Five More Major Outlets Review Green Lantern! (And They're Almost ALL Bad!)

Five More Major Outlets Review Green Lantern! (And They're Almost ALL Bad!)

Digital Spy, Empire Online, HitFix, The Hollywood Reporter and The News of the World have all shared their thoughts on Green Lantern today. And as you may have guessed from the headline, the general take on the movie is NOT a good one...

By JoshWilding - Jun 15, 2011 04:06 AM EST
Filed Under: Green Lantern

Before any of you get the impression we're only posting the negative review for Green Lantern, let me assure you that's not the case! Below are some excerpts from the most recent ones to hit, and I've done my best to also include the positive comments...there just aren't that many of them! (although The Hollywood Reporter offer a slightly more positive take) Regardless, I've provided links to each of the full reviews, so be sure to check them out.

Digital Spy

There is a convoluted mythology partly explained by Hal's grudging mentor Sinestro (a literally red-faced Mark Strong) who talks a lot about "fear versus will". Similarly, the backstory at times threatens to bog down the present-day action which sees Peter Saarsgard as a bitter scientist who becomes completely twisted - physically as well as mentally - by the bad Parallax vibes. Meanwhile, Hal is grappling with his own fears about whether he is worthy of the ring, and of Carol. When it comes to good old-fashioned comic book values like saving the world and getting the girl, Hal seems only good for flirting with the idea then running - though never too far away.

Unlike his subject, director Martin Campbell (a veteran of shoot-'em-ups) is more at ease with action than soul-searching. There are memorable stunts spiked with dry humour, like Hal guiding a falling chopper carrying the Senator (Tim Robbins) by visualising a racetrack full of sharp turns. Other worlds in the Lanterns' jurisdiction are also realised in arresting detail, but there's a kitsch factor too. Hal's uniform is made of light energy, fashioned in CGI and quite fetching, but Sinestro and Abin Sur are flashbacks to the days of clunky '60s sci-fi. Strong still manages to be intimidating, but the present villains are too goofy. The bigger disappointment is that Hal's own personal demons aren't fully drawn. After all, what's the point of glowing if it's not dark enough?


2/5


Click HERE to read the full review!

Empire Online

Former Deadpool Ryan Reynolds plays a cocky slacker foul-up with dead daddy issues (yawn!), whose recruitment into the Green Lantern Corps prompts his own sidekick (Taika Waititi) to wonder whether “on their planet, ‘responsible’ means ‘asshole’”. Like the movies’ Peter Parker or Tony Stark — and unlike the comics’ straighter-arrow Hal Jordan — Reynolds does panicky comedy schtick to delay hard-to-sell oath-reciting heroism. Love interest Carol Ferris (Blake Lively) is a patchwork of Lois and Pepper — an exasperated ex who will come back to Hal when he becomes more heroic but is mainly here to be imperilled in the climax and poke fun at the skintight CGI outfit.

Though Warner/DC aren’t apparently building up to a Justice League movie the way Marvel are shooting The Avengers, this seems like a prologue for a bigger story to come. Thousands of alien Green Lanterns are seen in a crowd scene, but only two get to speak — Geoffrey Rush-voiced fish humanoid Tomar-Re, and Michael Clarke Duncan-voiced hippo/hulk drill sergeant Kilowog. Hal has to battle on his own, since the rest of the Corps sit this one out and let the rookie defend our expendable galactic sector. Peter Sarsgaard’s head-enlarged nerd Hector Hammond, the traditional distorted mirror/rival of the hero, seems more a preliminary sparring partner than a title fight opponent, while the film’s major menace is an angry, tentacled cloud. Mark Strong simmers on the sidelines as a Corps member in good standing whose 1950s-coined name (Sinestro — it was a more innocent age) and moustache suggest he might go evil before Green Lantern 2. When the climax comes, it feels less apocalyptic than just rushed, as the hero goes from complete wash-out to standing up to a primal force of the universe in about five minutes.

Martin Campbell made Zorro and Bond work as contemporary heroes, but doesn’t quite have the feel for poor old Hal Jordan. Green Lantern is dazzling in pieces, but we’ve seen too many sharper versions of the superhero origin story in the last few years. It’s not Jonah Hex, but the battery runs low too quickly.


