Green Lantern - Yay! or Boo!

Green Lantern

We grade on three categories:
1. Faithfulness to comic characterization
2. Comic Action Quotient/Storyline
3. Acting
Reviews are graded on an academic scale of:
A, B, C, D, or F


This was, simultaneously, the most anticipated and dreaded superhero movie of the summer. The trailers made it seem we were on the planet Oa with alien Green Lanterns Tomar Re, Sinestro, and Kilowog so it held great promise of making the comic a reality. The casting of the main characters turned my optimism into guarded optimism. Except for his roles in Wolverine and Blade: Trinity, Ryan Reynolds is best known as the romantic comedy guy . Could he pull off Hal Jordan? Read on!

Category 1: Was this faithful to the comic? The story told over the years is pretty simple: Alien policeman gets mortally injured and lands on Earth. His ring finds his replacement in Hal Jordan, test pilot. The rest is history. That skeleton of comic history was satisfied, but the meat of the story body was altered in ways Green Lantern purists might find intolerable. The script incorporated elements of the comic which has developed over the years, as well as many fanboy puns, but it did so in rather lackluster ways. If I went into the movie knowing nothing of the source characters, I might like it, but would be confused in some areas which I will address later. I enjoyed the grandeur of Oa and most of the other Green Lanterns. For the faithful elements of the story as well as the stray tangents:

Category 1 Grade - B-

Category 2: The action was spectacular at times with epic fight scenes. The power ring special effects were outstanding, so much so I wanted to see more. As a matter of fact, I would like to have seen more action, period! The storyline, on the other hand, was less than stellar. One problem is the lack of “A” list Green Lantern villains from which to pull. Batman & Superman have some amazing bad guys to fight, but the best we have for this film is Hector Hammond!?! His motivations for being evil were believable, but, at the same time, sad and sympathetic. The movie shoots back and forth between Hammond and Green Lantern as though to give them equal billing. Yikes! Bottom line is: the story plods ponderously at times and characterizations are murky at others.

Category 2 Grade - C+

Category 3: The supporting cast was extraordinary! Mark Strong perfectly conveyed Sinestro’s arrogance and disdain. He was the shining light (pun intended) of the cast as the senior Green Lantern with feet of clay. The voices of Geoffrey Rush for the gentle, mentoring Tomar Re and Michael Clarke Duncan as Killowog the belligerent drill sergeant were inspired casting. Killowog’s famous derogatory, “Poozer” sounded natural from the deep voice of Duncan. Peter Sarsgaard portrayed the simpering Hector Hammond well, but barely registered on the Villain Killmeter (which measures how badly the viewer wants the bad guy to bite it). When he confronts his overbearing father, one even roots for him a bit. Even the voice actors of the Guardians conveyed their objective coldness to a “T”. Don’t get me started on Blake Lively’s character, Carol Ferris. Business woman, love interest, cheerleader, and emotional anchor, I could not believe her character was that deep. She could never become Star Sapphire, much less hold Hal Jordan’s attention (although being beautiful might not not hurt).

A superhero movie can only be as good as the main character (i.e. Brandon Routh as Superman?!?) and that is where Green Lantern stumbles. Reynold’s persona would be conducive to Kyle Rayner (subsequent Green Lantern of Earth), but did not fly as Hal Jordan. What worked for Deadpool or Hannibal King does not work for Green Lantern. The bottom line is: Ryan Reynolds was not believable as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern.

Category 3 - D+

Overall Grade C