User reviews

In France, Hubert Fiorentini (Jean Reno) is a tough, violent, but very effective detective, who has been missing the great love of his life, a Japanese woman, for nineteen years. While capturing a criminal drag-queen, Hubert hurts the son of his chief and is "licenceed" for a couple of months. Meanwhile, he is called from Tokyo by the lawyer of his former girlfriend, who died and left of her possessions to him. When he arrives in Tokyo, he meets his former partner Momo (Michel Muller) and is informed by the lawyer about his inheritance: 200 millions of Euros and a teenager daughter, Yumi Yoshimido (Ryoko Hirosue). Sooner he realizes that the Yakuza is chasing him, looking for the huge amount of money. "Wasabi" is a great and very funny adventure, recalling the confusions of "Lethal Weapon". Jean Reno is excellent, as usual, in the role of a tough but very sentimental man. Ryoko Hirosue gives charm to the story, and Michel Muller is the clumsy and quite dumb partner of Hubert. This movie made my family and I laugh a lot, being an excellent entertainment. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Wasabi"

The goal of this film is to entertain. And it works. Leave your brain at the door and enjoy. The soundtrack is appropriate and good. Jean Reno is at the apex of coolness and Ryoko Hirosue is hip and refreshing. One could say the movie is some kind of techno-cop film that takes some aspects of the traditional French cop movies and push it to the limit during a crazy few days in Tokyo. Great to see the mega-city by the way. The movie is a cross between your typical James Bond and a modern Japanese action flick. Seen at home, in Toronto, on April 4th, 2006.

74/100 (**½)

I never know how to rate these types of films. OK it's no masterpiece to bring some sort of existential meaning to your life and yes it is deeply flawed in many ways even by the standard at which it aims for but nonetheless, I found some endearing quality in its light hearted humour and entertaining style.

Any film with Jean Reno in the lead and Luc Besson behind the script is going to entertain and this does just that. Thankfully the film is kept short enough for none of the flaws to start to irritate and the kick ass French cop goes to Japan theme is done well enough to warrant a viewing.

My DVD had the option for French with English subtitles or English dubbed. Even though Jean Reno does his own over dubbing in the English version, I found the overall effect was a little stale. I restarted the film in French with subtitles and the energy and humour of the performances just shone through a lot better.

As others have commented, this is certainly light entertainment, not heavy on elaborate plot lines. I actually saw this movie today on a flight from Japan, and found it delightful. It certainly is a film that was pitched to a French Audience, tossing in simplified bits of Japanese pop culture (Witness: I have never encountered so many Japanese that could speak French, as in this movie). Nevertheless this is what I liked about the movie:

1. The interplay between Fiorentino (Jean Reno) and his sidekick Momo (Michel Muller) was consistently humorous throughout, with Muller delivering the punchline, and nearly upstaging Reno throughout. My favorite scene is when Fiorentino is eating generous gobs of Wasabi (hence the name of the film), and Momo, not wanting to be outdone by his mentor, nearly gags to death on the stuff. I was laughing out loud -- maybe because it reminds me too vividly of the first time I ever ate sushi, and nearly died doing the same thing as Momo!!

2. Ryoko Hirosue, who plays Yumi, the previously unknown daughter to Fiorentini, is one of the current hot young faces in Japan, and has appeared in many TV dramas and movies. She certainly provides all the eye candy I could ever wish for in this film. But I must admit a certain new found-respect for her acting abilities, as she pulled off her lines in French flawlessly, while maintaining her trademark cuteness and capturing the carefree attitude of today's Japanese youth. She provided a foil of a different sort for Reno, her bright colors (pink hair, pink everything) offering a striking contrast to Reno's darker, demure look.

The Yakuza were portrayed as mindless goons in this film, and there are certainly better films out there if you want to know more about Yakuza, but it appeared that they played their role, which was to showcase Reno's machismo, in a humorous way, something along the lines of Jackie Chan films -- they are more like props in the film than anything else.

All in all, I was entertained by this film, which is all I was looking for during my 11 hours crossing the Pacific.

