Green Lantern

Green Lantern
By Wilson Morales

Over the last few years, there’s been an influx of comic book movies brought to the big screen as if there was no other genre on the planet. From Superman to Batman, we’ve reboot after reboot, and now we have a new film but familiar superhero being given the top spotlight, ‘Green Lantern.’

While comic book fans are aware of who the title characters is and what his powers are, the rest of the world can probably say that most of what they know or heard about Green Lantern was the color of his costume and his green ring. That’s the extent of it, which should give the producers plenty to play with instead of just going by what on the comic books.

In the lead role of Hal Jordan/ Green Lantern, we have Ryan Reynolds, who recently played Deadpool in another comic book film, Marvel’s Wolverine. Much like that character and other previous films that Reynolds has been, the best word to describe his personality is ‘wise-ass.’ In some films, that’s a good trait, but for this film, his comedic skills should have been laid aside.

Directed by Martin Campbell and co-starring Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Angela Bassett, Tim Robbins, Temuera Morrison, Jay O. Sanders, Taika Waititi, Jon Tenney, Geoffrey Rush, and Michael Clarke Duncan, ‘Green Lantern’ doesn’t follow in the same footsteps of recent superhero films and instead a being a dark and compelling companions to them, the film is as campy as ‘The Fantastic Four.’

Hal Jordan, doing his best to be like Tom Cruise’s Maverick from ‘Top Gun,’ is a hot shot test pilot who doesn’t have that much confidence in himself as his peers thinks he has. One night, he’s teleported back home and meets up with Abin Sur (played by Morrison), a member of the Green Lantern Corps, a brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order. It seems that Abin Sur was gravely injured fighting and escaping from the clutches of Parallax, the Lantern’s biggest nemesis and in the form of a dark cloud. Before he dies, he instructs Hal to take his green ring and recite the oath.

Initially confused by what just transpired, Hal eventually gets the meaning of the ring when it powers him out of space to the home planet of the Green Lanterns. It’s there where he meets his colleagues, Sinestro (played by Strong), Tomar-Re (played by Rush) and Kilowog (played by Duncan). As chosen by Abin Sur, Hal is one of over 3000 Green Lanterns chosen to protect the order and the first human. After some training to get used to his powers, Hal goes back to earth while the rest gear up for what will be a tremendous battle against Parallax.

Meanwhile, while Hal tries to reignite his relationship with childhood sweetheart Carol Feris (played by Lively), fellow colleague and an admirer of Carol, Hector Hammond (played by Sarsgaard) was affected by a particle of Parallax when examining the remains of Abin Sur. Not only does he experience physical changes to his body, but he boldly defies the orders of his father and Dr. Amanda Waller (played by Bassett).

Before you know it, Hal must overcome his insecurities and embrace the powers he was bestowed to not only stop Hector, who’s has since become destructive with his newfound abilities, and Parallax, who threatens to destroy Earth.

The intriguing and best part of the film is when the focus is on home of the Green Lanterns and its protectors, specifically Sinestro (well played by Strong). Reynolds’ ability to be funny doesn’t come across as charming in this film. There’s a lot of wasted talent in the film and Bassett’s Waller is one of them. She’s reduced to being a minor character when she does more in the comic books.

Outside of Superman’s Lois Lane and Spiderman’s Mary Jane, most of the female (human) roles in these don’t do more than serve as a marketing ploy to bring in females to a geek infested genre, so adding Lively as Carol Feris doesn’t spark up the film romantically.

Finally, for a film to be in 3D, there isn’t much to be desired. The CGI on Parallax, the planet, and other creatures are not eye-popping  to keep the glasses on during the whole showing of the film.

Overall, the film isn’t terrible or great. Strong’s performance as Sinestro is reason enough to see the film rather than Reynold’s campy performance.