2/5


Click HERE to read the full review!

HitFix

I don't like "Green Lantern."

I think the movie is pretty much inert, artificial and dead on arrival.

First, there's no way my boys are seeing it. The movie in general appears to be written for eight-year-olds, which is appropriate, and a smart move. But Parallax and Hector Hammond, the villains of the film, seem to be in a different film, a much more inappropriate film about a giant weird turd cloud with the head of the Wizard Of Oz that sucks the skeletons out of people before they explode, and his human assistant who grows a disgusting Elephant Man head in scenes where he screams in pain and writhes on the floor like it's a David Cronenberg film. Second, I don't think is the first building block of a world I want to spend more time in. Unless there are some big choices made behind the scenes on a second film, I don't have any faith in this as a franchise, much less step one in the DC Universe. Third, this is not the role for Reynolds, and it's not his fault. The marketing is more successful than the movie, and made promises the movie just can't fulfill. Martin Campbell is as wrong for this film as he was right for "Casino Royale." In general, I was deflated and depressed by the film I saw.

In a summer where we've had some good superhero films already and we're seeing people really start to have fun with the genre, "Green Lantern" stands out as a pretty major misstep. Visually, it's an eyesore. It is the first genuinely ugly film shot by Dion Beebe, and between the production design by Grant Major and the New Orleans locations, it feels artificial, like the entire thing was shot on a small, dingy backlot. It feels like a pretty major missed opportunity, and I have a feeling this will be a lot more "The Shadow" than Tim Burton's "Batman" when it comes to the general public. I can't imagine word of mouth being any good for the film, especially not for people who are new to the character and the world.

The ring may not make mistakes when it chooses a new Green Lantern, but plenty of mistakes were made in bringing "Green Lantern" to the screen, and in the end, I have a feeling this is our one and only trip to Oa.


C-


Click HERE to read the full review!

The Hollywood Reporter

At least for some members of the public, Green Lantern will prompt the question of how many more comics-based superheroes with awesome powers and responsibilities we really need. Dramatically tart in certain scenes but more often just spinning its wheels doing variations on similar moments from previous episodes in the lives of likewise endowed relatives in the DC and Marvel universes, Warner Bros.' attempt to launch a major new fantasy action hero franchise serves up all the requisite elements with enough self-deprecating humor to suggest it doesn't take itself too seriously. But familiarity may begin to breed creeping signs of contempt, if not in immediate negative box office results then in a general fatigue with such enterprises that's bound to set in sooner or later.

Not quite doing for an untested superhero what he did for James Bond in Casino Royale, director Martin Campbell seems to most relish the amusing character of Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard), a brilliant nerdy scientist enlisted by the government to examine Abin Sur's corpse. Thrilled by the privilege, he is unwittingly contaminated by the exposure and quickly transformed into a mind-reading Elephant Man lookalike with a zealous propensity for the dark side and a score to settle with his bigshot politician dad (Tim Robbins). Sarsgaard has great fun with the role in a performance that increasingly seems like a sly imitation of John Malkovich at his most arch.

But the real threat is Parallax, who eventually attacks Earth in the visually disarming form of a billowing, shape-changing, fire-breathing, octopus-like brown cloud. Faced with such an opponent, Hal packs away his misgivings once and for all to embrace his new powers and cleverly lure Parallax to the one place that might doom him.

Now more than ever resembling the circa 1965 Warren Beatty, Reynolds passes muster as a bad boy with greatness thrust upon him and future installments, should they follow, will not need to indulge his prolonged vacillations about accepting his new role in life.


Click HERE to read the full review!

News of the World

By the law of averages, we had to get a stinker eventually. And, honkity honk. What's this coming round the corner? It's Green Lantern, here to almost single-handedly redress the balance.

Because this superhero flick, based on the popular DC Comics series, is two finger-drumming hours of puffed-up, prancing tripe, that couldn't have been any more irritating if the lead role was played by that bellowing Go Compare fatso.

The film's a five-way pile up of ropey plotting, terrible editing, pompous dialogue, pointless 3D and atrocious effects, and it feels like it goes on forever.


1/5


Click HERE to read the full review!