The story is about a french policeman with personal working practices that his boss doesn't like much. Jean Reno does very well in this role. His character is the centerpiece of the whole movie. You can also see a snapshot at the Japanese way of life, even though it is adapted to the movie a lot. Not to make this into a long and boring comment, I think you should see this to have a good laugh if you like Jean Reno and his humor.

It deals with a tough cop called Hubert : Jean Reno who uses sharp and violent methods on his tasks. He is forced to take a vacation when he hits the governor's son and a drag-queen .The violence prone cop winds up in Tokyo at the funeral of a woman he loved years ago , named Miko . Hubert suspects Miko was victim of a foul play carried out by the Japanese Mafia : Yakuza. Hubert also discovers he's left a screechy punk daughter called Yumi , Ryoko, he didn't know about .

Entertaining and fun action movie full of humor , thrills , intrigue , sympathetic roles and attractive dialogue in French and Japanese subtitles .This is one Japanese/French dip you probably wo'nt care to sample ; containing nice scenes , comedy elements , lots of shots , mayhem and bemusement . The movie has an interest as well as charming intrigue behind about a mysterious key and 200 million, in dollars , in the bank and of course the Yakuza get involved. Likeable and catching interpretations by the whole cast .Awesome Jean Reno as a two-fisted police and hard-assed inspector whose sweetheart left him shortly after their engagement without a trace and he returns to Japan . The teen Ryoko Hirosue gives an extremely enjoyable acting as the fiery , eccentric , adorable adolescent . The ugly but diverting Michael Muller plays his old colleague and friend who meets again in Tokyo and both of them undertake several adventures and dangers .And brief performances from Carol Bouquet as an elegant widow and Yoshi Oida as a mobster boss .

It packs an atmospheric as well as adequate cinematography by Gerard Sterin . And an evocatve musical score by synthesizer composed by Eric Serra including Japanese sounds .This high-concept , fast-paced movie and being specially entertaining was well produced by the great producer/director Luc Besson and professionally directed by Gerard Krawczyk . Gerard has directed a lot of notorious and successful films such as Taxi series 1, 2, 3, 4 , Fanfan Le Tulipe , Heroines , Red inn, It is our life . He also made some Tv series as Two ordinary heroes and Taxi Brooklyn . Rating : Fine , nice and agreeable flick . The film will appeal to Jean Reno fans . Well worth watching

Negative comments sort of miss the point, as this movie wasn't designed to be anything more than harmlessly amusing. To say anything bad about it is rather like kicking a puppy. You wouldn't kick a puppy, would you?

I needn't go into the plot, which you can click a few links to find, but I sought this movie out because Jean Reno is fun in anything he's in, and oh lookit that, Luc Besson wrote the screenplay-- can't go wrong with that, can you? (unless it's an American remake, which luckily this is not).

This movie is FUNNY, at times a little cheesy (which we can also call FRENCH), and the action is over-the-top enough to be cartoonish (when Hubert punches someone, they fly back 20 feet). This is essentially a wacky comedy with some action, something Americans aren't used to seeing, but well worth a look. It's harmless fun, but still more original than your average paint-by-numbers American romantic comedy. Or action film.

Hubert Fiorentini (Jean Reno) is a rough Paris cop with tendencies to cause damage. In the latest incident, he punched the Chief's son and even worst when he's in the hospital. Hubert is suspended for 2 months. Sofia (Carole Bouquet) knows that he still has unfinished business. His love Miko disappeared shortly after their marriage 19 years ago in Japan. Then he gets a call from Japan informing him of her death and that he's in her will. He's reunited with detective Momo who he worked with before in the French military. He's given guardianship over Miko's 19 year old daughter Yumi Yoshimido for 2 days until she becomes an adult. He's her father but she doesn't know. He also discovers that Miko had stolen from the Yakuza and had met up with foul play.

It's another Luc Besson story directed by Gérard Krawczyk. The part in Paris has a fun wacky slapstick sense. It's great. Although Carole Bouquet is still beautiful, I don't think she's unnecessary. As for Japan, Ryôko Hirosue plays Yumi like a yappy dog. It's loud and flashy. It misses the opportunity for her to show some brains and figure out their relationship on her own. She should be a smarter character. Nevertheless, it is wild crazy comedic action which is what this movie is driving for. Michel Muller plays the comedic character pretty broadly.

