One of the secrets of Jean Reno’s acting career was his towering physique that not only complemented his charisma but also allowed him to play role of tough and silent heroes very much like those who had been played by the likes of Clint Eastwood and Charles Bronson in Hollywood few years earlier. Reno appears in one such role as the protagonist of Wasabi, 2001 French action comedy directed by Gerard Krawczik.
Reno plays Hubert Fiorentini, police detective whose very direct methods of fighting crime provide results but in one particular instance, during the arrest of dangerous transvestite, cause collateral damage that include accidental beating of a man who happens to be the son of police chief. Fiorentitni su put on paid leave and later learns that Japanese woman Miko (played by Yuki Sakai) has died and that he is summoned to Japan because he had been named in her will. This wouldn’t be Fiorentini’s first trip to Japan, because 19 years ago, while serving in military, he had been stationed in French embassy and Tokyo and had passionate love affair with Miko. After he arrives, he learns that Miko’s estate involves 200 million US$ and that the money will be inherited by Miko’s eccentric teenage daughter Yumi (played by Ryoko Hirosue). Fiorentini suspects that he is the girl’s father. Soon afterwards Yumi becomes target of yakuzas whose money Miko had apparently stolen. Fiorentini seeks help from his old friend Momo (played by Michel Muller), former French intelligence officer who lives in Japan.
Wasabi was written and produced by Luc Besson who, by that time, had worked very hard to earn reputation of French equivalent of Michael Bay. In case of this film that means that plot and characters aren’t as important as series of action scenes. Most of those scenes don’t make much of a sense nor are particularly spectacular, while the humour in the film is very weak. The result is utterly forgettable film, made watchable only by Reno’s charisma and energetic performance by charming Japanese actress Ryosuke Hirosue who had, not knowing any French, learned her dialogue lines phonetically. It is a pity that such effort didn’t produce better film.
RATING: 3/10 (+)
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