With an all star cast which includes Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan, Blake Lively as Carol Ferris and Mark Strong as Sinestro, director Martin Campbell's Green Lantern is set to be released in 3D on June 17, later this month!




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Ashdm
Ashdm - 6/15/2011, 4:12 AM
Looks like we'll only be getting Batman and Superman Movies for the next 10 years then...
Corpse
Corpse - 6/15/2011, 4:15 AM
Movies are supposed to be fun, not over analyzed and dissected like art. I will still make my own opinion.
marvel72
marvel72 - 6/15/2011, 4:23 AM
its a shame the critics are destroying this.

it means flash will be put on hold & more f*ckin batman movies.

the star wars of comic book movies,yeah star wars the phantom menance.

so it won't be a good year for comic book movies.

empire reveiws

1.thor ****
2.x-men first class ***
3.green lantern **
4.the priest **
5.green hornet **

fingers crossed captain america & cowboys & aliens deliver.
SKOne
SKOne - 6/15/2011, 4:23 AM
I am so sick of movie reviewers. They should not even have them anymore and let people make up their own minds of whether or not to see something based on trailers. Even if the movie was bad, they have pretty much tanked any chance of it making it's budget back or there being any other Green Lantern movie for a long while.
marvel72
marvel72 - 6/15/2011, 4:26 AM
@ mreko

20% rotten tomatoes,this bad news.

it means more f*ckin batman films.
spiderneil
spiderneil - 6/15/2011, 4:28 AM
DC COMICS - only 4 excellent movies in their entire cinematic history

batman begins
TDK
superman the movie
superman 2
magma123
magma123 - 6/15/2011, 4:28 AM
[frick] the critics!! I'm only worried about the box office.. I want more [frick]ing dc movies. So please make money please!
Berger45
Berger45 - 6/15/2011, 4:28 AM
Friday will tell if this is true or not. The sequel alone can be so [frick]ing dark we would need a flashlight to see it. I cant wait to see it!
magma123
magma123 - 6/15/2011, 4:30 AM
What the [frick]! 14% at rottentomatoes with an average of 3.5 this is so bullshit even transformers 2 is higher. Man we need a miracle now
EldeMit
EldeMit - 6/15/2011, 4:31 AM
Aw man this is disappointing. I'm a Marvel fan, but I really wanted this to be good. I want a Flash movie dammit!
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 6/15/2011, 4:31 AM
EVERYONE IS STILL GOING TO WATCH IT, IF ITS BAD THIS IS THE ONLY GL MOVIE HE'LL MAKE, ITS STILL GOING TO MAKE MONEY BECAUSE ITS A SUPERHERO MOVIE, THERE MOST PROBABLY WILL BE A SEQUEL.

realfh
realfh - 6/15/2011, 4:32 AM
I'll wait and see.
Illuminatus
Illuminatus - 6/15/2011, 4:32 AM
Sigh. I guess a Flash movie isn't going to be happening anytime soon now.
magma123
magma123 - 6/15/2011, 4:33 AM
@gunsmith, i really do hope so, sinestro corps would be sick in a sequel :) hope it turns out like transformers. even tough the bad reviews it made a lot of money
Kaedus
Kaedus - 6/15/2011, 4:33 AM
They're not necessarily analysing it like art, a lot of them are just saying that it's just bad. From what I'm reading a lot of people are thinking that it's just too full with exposition with zero character development and disappointing casting with Ryan Reynolds. There seems to be a general consensus that the movie tries to use too many corny jokes.

I'm going to go see it and make my own mind up but I've always been a bit apprehensive about how this movie will turn out. I don't like to base my opinions on other people's reviews but it's hard to ignore the fact that a lot of people are so far disliking it. I'm yet to hear a really good review and I find that worrying, especially as a lot of these reviews have been made by both movie goers and comic fans alike.
spiderneil
spiderneil - 6/15/2011, 4:34 AM
I think DC made a huge mistake going with green lantern rather than wonder woman or flash. woman woman especially is far more recognisable and would lend itself far better to movies. look at the animated movies WW is miles (MILES!!) better than the green lantern first flight movie.
Jennn
Jennn - 6/15/2011, 4:35 AM
Man, this sucks. I, personally, wasn't looking forward to this but I have a few friends who are big GL fans and they're going to be totally bummed.

