Wasabi (2002)

Good concept, poorly executed.

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

I'm not sure how to characterize this film. It's not a traditional action/comedy where the characters and plot are somewhat in keeping with reality. This is more a farce, with cartoon-like bad-guys (all the Yakuza baddies where black suits and dark sunglasses) and a ridiculous plot. There's some merit in seeing Jean Reno in lighter fare and there's chemistry between his character and the old colleague he meets up with again in Japan, where Reno has come to bury his long lost love and discovers he has a 19 year-old daughter. But the daughter is one of the most annoying screen characters ever, with her childish antics, ADD-personality, and goofy clothes. Her being such an unlikable character hurts the film. We're supposed to be emotionally involved in Reno's character having to save the girl from the evil Yakuza boss, but we aren't because we could't care less about the girl. Overall this was an odd movie and can't be recommended.

I'm a big fan of Jean Reno and if you are, get this movie. Its has awesome action and some decent comedy, especially from the character Momo. Just looking at him makes you laugh. Its a French movie by Luc Besson. But its dubbed very well and Jeno Reno uses his own voice. Unlike in Le Femme Nakita where it was dubbed by someone else. Basically, the plot is Reno is a cop in France and finds out his girlfriend in Japan who left him 19yrs ago mysteriously died and he goes to the funeral. Talk about not letting go. And finds out he has a 19yr old daughter. But not to go to into it to much, but there is yakuza, explosions, guns, and great one liners. The first 5 mins draws you into the movie with Reno punching out a woman in a dance club. Then 10mins in, drag queens rob a bank and Reno beats their ass bad. Literally. That alone makes you want to keep watching. Just to see what the hell is going to happen next. I'm a bit bias and I gave it a 10, but Its a great action flick that I watched more times then I can count.

This film is about a French man suddenly finding himself having a rebellious Japanese daughter.I thoroughly enjoyed the film. The plot is fun and dynamic, it mixes humour, mystery and action all in a film. The soundtrack is great, the music is upbeat, which enhances the youthful and fun atmosphere of the film. Japanese culture is portrayed in the film. It is in fact quite comprehensive in its portrayal of tradition and culture. It shows traditional culture like food, Japanese architecture and ninjas. It also shows modern culture like the cute girls dyeing their hair brown or blonde, clubs, and various video game arcades. Ryoko Hirosue gives a fine performance as a teenage girl, and speaks convincing French. I really enjoyed this film, it is so funny!

This international movie brings East and West together. Just as science and technology connects East and West with entertainment, news, and personal uses. This Big Gun of Jean Reno looks as big as Arnold Swarzennagers in the movie The Last Action Hero. I like Jean Reno more in this type of role because he has developed a natural character persona which is type-casted by his choice of directors and screen-writers. Especially in roles such as in movies The Ronin, The Professional, and Wasabi. The virtuous science behind Wasabi seems like a common tie with the movie The Fifth Element, compassion. In other words the philosophy of science and its methods is the key. Coincidently Gary Oldman plays the bad guy as Zorg and a corrupt cop in the Professional where individual egotism and objectives obfuscate the universal principles of wearing a badge in global criminal justice. Most difficult ethical planning is most important when you have to make life and death decisions within the field of global criminal justice. Decide to pull a gun and if you do should you use it? However, some people choose to take advantage of other people. They intend to use them as the guns. They use them as living banks to deposit their illegal money. They use them to force political action with their heritage. Playing on the global ethical conduct of people is the most inexpensive method for getting what you want when you want it. Trying to determine how to bring justice to the virtuous, compassionate to the wrong, catch the bad guys and still be seen as an ethical global decision maker always seems to be the case for the global investigator.