Green Lantern

Comic book movies are certainly in their prime. The most profitable enterprise right now is Marvel Comics in deals with Paramount Pictures and soon Walt Disney Pictures. However, Marvel’s primary rival has been DC Comics, who are in an exclusive deal with Warner Brothers Studios. The reason I mention this is with big franchises like “Batman” and “Superman” in further production, why has WB decided to release “Green Lantern” after it was first published 70 years ago?

“Green Lantern” starts off in the far reaches of space, where cosmic life-forms (some humanoid, some just plain weird) have discovered Parallax, an evil entity that feeds on the fear of the living. One such alien being named Abin Sur is severely injured and jets across the galaxy to the nearest inhabited planet: Earth. Meanwhile, on the afore mentioned planet, a 35-year old USAF pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) is leaving his nephew’s birthday party when a green blob of energy picks him up, shoots him across town, and lands him on a beach where an alien escape pod holds a dying Abin Sur. The purple-skinned alien tells him his ring has chosen Hal, then expires in Hal’s arms. Meanwhile, a creepy Dr. Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard) is asked to do an autopsy on the alien body. What the doctor finds is a glowing yellow substance which infects his body, and begins giving him telepathic powers. Hal will end up flying across space at light speed, and Hector will grow a really big head (literally), and by the end of it all the world will depend on a green ring in the shape of a lantern.

This movie has been on the production shelves since 1997, though the directorial reigns have been given to Martin Campbell (GoldenEye, Casino Royale). Keep the 007 movies in mind when you see this, because the whole of “Green Lantern” is pretty bad. In the first 5 minutes of the film we are in Sector 2814 and the universe is 3,600 sectors…who cares?!? Reynolds plays the usual douchebag we’ve seen him in other comic-book movies (i.e. Blade: Trinity, X-Men Origins: Wolverine), as obnoxious and conceited as ever. Sarsgaard’s character is repulsive and pathetic, before he becomes a monster. Also both of these characters have father issues, and are competing for the affections of Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), but guess who gets the girl?

The real appeal comes from two factors:

1. The special effects. Most of the interstellar space footage looks like a demo reel for a home-theater system. Still, some of the visuals are dazzling, though it all becomes a big light show.

2. The promise of a better movie in sequels. If you know who Sinestro (an unrecognizable Mark Strong) is, then watch the ending credits for the birth of the “Yellow-Ring”.

If there is ever a sequel, then Warner Brothers will really have to get off their asses and make a better movie. This may be one of the most disappointing superhero movies since the 2003 “Hulk”.