn't repair any bad part of the storyline. Thankfully, Wasabi is fast paced which is the thing that saves it from being a complete disaster and quite possibly, the worst action film of the 00s. All characters are dull and simply, do not fit into the whole thing. Reno's supposed "hilarious" lines are often a waste of time. The "good guy" is too boring this time. Apart from the first scene, the rest of his on screen presence is pail and highly forgettable. Reno is a good actor, but the character he plays is simply uninteresting and childish.Wasabi, for my surprise, is violent and impudent for such an ordinary action flick, appreciated only by kids, tired of Adam Sandler and Eddie Murphy. Lots of action scenes, blood, dead bodies - completely unbalanced plot following. The comedy element is noticeable, only because of the lack of dramatic themes. Terrible humor, terrible dialog.However, Wasabi is a modernized action, with impressive special effects, entertaining stunts and big name under the "Screnwritter" column. It deserves some points for that. As I said, the acting is horrid. The Asian girl, who plays Reno's daughter is almost unbearable. The so called villains are unintentionally funny, completely separated from character individuality that some viewers still expect, even from action films.Besson himself said "Jean Reno is an incredible actor. I have watched him in great roles, but I also have seen him in pretty bad roles". Too bad, that great director didn't know that right there, he was reviewing one of his own creations since the script and the dialog are two of Wasabi's biggest flaws.

There was a time when Luc Besson's name in any place on the movies cover ensured super entertainment off-late besides Bandidas which was brilliant his name ensures movies that are OK or just better..Anyway the lure of his name was to strong and I was in a mood for a little risk and I ended up renting this movie (this is in fact a good risk movie (any avid movie renter would understand).The first thing that strikes you about the movie is the dubbing, in parts it borders on pathetic and those who have seen other french dubbed movies will recognise the pathetic dubbing as hallmarks of many other French movies that have not been released in a big way...But I did see TAXI with similar pathetic if not worse dubbing and that movie was brilliant, this movie is unfortunately not good enough to get over this huge hindrance..........I REALLY FEEL YOU ARE MUCH BETTER OF WATCHING THIS MOVIE IN FRENCH WITH SUBTITLES.The entire cast does a fine job, Jay Reano plays the wooden protagonists with well rehearsed ease, I wonder when we will get to him in a different role, Momo plays the goofy sidekick with hilarious results, and the Japenese Girl plays her stereotypical part effectively.The story is to simple and the Japan angle has been completely wasted, for all practical purposes this movie could have been based anywhere in the world.There was however many one liners that displayed intelligence and understanding of Japenese stereotypes if nothing else.Some of the jokes are hilarious the first holdup scene, the signature Wasabi scene, the interview with the superintendent etc etc.This movie is crammed full of one liners that are hilarious in both the subtitles and the bad dubbing.What i did realise eventually was that this movie was in essence a COMEDY WITH A LITTLE ACTION AND NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. Those who don't get the point (like me for a long time) will be disappointed with this movie, this movie is a comedy and the action reflects this,WATCHING THIS AS A COMEDY MUCH LIKE BANDIDAS WILL ENSURE SUCCESS.This movie has some unclear moments like the daughter modeling, the old flame etc that were neither here nor there.The action like I said is comic and can be compared to any other comedy action like Jackie Chan etc.The soundtrack (i assume) and background score is pretty good especially the Japanese music, one of the only scenes that exploited the Japan angle successfully was the Video game Dancing Scene which succeeded a great deal due to the music.Direction cinematography was Strictly OK and this movie showed nothing out of the ordinary.Fans of Luc will need to realise that this indeed a comedy and less violent then his other films.Im sure betting dubbing and some better action could have made this movie much better even after factoring expectations.IN ALL A SIMPLE NO-NONSENSE COMEDY WITH ACTION, that can be enjoyed if its watched with an open mind.-s PATHETIC DUBBING, japan angle not exploited,so so action +/-s unclear scenes, another stereotypical Jay Reno performance.+s hilarious one liners, many really funny scenes, short and sweettotal 6/10 (absolute and factoring in expectations, if watched as a comedy could score more)