Okay I will admit I’m a grown man and i have the complete collection of the superfriends/justice league cartoons on dvd that have been released and watch them more than most. Okay now that I have come clean on my justice league addiction on with my review. My latest stop on the summer of super hero tour was the action sci-fi adventure Green Lantern, staring Ryan Reynolds, Blake lively, Hector Hammond, and Mark Strong. It‘s directed by Martin Campbell and runs about 2hrs in theaters near you.
The story revolves around the origin of the green lantern and the intergalactic group called the lantern corps. Ryan Reynolds (x -men origins Wolverine) stars in the leading role as Hal Jordan the green lantern, and Blake lively (the town) as his fellow test polite/ girlfriend Carol Ferris. One day getting into his car after leaving a party he is unexpectedly swept by a strange a green light and he lands at the site of a crashed space ship of Abin Sur the lantern of sector 2814 who was chosen to seek out a new member of the corp. Abin sur (the dying purple alien as Hal calls him) tells him the ring chose you take the ring and fight evil throughout the universe. Hal can’t make heads or tails of what just happen to him and his new toys the ring and battery, till he gets into a fight outside bar. His thoughts created a giant fist and knocks out these 3 guys who were beating him up. Just as he realizes what had just happen he gets swept away again this time to the planet OA the home of the guardians and the lantern corp. I wonder if the lantern corps has a frequent flyer miles program with all the flying around they do. While at Oa he meets the guardians and the lantern corps and is introduced to Sinestro, Kilowog Tomar –Re, and the rest of the lantern corp. He finds out from the guardians that he is the first human to ever be chosen to wear the magical ring and what is expected of a green lantern. While learning about the ring back on earth he realizes that he has one quality to make him a true lantern being human, and the quality of humility. He needs these qualities in his battle with evil villain Parallax who escaped from the central battery on OA to prey on the fears of humans on earth.
Considering the type of film here i wasn’t expecting any Oscar awarding picture just a real good time at the theater. I though the performance of mark strong as sinestro stood out in his few brief scenes among the cast. I think they could have done without Tim Robbins character didn’t affect the story at all to me. I thought they should have had more scenes with him and Hal to explain their history together in the comics. I didn’t mind the casting of Blake lively at first, but after seeing her in the film i thought they would have gotten a lot more out of the Hal /carol relationship in the film if they casted a more seasoned actress.
The special effects stood out very well in this film. You needed to use them to explain what hal can do with the ring that’s who he is and what he is about. They did an outstanding job bringing the planet oa to life it felt like you were in outer space. Hal Jordan in flight and the final battle in outer space were very well conceived.
I didn’t go into this film expecting any Oscar nods by the initial screen debut of the green lantern. I expected there to be a lot of explanation of who he is and how he becomes the green lantern. I think with all of the buzz about Green lantern being split down the middle good and bad will only drive people to the movie to see why so many people hate it an so many love it .can only help it’s cause at the box office. So I suggest go with an open mind and make you own decision. I can’t wait for a sequel myself. All in all I enjoyed the film and how they brought the green lantern to his big screen debut. I give the green lantern 3 out of 5 stars.