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 agree with Jordan above... if you don't like it, than you just don't get it. I actually laughed out loud during the scene which depicts the title of this film, and I don't laugh out loud at anything in films.

Someone compared this to Austin Powers? I don't think so... they don't compare at all. It's no Leon (The Professional), then again, what is? As a huge fan of that film, I was skeptical, but quickly let go when I became involved with the characters. It's more of a comedy than anything else, perhaps somewhat satirical, especially in the "night club". Music? You have to respect the culture, the group it represents, the tone it's trying to set, mainly the daughter's generation.

To me this was an interesting example of how you can take the same story and execute it in a different way. Just relax and have fun with this one!

for fans for Jean Reno and his movies was great as in Leon The Professional, La Femme Nikita, Ronin, Godzilla, 22 Bullets but this movie is just terrible made i know it's comedy but terrible made action scenes come on they just terrible very bad made when he punch's someone in opening of nightclub scene yeah i have seen better scene then that. he punch's guy they fly all the way back like they been blown away like wind blew him away. the acting buy Jean Reno is very weak the action scenes were very weak they don't last long action scenes goes for 10 seconds that's it ??, Characters were annoying like Maurice 'Momo'(Michel Muller) such annoying character his partner god why does he have to be part of this movie for ?? the story follows tough cop Hubert Fiorentini (Jean Reno) Hubert Fiorentini is a tough cop a commisaire of the French Police who loves to fight crime wow i rather watch Cobra (1986). he is forced to go on vocation for 2 months break he soon found out that one true love, Miko, a Japanese spy he met 19 years prior. Upon receiving news of her death, he is summoned to Japan by her lawyer, Ishibashi (Haruhiko Hirata) for the reading of her will. he has a daughter (Ryōko Hirosue) as Yumi Yoshimido he has to spend time with her awhile he's partner this gets SO ANNOYING again Maurice is annoying trying to be like Hubert but he ends up embarrassing himself too much in my opinion

i don't find this funny expect opening scene when he punched a cross dresser in face when it wasn't a woman, action scenes are so terrible when there's shoot out when Jean Reno character shoots bad guys they flip backwards yeah its funny the director must be stupid and smoking weed while doing it. he doesn't know anything about action movies what is well made even American Movies would know better then this well they have made a lot of bad movies too but this is Much Worser!! Explosion is fake badly CGI made. the action only goes for 5 or ten seconds least i like Jeno Reno shooting at bad guys in gaming area good guns as well, shootout wasn't fake but what is fake the way how bad guys fall while they are getting shot they flip like they hit buy wind again it's terrible made. story is bit weak so weaker the ending is just stupid there is villain doesn't have much of dialog the action fight scenes are OK Jeno Reno fighting with Japanese mafia with golf bats and weapons hitting with them that was well made. but this movie cant stay on set, cant even do better director Gérard Krawczyk is bad director for this movie its Produced by Luc Besson and written buy him i wish if he directed movie when he made Leon: the professional i think he can write this movie better then Geared Krawczyk the action is OK not well made shooting scenes are good all that not its well worth of time wasting movie. sorry i have to give it pass. for action movies like this french action style go watch Transporter that was Produced by Luc Besson still better movie then this. even acting in Wasabi all of it is just bad weak made shame for Jeno Reno made this movie i wish they made Leon: the professional 2 rather then this crap movie. 1.10 or 0.1 its worth it on your time its a BIG WASTER THEN ANY MOVIE

I am no Jean Reno fan, but I hired this one on DVD today and thoroughly enjoyed it. Although technically a French Film, it was mostly made in Japan and gives some insight into Japanese culture. The film provokes both tears and laughter in successive bouts. I didn't like the beginning with all its techno rubbish, but once that was out of the way and the story got going I really enjoyed myself. Reno was really quite amusing and the storyline, although nothing original, enables the spectator to enjoy him or herself. In addition, the Japanese actress was cute. Although the film cannot be considered a major work of art, it is sure to have international success as its theme is fairly universal and should be appreciated across a wide variety of cultures. There are many things which would make anyone laugh, whatever their culture or origin. There is little typically French about the film and indeed most of the action is in Tokyo. I can say fairely safely that all but the most cynical would get a great deal of fun out of this 90 minute stint. Bravo, and let's hope the film gets known worldwide !

