Can 'Kiss' morph action genre into art?

Is it possible that one of the architects of Hollywood's enduring love affair with action, explosions and the buddy film will soon be considered an artiste?

After years of self-imposed exile, Shane Black, the screenwriter responsible for creating big-boom, action flicks such as Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout and The Long Kiss Goodnight, returns with Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang, a caper comedy starring Robert Downey Jr. as a thief posing as an actor, and Val Kilmer as the detective he shadows for "research." It's the sort of high-concept film that would seem familiar territory to Mr. Black, who also directs.

But Kiss isn't being handled like an ordinary action movie. Instead of a flashy Hollywood premier, the film initially screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and rather than opening on thousands of screens simultaneously, the movie will enjoy a slow open, showing initially in a few large cities Sept. 16 before spreading to smaller markets.

Even more surprising is the movie's price tag. The production ran seriously over budget, costing half again what producers expected. The overruns brought the bottom line up to $15 million.

To put that number in perspective, Lethal Weapon, the film that made Mr. Black's career, also cost $15 million - in 1987. A small-budget comedy today, such as Wedding Crashers, costs between $30 and $50 million.

So here are the questions. Is Kiss, Kiss a small, subtle character piece, the sort of chamber cinema often associated with Woody Allen or Ingmar Bergman? The previews, which traffic heavily in car crashes and whizzing bullets, would indicate - no.

Has, then, the big, brawny action film reached the point in its evolution where it has successfully transcended being merely entertainment and become art?

Perhaps. After all, it was only a matter of time before Joel Silver's contributions to world culture - Die Hard and, er, Road House - and the emotional depth of Renny Harlan's Cutthroat Island were properly appreciated and celebrated.

Now, lest ye question my anticipation for Kiss, Kiss, let me clear up any misconceptions. I love the big dumb action flick. I believe Die Hard, Predator and Lethal Weapon are brilliant examples of the visceral possibilities of cinema, and I dig 'em every time. I'm hoping that Kiss, at some level, is a film that follows in that grand tradition. If it is, I'll be happy to hail it as great and glorious; the return of Shane Black, Lord of the Big Bang.

Michael Bay, watch your back.

Reach Steven Uhles at (706) 823-3626 or steven.uhles@augustachronicle.com.