A Fan Venting Disappointment

Green Lantern proves what we have feared from Comic Book Movies

Editorial Opinion
By Whitemartian - Aug 11, 2011 08:08 PM EST
Filed Under: Fan Fic

I want to preface this by saying that, besides the Green Lantern, this editorial is about DC characters. I have my own opinions on Marvel and their movies, but there’s no need to mention them here and now.
I read the site and rarely post, however, the Green Lantern movie has been on my mind since I saw it opening weekend. It was disappointing, yes, but also infinitely frustrating. A little background: My wife and I were stationed away from our families for five and a half years. My three little brothers and my eight year old sister are huge comic book fans, specifically, huge GL fans. When Green Lantern was scheduled to be released June 17th, the weekend after we got back from our tour, it seemed like fate. I bought tickets and we treated that as our homecoming event. I know it’s mostly silly to be upset at the lack of quality in a movie, but to hear the disappointment in my little sister’s voice when she leaned over and said “…that isn’t right” well…it stayed with me. I was disappointed that the story was not as good as it should have been, disappointed that Reynolds never felt like Hal, disappointed that the movie never had the scope of Green Lantern, disappointed with so much more I’d rather not list, and firmly disappointed in the wasted potential in all of these things. I hated that we were lied to from Geoff Johns, whose name we had associated with an awesome interpretation of this universe, that his personal hands were on the script and that the movie would respect the mythology.
It’s very frustrating, certainly, that many comic book movies are treated as cheap cash grabs while not giving us a great version of the stories we love. The problem, in my opinion, is a question of understanding genre (or perhaps not caring that there is a distinction at all). I don’t think movie studios (WB/Legendary both more readily at fault) understand the genre of the books they’re adapting. They simply label these movies as “comic book movies,” and, unfortunately, comic book movies tend to suck.
I think the key to making adaptations of these books better, at least a step up from where they fall in quality now, is for studios to start recognizing the genre that the book falls into before adapting it. Green Lantern is a superhero, sure, but Luke Skywalker is technically a super hero. If GL was a sci-fi fantasy story and not a superhero story, I feel that more attention would have been paid to character and story than what was on screen (read: basic paint the numbers superhero origin).
This is why The Dark Knight has worked so well, playing Batman as a crime drama works better than playing Batman as a superhero. In fact, I remember being excited after The Dark Knight and Watchmen, I thought these adaptations were starting to veer into the direction of better quality, but obviously this has only been true of Batman (so far, Watchmen as a one-shot leaves us with what we got, personally I liked it despite feeling that Snyder lost his nerve towards the ending). It sucks to think that instead of a Greek epic reflecting an Odyssey, Wonder Woman will likely be a superhero movie about a super powerful woman who is reluctant to be the hero we need. Instead of an amazing journey through time bending, light mutating physics and quantum physics, the Flash will likely be a fast guy who is reluctant to be the hero we need.
I believe we will happily suspend our belief and accept anything on screen as long as it’s presented with care and respect for the material. I’m sure even greater requirements of that suspension (Gorilla Grodd comes to mind) would be happily given over if the story is good, with credible characters and threats.

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Whitemartian
Whitemartian - 8/11/2011, 8:34 PM
Thank you to anyone who reads and contributes to the discussion. Agree or disagree, I wonder if the quality of these movies can be improved if studios were to start believing that their built in audiences were starting to slink away from bad adaptations.
xBlaze96x
xBlaze96x - 8/11/2011, 9:01 PM
Well, Man from when they announced the movie. I read every bit of information I could about GL. and While yes the movie did have flaws, mostly being the script. It treated the comics fairly well. Besides having Krona combine with Parallax and make the cloud. But I still enjoyed it as a regular movie goer and a comic book fan. I am in no way bad talking this editorial. I just feel that Ryan was one of the best things of the movie, he did the best he could with what he had. They should have taken more time with the script. Cause the first draft I read, was amazing and while the movie is very different then the first draft. This movie could be the beginning of a great Space Epic. They had to get the origin story out of the way. But great editorial man! And while the Sinestro and the yellow ring barely made sense to do. You know he becomes evil in the comics, I thought it was pretty awesome.
95
95 - 8/11/2011, 9:18 PM
THANK YOU! I agree 100%. My disappointment stems from the fact that Geoff Johns and Ryan Reynolds publicly marketed 'Green Lantern' as a Space Opera. After viewing the film, it was pretty clear that it wasn't and I feel lied to. From the Primetime TV/SitCom writing to the Soap Opera acting, it's unbelievable how the filmmakers got this iconic character and years of mythology wrong. Personally, for me, and I know alot of folks on this site would disagree: what fascinates me about films based on revered comic book lore are filmmaker's ability to create new compelling genre stories [e.g. Christopher Nolan's 'The Dark Knight']. Seeing elements of the comics forcefully placed into the story can be depressing at times because there are cartoons for that. Ultimately, I enjoy watching movies and hope filmmakers produce movies in an "organic" notion.
Whitemartian
Whitemartian - 8/11/2011, 10:43 PM
xBlaze96x

I appreciate what you're saying. I followed the film as well, and I came away from it disappointed. That isn't me trying to knock your enjoyment of the film at all, but what I'm really trying to say, and I think you'll agree, is that the film was not the best version of Green Lantern that it could have and should have been.