Even though I may agree with most critics on some negative aspects of the film, I must say I did find it to be entertaining in its own funny way. The film is constructed and filmed very much like a comic book (especially the violence scenes - reminded me a little of "Who framed Roger Rabbit). Many of the "absurd" characters in the movie actually serve to make the plot more entertaining while also characterizing many aspects of modern society (the hyperactive daughter, her wacko friends, the stupid and totally un-macho secret service agent, the ridiculous Yakuza boss, the hotel receptionist, etc.) One can say one thing about the film, it is made in a new, refreshing way that makes it different from many others. With a little more effort, it could have been much better. Rating: *** out of *****

Hmm I have read several comments that pick on the story.... Okay I appreciate in a movie the story then the acting and only in the end the visual effects. But there is a great difference: this one has at least a story that is not annoying or plain stupid like in many movies of this genre (you all know ofc that when making movies like this (comedy, action etc) the story usually isn't a good one )... So the plot is enough to be considered an excuse for the film. The rest ..oh well it's Reno's job :) PS: Someone even complained that "hey everybody Reno meets Japan speaks french"...Bleah that's stupid it's like saying :" why everybody speaks English in Star Trek"

(2001) Wasabi (In French with English subtitles) ACTION/ COMEDY/ DRAMA

The impact on this film will surely be lost or unfelt if seen in dubbed! The story which has a similar style to Luc Besson's first English American effort "The Professional" except that it's the main lead Jean Reno befriending a young Natalie Portman except this one has the main lead building a rapport with a young Japanese girl whose supposed be his (Jean Reno) daughter Yumi played by Ryoko Hirosue! This is a better improvement over illogical "The Professional"! The film has the look of a PG because hardly anybody gets killed when it should've been an "R".

This movie is silly. From over the top main character who punches people so hard they fly and very naive plot. But it still manages to be fun and touching, especially if we are talking about main character's relationship with his daughter and sidekick, who is a real blast of fun. It's far from masterpiece and it's very clear that movies like this (among "Crimson Rivers" and "Mission Impossible") were trying to make an action movie hero from Reno, which also brings to the fun, because the guy is really funny when he is trying to be cool. I give the movie 7/10. Yes, it has it's flaws, but it's a piece of fun and warmed my heart, so, yeah, blame me.

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 was intended, quite clearly (to all but the most naive i suppose), to be a pastiche of your typical American "good cop with a bad attitude" action movie.

As the film progresses it assumes the unenviable task of showcasing every action-movie cliché under the sun whilst at the same time attempting to keep you entertained with an endless array of simple, and entertaining, jokes. If Wasabi's humour was not delivered in such a deadpan manner (credit to Jean Reno for that) it would be an abhorent piece of tripe (like most attempts at parody). When i watch a low-grade parody movie i usually notice that both the cast and crew seem to gallop through every scene, putting in very little effort whilst winking at the audience as if to say "See? I'm making fun of bad movies. How clever am i?" However, Luc Besson (writer and producer) has gone with the idea of combining self-referential humour (which is of course common to all parody films) with enough straight acting (difficult in such an absurd movie) to lodge the film in some strange quasi-universe where the characters are never quite aware of the absurdity of their situation, even when it's staring them in the face. It is neither straight-out farce nor a serious attempt at film making. It does not pay loving homage to the action genre or massacre it. The film instead strides this delicate balance, always in danger of tipping over into meaninglessness but somehow never doing it.

The action is eye-catching, the humour is very french and in anyone else's hands it would be nothing more than trash. It's not though, because this is Luc Besson. In short - it's not a film, it's a movie. So watch it like one.

This film is so weak I won't even bother to criticize the story, acting or direction--it ain't worth it. Let me make an observation about the lead character played by Reno. Supposedly, this guy lived for a while in Japan, met a woman there, fell in love, etc., yet he speaks not a jot of Japanese. And, all but one Japanese character he runs into speaks fluent French.....Right!!! To all those above who suggest this shows a slice of Japanese life well, let's just say it was too thin for me to see.