WASABI is a difficult film to describe. It's like a comedy version of LEON, but then it's not. It's a French film, but most of it is set in Japan and it's about the Japanese. It has action, but it's not an action film. I guess this would best be described as a quirky comedy. I usually hate comedies, but I loved this one, so that's saying something. The biggest draw is the presence of Jean Reno playing a tough, sentimental cop. The role seems to have been written for him, because it fits him like a glove, and he's absolutely superb. His comic timing is impeccable and the way he underplays the humour could teach the likes of Eddie Murphy and Mike Myers a thing or two.
In the film, Reno is forced to hang around with a Japanese girl, played by the equally excellent Ryoko Hirosue. This unlikely collaboration is the subject of plenty of laughs as we witness Reno forced to go shopping and hang out at an arcade, where he has a go on a dance mat (for me, the film's highlight). There are some Japanese Yakuza thrown in too, but the action scenes are played for laughs rather than thrills; we witness Reno taking them out in a clothing store and using a golf club to cause some serious pain. Reno is effortlessly cool throughout this, and Michel Muller, as his comic foil, is also surprisingly funny. Things end with a big bank heist climax, which isn't perfect but still fun.
In essence, this is what happens when a good script is paired with fine actors. The laughs are genuine rather than forced, and even the more surreal touches – like Reno's opponents flying through the air when he punches them – work without becoming irritating. I rate this one highly.
In the film, Reno is forced to hang around with a Japanese girl, played by the equally excellent Ryoko Hirosue. This unlikely collaboration is the subject of plenty of laughs as we witness Reno forced to go shopping and hang out at an arcade, where he has a go on a dance mat (for me, the film's highlight). There are some Japanese Yakuza thrown in too, but the action scenes are played for laughs rather than thrills; we witness Reno taking them out in a clothing store and using a golf club to cause some serious pain. Reno is effortlessly cool throughout this, and Michel Muller, as his comic foil, is also surprisingly funny. Things end with a big bank heist climax, which isn't perfect but still fun.
In essence, this is what happens when a good script is paired with fine actors. The laughs are genuine rather than forced, and even the more surreal touches – like Reno's opponents flying through the air when he punches them – work without becoming irritating. I rate this one highly.