And I can't lie, although I don't always AGREE with the reviewers, I DO take into account their opinions before going to see films I'm on the fence about. If my GL friends end up loving it maybe I'll see it in the theater.

But most likely, I'm waiting till it's out on DVD.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 6/15/2011, 4:35 AM
The THR review wasn't bad?
Hannibal_King
Hannibal_King - 6/15/2011, 4:38 AM
No matter how bad the movie, the movie reviewers have to find something good about it to entice ticket sales.

A negative review of a movie is a stupid move on the reviewer's part. Ultimately all they're doing is promoting pirating of movies, and literally writing themselves out of a job.
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 6/15/2011, 4:39 AM
---------THE ONLY OPINION THAT MATTERS IS YOUR OWN-------
marvel72
marvel72 - 6/15/2011, 4:43 AM
it might not be all bad,pirates 4 got slammed by the critics but it still took $800,000,000 worldwide.

@ teabag

i feel the same,but i can't see dc taking the risk with other heroes for a while.

also the oath is classic.
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 6/15/2011, 4:44 AM
supermanallstar
supermanallstar - 6/15/2011, 4:44 AM
Does this mean a Deadpool movie is possibly more likely to happen now? :P
Spidey91
Spidey91 - 6/15/2011, 4:44 AM
this is not looking good,but I'll watch it anyway
StephenJ
StephenJ - 6/15/2011, 4:45 AM
Didn't read the reviews, I just saw the scores, and I am really hoping these are just idiots. ill wait until IGN releases one, normally they are right around my thoughts on movies
magma123
magma123 - 6/15/2011, 4:45 AM
Lol i just saw tweets from people who have seen it and they all loved it. I think the average moviegoer will enjoy it and the critics are just talking trash
spiderneil
spiderneil - 6/15/2011, 4:47 AM
@ marvel72

pirates 4 has done 800m worldwide? WOW!
Retardo
Retardo - 6/15/2011, 4:48 AM
I knew it... I hoped it was good, but I just knew it would flop!
Reynold's is a decent actor, but it's clear he's just playing Van Wilder with a power ring.
Blake Lively is too young in comparison to Reynolds, and she looks wooden as a boner from what we've seen.
Campbell is good with down and gritty action films, but with something like Green Lantern? No, Warner Bros should have gone with a much more experienced sci-fi orientated director and made the Lantern's suits like the Tron: Legacy suits, yeah sure the CGI looks miles better than before, but it still looks wack!

God damn, why didn't they cast Chris Pine as Hal at least?!? The only possible good thing that could from this is Mark Strong! But if this under performs, which is very likely now, he wont even get the chance to reprise the role... Ahh!

[frick] me! Stupid Warner Bros! I wanted more DC films but u had 2 just go and cock it all up with this didn't u!

Ahhh!
Corpse
Corpse - 6/15/2011, 4:49 AM
There will always be bad and good things about a movie. This was never going to be the best comicbookmovie created, but it might be one of the most entertaining ones for us fans. Kids will go nuts with the ring, constructs and aliens. The sequel will be a TDK kinda movie. I cant wait to see it on friday!
Retardo
Retardo - 6/15/2011, 4:51 AM
Sorry about the rant dude, but I just got pissd off...
VictorHugo
VictorHugo - 6/15/2011, 4:53 AM
"clunky '60s sci-fi"

In the 60´s sci-fi was never clunky, it was creative and bold. This reviewer seems way too young, the kind that dismisses classic things as "old".
Orphix
Orphix - 6/15/2011, 4:53 AM
Reviewers are there to make sure we don't waste our money.
They watch the bad films so we don't have to.

Haven't said that - I think this film will still perform to a certain degree. I think a lot of youngsters (i.e. 8 year old boys) are gonna wanna see this.

I think the problem with this film is that they bit off more they can chew. They should have kept it simple and mainly on earth. Tough, I know, to do considering the source but I think it would helped.
Cross
Cross - 6/15/2011, 4:55 AM
Well... well... well...

So it's heading for the FAIL bin. I'm cool with batman for the next 10-20 years if DC pussy out if this fails.

BATMAN > DC UNIVERSE
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