Written by Matt Goldberg
As reported on the Internet about six months back*, Keanu Reeves will be starring in an adaptation of the popular anime series, "Cowboy Bebop". During my anime-phase (which ran concurrently with my hookers-and-blow-phase), I could never really get into Bebop. The characters felt stock, the plots were uninteresting, and there was better material out there. But I think I'm in the minority on this one as it seems to be a pretty popular series and I guess if I have to feign surprise, I'm a little bewildered that "Bebop" as well other anime, has been adapted with live actors. How many videogame projects are rushed into production but the lack of adapting anime has been pretty surprising. Then again, the adaptation of DragonBallZ" may just kill this trend before it even has a chance to begin. As for Keanu, I don't know how I feel about him playing the role. Yes, Spike is pretty detached (with brief moments of emotions to let you know he cares) but the character is designed to be "cool". Keanu Reeves, while he has been in some cool movies, has never himself been "cool". He is a category unto himself. "Keanu Reeves" fits into the "Keanu Reeves" category. It is an odd, zen-like place where you do action movies but never seem that excited about what you're doing, allowing audience members to think that you can't act, when really, they should all just watch your scenes from Sam Raimi's "The Gift". The "Keanu Reeves" category is very specific. *I know the Internet isn't the end-all, be-all source of veracity in this world but how come no one gives credit when movie websites come out ahead of a story like this far before Variety or The Hollywood Reporter get handed a press release?