Movies Reviews

Green Lantern – Movie Review

By Anne Brodie Jun 16, 2011, 14:54 GMT

The film will focus on the most famous incarnation of \'Green Lantern,\' Hal Jordan. Created by John Broome and Gil Kane, Jordan is a test pilot who discovers a downed alien craft. The dying alien charges him with protecting a sector of the universe. He is given a power ring, which gives him great power over the physical universe but relies on the wearer having the will power to wield ...more

Ryan Reynolds’ singular charm carries this latest superhero palaver.  He is a good choice because his personal magnetism detracts from the awkward; over CGI’d D.C. Comic film adaptation, making us believe that he is committed to the film and role and that it will be a good experience.  

It’s a thin line, and a lesser matinee idol may have botched it entirely.  Green Lantern is eminently botchable. And you have to know the comic because this film isn’t about educating the clueless.

Reynolds is Hal Jordan, a test pilot who is called, or rather, flung, to a mysterious seaside location where he witnesses the wreckage of a spaceship and inside a dead alien.  He is instructed to take a green crystal ring and he is given a creed.  

It means a big nothing to him, though, and life carries on. Life consists of bedding as many ladies as possible and teasing Carol Ferris, his work colleague and the daughter of his boss.   He’s lazy, unfocused, ands in danger of losing his gig.

Suddenly, situations occur to raise his hackles; he discovers the ring has given him certain super powers.  The pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place. He has been chosen; he has been called to the ring or the ring to him or something.  It’s all rather medieval knights on a quest who follow certain mythic rules and play within a limited, specific frame of reference.  

In any case, Hal is now a member of the Green Lantern brigade of intergalactic peace keepers.  Sinestro, his boss (Mark Strong), guides him through his training, but there is something off about him. 

Blake Lively plays Carol, Hal’s co-worker and budding love interest; she’s a feisty one, albeit it with a romantic, and warm soul. Lively has the acting chops to make the most of a very thin part. She brings a human element to the project that matches Reynolds’ charm.  It’s a big job because they are up against a wall of CGI, but they do pretty well.

Parallax, the “monster” is truly one of the most disgusting cinematic beasts ever. It’s a mass of dreadlocks that manages to envelop everything like a cloud, or like running sewage, with a spiders face, depending on the shot.  Ugh. 

And there’s that Yellow energy of fear that haunts Hal. From its overbearing color palette to the screeching sound and in-yer-face “stunts”, Green Lantern is a typical comic superhero film that is aimed squarely at the fans - at the expense of the casual viewer.

It may be one of the more extreme examples of superhero film abuse.  Mind you, there are plenty more superheroes awaiting release in the months ahead.  This may not be the worst.

The extremes taken in sight, sound and script underline a kind of blind desperation to catch attention and yet once having it, not knowing what to do with it.  This applies to the space sequences – and there are plenty – not so much to the earth sequences which are mostly enjoyable and engaging.

It’s a case of too much green noise, and no meat. Even a superhero film can’t expect to rest on its fans base laurels for long.  It has to try harder for film, to step up with a believable and relatable premise, delivery and result.  They just didn’t get it this time.   It looks like they wanted to, but then forgot about engaging the audience because they were busy designing cool monsters.

As longwinded as the explication gets, there is a reason.  There are solid plans to follow up.  So with any luck, due to the heavy load of info here, the foundations are laid and the next Green lantern outing will be less lecture-y and then less lecture-y and so on and so on.  We hope.

Visit the movie database for more information.

35mm sci fi adventure
Written by Greg Berlanti,  Michael Green, et al
Directed by Martin Campbell
Opens: June 17th
Runtime: 2 hours
MPAA: PG 13
Country: USA
Language: English