The rumour mill says Keanu Reeves is attempting to toss off that “wooden” label he tends to get in reviews and go the complete opposite way – the Zany comedy stylings of Plastic Man! And who better to take on the stretchy superhero but the Wachowskis!!
Ballack further claims that Silver says that Keanu Reeves will be playing Eels O’Brien (the real name of Plastic Man). Apparently this is the start of a new love period between Reeves and the Wachowskis, as Silver (via Ballack) said that the brothers want to work with him on all their future projects.
Granted it is hard to deny the success the Wachowskis had with Keanu in the Matrix. So instinct says Reeves and Wachowski = Guaranteed Success! But frankly I am so over the Wachowskis. I had hopes for them when I saw some of the early Speed Racer stuff. I even defended its stylized look. Wachowskis bury themselves in the over-stylized all the time and come up smelling like roses.
But I am getting a good whiff now and realizing that they peaked with the Matrix (I despise the sequels) and had a moment of clarity with V for Vendetta. Now Ninja Assassin might prove me wrong but I have yet to see anything from it to even begin to form anticipation (aside from droves of Asian cinema fans insisting I will love Rain – who is unproven on US film)
But we are already off to a shaky start. Plastic Man has the potential for some serious wackiness, but we have already seen the stretchy man effects on screen with Mr Fantastic in Fantastic Four so that loses its wow factor right there. And Keanu is no stranger to superheroes, but we haven’t seen him in a comedic role since… Bill and Ted??
I don’t know. I dare say this might be a “stretch” for Keanu, and if the rumours are true, it could be the stinker that tips the scale for the Wachowskis and their already shaky reputation.
