Greetings, CBM. I saw Green Lantern on opening day with a few friends. Before it started, they all told me how they were worried by how the movie would turn out, due to it have having a 22% on Rotten Tomatoes. I told them that it can't be THAT bad. After a while, the movie started.
Now, before I delve into the plot, I must tell you that I am not a HUGE Green Lantern fan. After reading Secret Origins a few months ago, Hal Jordan as Green Lantern became my favorite DC superhero simply because he is one of the few superheroes that is able to use his mind (and some badass man jewlery) to save the day. I started going a little deeper into the lore and I was confirmed with Green Lantern becoming a favorite superhero.
By the time I read Secret Origins, Ryan Reynolds had already been cast as Hal. Having seen Buried, I knew he was a great actor, but a great Hal? I would've gone with Chris Pine. However, I followed and supported everything this movie threw at me (yes, even the casting of Blake Lively). So, when I heard all the bad reviews, I refused to believe that this movie should be along the lines of Catwoman, Batman & Robin, Steel, and Jonah Hex. Needless to say, I went in with low expectations.
Now, Iam still not that focuesd in the Green Lantern history, but I am a HUGE fan of film and of cbm's. So what did I think of the movie? I liked it. First, lets delve into the plot. REMINDER: SPOILERS AHEAD.
From Wiki: Millions of years before the Earth was formed, a group of beings called the Guardians of the Universe used the green essence of the Emotional Spectrum of Willpower to create an intergalactic police force called the Green Lantern Corps. They split the universe into 3,600 sectors, with one Green Lantern per sector. The strongest of all the Green Lanterns was Abin Sur of Sector 2814, who defeated the ultimate being of fear called Parallax and imprisoned him in the Lost Sector (Sector 666) on the ruined planet Ryut. However, in the present day, Parallax (at the form of a Guardian of the Universe) escapes from his prison after consuming the lives of three aliens stranded in the sector. Six months later, after killing four Green Lanterns and destroying two planets, Parallax attacks Sector 2814 and mortally wounds Abin Sur, who escapes and crash-lands on Earth. With his life reaching its end, Abin Sur commands his ring to find a worthy successor on the planet.
Test pilot Hal Jordan is whisked away to the crash site, where he is appointed Green Lantern by a dying Abin Sur. He travels to the Green Lantern Corps home base of Oa and meets Tomar-Re and Kilowog before encountering Sinestro, who is not pleased that a human - which is primitive compared to other species - has become a Green Lantern. Seeing himself unfit and fearful by Sinestro, Hal quits and returns to Earth. Meanwhile, after being summoned by a secret government organization, scientist Hector Hammond performs an autopsy on Abin Sur's body, but a piece of Parallax's DNA inside the corpse injects itself inside him, mutating the scientist and giving him telepathy and telekinetic powers, at the cost of his sanity. When he realizes that his own father, U.S. Senator Robert Hammond, had manipulated him to do the alien autopsy, he attempts to kill him by telekinetically sabotaging his helicopter at a party. But Hal uses his new-found powers to save the senator and all of the party guests - including his childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris, who later on recognizes him under the suit and mask. Shortly after, Hal encounters Hector, who succeeds in his second attempt to kill his father by burning him, and realizes that Parallax is on his way to Earth.
Back on Oa, the Guardians reveal to Sinestro that Parallax was originally one of them, Krona, until he desired to control the yellow essence of the Emotional Spectrum of Fear against the wishes of his peers, ultimately becoming the embodiment of fear itself. Seeing that the only means to fight fear is fear itself, Sinestro requests for the Guardians to forge a ring of the same yellow power. However, Hal appears and tells Sinestro not to use the ring and asks the Corps to help him protect Earth from Parallax's imminent invasion. His request, however, is denied and Hal himself must protect his home planet.
Upon returning to Earth, Hal saves Carol from being injected with Parallax's DNA by Hector, but Parallax arrives - consuming Hector's life force for failing to kill Hal before wreaking havoc on Coast City. Hal wards Parallax away from Earth and towards the Sun - using the Sun's gravity to pull and disintegrate the entity. He loses consciousness after the battle, but is saved by Sinestro, Kilowog and Tomar-Re before the entire Green Lantern Corps congratulate him for his bravery. Hal tells Carol he now bears the responsibility of protecting his sector as a Green Lantern.
During the end credits, Sinestro, who is drawn by the power of fear, takes the yellow ring and puts it on.
So, thoughts on the movie? I thought that it was a good summer movie. I kind of compare it to Prince of Persia, from last year. It served its purpose as a fun, action packed movie. Now I know a lot of hardcore fans wanted something better. And we should have gotten something epic along the lines of Star Wars. But, instead of epic, we were given fun. And that is not a terrible substitute. Green Lantern is filled with great special effects, good acting, and an overall fun time at the movies. However, it does have a bad story, mixed in with bad dialouge at some points and VERY cheesy jokes. One can only wonder what was going through the writers' mindsat this point.
Martin Campbell, the man who saved James Bond twice, directs this movie, but it doesn't really matter. It feels like anyone could've directed this movie, which is a real shame. However, he is able to pull out a great performance from our main actor, Ryan Reynolds. With the dialouge that he is given, any other actor in the role would've sounded like shit. Reynolds is able to use his charm and wit to stomach such lines. He really was perfect for the role. There is nothing I can say for Mark Strong that hasn't already been said. He was perfect but underused. I actually enjoyed Peter Sarsgaard as Hector Hammond. He seemed to have fun in the role, but wasn't developed well at all. He gains his powers and becomes evil cause he hates his dad. That's basically it.
Blake Lively as Carol Ferris actually left me confused. I know she is a good actress (see The Town for proof), but when she is being stern she sucks. She comes off as dry. However, when she is with Reynolds, they manage to pull off some chemistry. Once again, though, their subplot is not developed well. Same can be said for Tim Robbins and Angela Basset. They show up, do their job, and collect their pay check.
Now, I may seem to be giving this movie a hard time, but I enjoyed it. I got a real Spider-Man 1 vibe from it. It wasn't fantastic but it was meant to set up a (better) sequel. And, with all the negative reviews, you can bet that WB will try and make the second one better. But still, this movie was just good ol'fashioned fun at the movies, in my opinon. With all the good movies that have come out this summer, I have Green Lantern on that list of good ones, but very low. First Class is still number 1!
So when you go into this movie, go in with the expectations of a good time away from your normal life. You will enjoy it a lot more. I give Green Lantern:
3 of 5 Jars of Awesomsauce!!
Tell me what you think in the comments below. ;)