Green Lantern
Directed by Martin Campbell
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Temeura Morrison, Tim Robbins, Angela Basset, and the voices of Clancy Brown, Geofery Rush, and Michael Clarke Duncan.
Backstory
I was never a devote of the Green Lantern comics, but I always had a soft spot for the character. I’m sure it all goes back to when I was but a wee lad in Entwistle, and I got a Green Lantern action figure for Christmas. As the explosion of superhero films began, I could hardly wait for Warner Brothers to begin mining the DC archives, and to bring us a Green Lantern film. “A Green Lantern film could easily be a space opera the equal of Star Wars!” I’d tell my Marvel zombie friends. So, we finally have our Green Lantern film. Did it live up to its potential?
Plot
Hal Jordan is a test pilot…reckless, headstrong, and completely without fear. One fateful night, Jordan is brought before the dying alien Abin Sur, and is given a power ring. With this ring, Hal Jordan is inducted into the Green Lantern Corp, an intergalactic peacekeeping force. Sadly, though, Jordan feels that this great power carries far too great a responsibility, and is reluctant to take the role. Meanwhile, the entity Parallax, the embodiment of fear, has escaped from his prison, and has enlisted human scientist Hector Hammond to be his agent on Earth. With this newfound power, Hammond begins to rampage and take vengeance on those who have wronged him. Will Hal finally be able to embrace the power and become the Green Lantern of Sector 2814?
What I Liked
The space stuff. All the scenes on planet Oa (the home base of the Green Lantern Corp) are amazing. When Hal finally lets loose with his ring, he does come up with some very creative devices to assist in his crimefighting. Ryan Reynolds gives a great performance, and really does do Hal Jordan justice.
What I Didn’t Like
The plot is cliched and formulaic for superhero films…not the space opera I was hoping for. I never really got Hector Hammond as a villain, and the connection between him and Jordan seems forced at best. A lot of this film takes place on Earth, and it’s all very flat.
Final Assessment
This film reminded me a lot of the Fantastic Four films…the filmmakers barely tapped the full potential of the source material, and instead gave us something very disposable. It was OK, but it could have been so much more.