If you want an unusual opening to a movie, then that’s the way Wasabi begins with Jean Reno. Reno plays a French policeman who has some unique ways of dealing with criminals. In this case, three men who are dressed as women are about to rob a bank and Reno goes in there, punching the men out in order to stop the crime from being committed.
Reno, who is Hubert Fiorentini, is on the brink of going on suspension for his actions in this case and other cases. When his boss suspends him, he is told to look at it as a vacation in order to have some fun.
For Hubert, that would be difficult since he is still pining away for his girlfriend who is in Japan. She had left him 19 years ago and he didn’t know why. Right after his suspension, Reno receives a call from a lawyer who tells him that his girlfriend died and he is to come to Japan since she named him in her Will.
Once he arrives in Japan, he discovers that his girlfriend may have been murdered and if that isn’t enough, he finds out that he has a 19 year old daughter from his ex-girlfriend. Their relationship would bring even more laughs to the movie since she is involved with social media and is always texting, which would be different for Hubert since he isn’t familiar with that.
Hubert plays the socially awkward who finds out that he is up against a mafia kingpin in Japan. His favorite game is golf and he is so skilled that he manages to hit the golf balls exactly where he wants, even if the target includes people. His antics of getting into fights that are quick brings a lot of suspense as well.
Other characters in the story also help to bring in a lot of laughs as well, whether it’s Hubert’s current girlfriend, his boss, or his former bumbling partner, who is even more awkward than Hubert if that’s possible.
Between the golf balls and the quick martial fights, there are some laughs in the movie, which make it a good blend of comedy and action. Even with an ending that is predictable, I would give the movie four stars.
Ron Hummer
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