Despero

Thank you! That's exactly what I'm getting at: we are genre lovers who have a common interest in super powered beings or people with above average skills. I think a lot of us who are fans of the Avengers and the JLA are also fans of Lord of the Rings and Star Wars and these films have been changing their stories and even the core of the character to fit into the mold of a formula.
95
95 - 8/11/2011, 11:05 PM
Very true. Nicely said, all and throughout.

EXACTLY: "The film was not the best version of Green Lantern that it could have and should have been."

Coloso
Coloso - 8/11/2011, 11:34 PM
@Whitemartian, I agree with how you feel about GL. DC/WB really dropped the ball on this film. Reynolds and the whole crew were not to blame nor the director. That blame belongs to DC/WB for allowing that script. If they could have made it resonate with the movie going public DC would have already announced the green light (no pun intended) for the sequel and the go ahead for WW and Flash projects. But hopefully they learn from it and do better next time. And now to lighten the mood a bit ;)



Coloso
Coloso - 8/11/2011, 11:35 PM
Again not blaming Reynolds, found these on the internets and thought they were funny.
xBlaze96x
xBlaze96x - 8/12/2011, 12:12 AM
@whitemartian
Yeah, I know man. Everybody has the right to like and dislike things. But still it is a great editorial. I am not saying you are wrong with what you say. You probably make a great point. I just kinda enjoy it for what it is. I wish it would have been better though. I barely write articles on here. But I enjoy reading them alot more then writing them. haha
kong
kong - 8/12/2011, 4:10 AM
I liked GL. I love comic books. I know all about Marvel and DC characters, characters from Dark Horse and Image comics and SJ and all that stuff. But when i got to see a CBM i watch it as a person who's never picked up a comic book with the character in it. I had a old Thor comic years before the movie came out but i never read it until after it came out. I had never piked up a Capt. America book before the movie came out. some people let their past feelings for the character say it sucks. Then the only thing that i get mad at is that they blame it on the actor and the director. I bet if a directors cut came out for GL, it would be spectacular. Ryan Reynolds played Hal Jordan great. It's the writers falt. I said i feel like they could add more to Sinestro and Hal's relationship and i would've based the movie off of Secret Origin. I didn't turn that into a rant. GL was a great movie and i loved it.
djohnpi
djohnpi - 8/12/2011, 8:41 AM
Well good write up GL had the makingS to be a great CBM but it didn't get there. I think Reynolds did his best but the script was just dead. I hope DC can do better because believe it or not BATS can't carry the load forever and SUPES had better be good. I think we deserve better DC movies. How has Marvel understood and DC hasn't. JUST ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ROBBEATZZZ
ROBBEATZZZ - 8/12/2011, 8:55 AM
NICE ARTICLE...I AGREE GL HAD POTENTIAL TO BE A FORCE TO BE RECOKNED WITH THIS SUMMER...BUT...BLAH..

AFTER TDKR WHAT IS DC GONNA DO??..
Whitemartian
Whitemartian - 8/12/2011, 9:18 AM
@RedHood13

I agree that I'm letting my past relationship to the character push my feelings for the movie (though I'd contend that the movie was not very good on its own merits) but since I'm part of the built-in audience these movies are aimed at I don't think I should have to go in expecting something so unlike what I love about the character. I think we're both making the same point, however, about the wasted potential of the story.

I'm not knocking Reynolds, I don't think I explained myself too well: I never believed him to be Jordan, but that has to do with the writing and direction. A director says "yes, that was the performance I wanted." He essentially played another version of the shtick character he has created over the years, it takes a director who knows specifically what he wants to pull the right performance out of any actor. Reynolds is capable of a different and specific (and good!) performance, like most actors are.
I won't lie, however, I was definitely in the Nathan Fillion camp.
Whitemartian
Whitemartian - 8/12/2011, 9:26 AM
Robbeatzz

That's a very true concern. They want to make the most money from these heroes and know that the actual geek community isn't enough, they need to pull in the general viewing audience. I personally think that these stories would appeal to several types of viewer if they stuck to the genre the comic book is aiming for.
Whitemartian
Whitemartian - 8/12/2011, 11:32 AM
@HailToTheKingBaby

Thank you! I really do believe this mindset would make for better movies.

Also, unrelated, I read your SN as a reference to Jim Gaffigan.
CraptainAmerica
CraptainAmerica - 8/12/2011, 2:00 PM
It did have flaws but I actually enjoyed Green Lantern...almost as much as I love paragraphs ;-)
Whitemartian
Whitemartian - 8/12/2011, 2:43 PM
@CraptainAmerica

Yeah, I write a lot. This particular article was my first here one CBM and...didn't realize certain things don't translate well. (Like when you copy and paste from Evernote...hey, no tab key input!)
superpooper
superpooper - 8/14/2011, 5:25 PM
Very well put. I like the point you made about the studio recognizing the genre of each cbm. I find the blanket term "comic book movie" to be grossly inadequate and overly used when categorizing these films. When we take that term away and look at each Cb characters' story and what defines them to determine what genre the film is, I believe that we can better understand how to adapt these stories to film, and expand upon these stories beyond the cliche "guy is gifted powers and reluctantly becomes a hero", as you pointed out. Thank you for taking the time to write this.
Whitemartian
Whitemartian - 8/15/2011, 4:26 PM
@superpooper

Thank you for reading and commenting! You got exactly what I was saying and summarized it perfectly.
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