The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern (Alan Scott) was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 (July 1940).
Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and power lantern that gives the user great control over the physical world as long as the wielder has sufficient willpower and strength to wield it. The ring is one of the most powerful weapons in the universe, and can be very dangerous. While the ring of the Golden Age Green Lantern (Alan Scott) was magically powered, the rings worn by all subsequent Lanterns were technological creations of the Guardians of the Universe, who granted such rings to worthy candidates. These individuals made up the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps. After World War II, when sales of superhero comic books generally declined, DC ceased publishing new adventures of Alan Scott as the Green Lantern. In 1959, at the beginning of the Silver Age of Comic Books, DC editor Julius Schwartz assigned writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane to revive the Green Lantern character, this time as test pilot Hal Jordan, who became a founding member of the Justice League of America. In 1970, writer Denny O’Neil and artist Neal Adams teamed Green Lantern with archer Green Arrow in groundbreaking, socially conscious, and award-winning stories that pitted the sensibilities of the law-and-order-oriented Lantern with the populist Green Arrow. Several cosmically themed series followed, as did occasional different individuals in the role of Earth’s Green Lantern. Most prominent of these are John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner.
Each of the Earth’s Green Lanterns has been a member of either the Justice Society of America or the Justice League of America, and John Stewart was featured as one of the main characters in both the Justice League and the Justice League Unlimited animated series. The Green Lanterns are often depicted as being close friends of the various men who have been the Flash, the most notable friendships having been between Alan Scott and Jay Garrick (the Golden Age Green Lantern and Flash), Hal Jordan and Barry Allen (the Silver Age Green Lantern and Flash), and Kyle Rayner and Wally West (the modern age Green Lantern and Flash), as well as Jordan being friends with West.
In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds). Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before
For a movie that relies so heavily on energy to form its narrative, Green Lantern lacks any real oomph of its own. It’s an inert origin story, built out of bits and pieces of comic book mythology that most likely played a lot better on four fixed panels. From the unusual — and often counterproductive — casting choices to the lack of vision on the part of director Martin Campbell, this is the kind of near calamity that DC fans have long feared. While Marvel manages to reinvent its label as a superior setting for serious filmmakers and equally adept actors, their competitor continues to live off Christopher Nolan and his brilliant Batman films hoping to somehow hit cinematic paydirt again. So far, they’re failing.
Hal Jordan (a blank Ryan Reynolds) is a hot shot pilot working for aero-tech concern Ferris Aircraft. Along with gal pal — and equally adept flyer — Carol (Blake Lively), our hero plays fast and loose with the rules. Haunted by the death of his father, Hal puts on an air of fearlessness. In truth, he’s tentative about his life and its prospects. All of that changes when he is chose by the Green Lantern Corps to take the place of dying alien warrior Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison). His job? Protect the universe.
Hal is the first earthling ever chosen by the bright emerald light of will, and he is soon whisked to the Lantern planet of Oa to discover his new destiny. There, he meets lead Lantern Sinestro (Mark Strong) as well as mentor and guide Tomar-re (Geoffrey Rush). Back on Earth, the doctor son (Peter Sarsgaard) of a well-placed politician (Tim Robbins) becomes infected with the fear essence of the deadly immortal Parallax and starts to change. Soon, he is a formidable freak, hoping to take down Hal and help his host destroy our galaxy.
At first, Green Lantern looks like it’s going to work. We witness the release of Parallax, watch as Abin Sur battles the “beast” and then escapes. During these initial moments, the movie has a zip and vitality that will soon more or less disappear. Then we are introduced to Reynolds’s cypher of a center and the film really starts to fall apart. It’s impossible to know if putting someone else in the bright green garb of the Lantern would have made that big of a difference. Campbell, who made his reputation with two James Bonds films (GoldenEye and Casino Royale) forgets all of his finesse. Instead, it’s one clunky scene after another, each establishing a necessary piece of exposition without adding one ounce of awe or wonder to the mix. In the end, it’s all practiced and perfunctory, not the best combination for a future franchise in the making.
If one were to pinpoint where things go horribly askew, it would have to be when Hal makes his first public appearance as Green Lantern. It’s at a party for Ferris Aircraft, and he’s been invited because…well, if he’s not there, he can’t save the day, right? Anyway, Sarsgaard’s demented scientist, now capable of similarly styled telekinesis, causes a helicopter to crash…and how does Hal save the day? Why, by turning the mayhem into a CG version of Hot Wheels — track and all. Yes indeed, when evil rears its ugly, malformed head, our hero relies on silly computer generated kiddie junk to divide and conquer. From the uniformly poor performances (Lively looks lost, while Strong is simply waiting for the sequel) to the undeniable feeling of being witness to something struggling to find a purpose, Green Lantern is just lame. Fans may forgive his lack of spark. Everyone else will want to avoid its lackluster light.
In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds). Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before
For a movie that relies so heavily on energy to form its narrative, Green Lantern lacks any real oomph of its own. It’s an inert origin story, built out of bits and pieces of comic book mythology that most likely played a lot better on four fixed panels. From the unusual — and often counterproductive — casting choices to the lack of vision on the part of director Martin Campbell, this is the kind of near calamity that DC fans have long feared. While Marvel manages to reinvent its label as a superior setting for serious filmmakers and equally adept actors, their competitor continues to live off Christopher Nolan and his brilliant Batman films hoping to somehow hit cinematic paydirt again. So far, they’re failing.
Hal Jordan (a blank Ryan Reynolds) is a hot shot pilot working for aero-tech concern Ferris Aircraft. Along with gal pal — and equally adept flyer — Carol (Blake Lively), our hero plays fast and loose with the rules. Haunted by the death of his father, Hal puts on an air of fearlessness. In truth, he’s tentative about his life and its prospects. All of that changes when he is chose by the Green Lantern Corps to take the place of dying alien warrior Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison). His job? Protect the universe.
Hal is the first earthling ever chosen by the bright emerald light of will, and he is soon whisked to the Lantern planet of Oa to discover his new destiny. There, he meets lead Lantern Sinestro (Mark Strong) as well as mentor and guide Tomar-re (Geoffrey Rush). Back on Earth, the doctor son (Peter Sarsgaard) of a well-placed politician (Tim Robbins) becomes infected with the fear essence of the deadly immortal Parallax and starts to change. Soon, he is a formidable freak, hoping to take down Hal and help his host destroy our galaxy.
At first, Green Lantern looks like it’s going to work. We witness the release of Parallax, watch as Abin Sur battles the “beast” and then escapes. During these initial moments, the movie has a zip and vitality that will soon more or less disappear. Then we are introduced to Reynolds’s cypher of a center and the film really starts to fall apart. It’s impossible to know if putting someone else in the bright green garb of the Lantern would have made that big of a difference. Campbell, who made his reputation with two James Bonds films (GoldenEye and Casino Royale) forgets all of his finesse. Instead, it’s one clunky scene after another, each establishing a necessary piece of exposition without adding one ounce of awe or wonder to the mix. In the end, it’s all practiced and perfunctory, not the best combination for a future franchise in the making.
If one were to pinpoint where things go horribly askew, it would have to be when Hal makes his first public appearance as Green Lantern. It’s at a party for Ferris Aircraft, and he’s been invited because…well, if he’s not there, he can’t save the day, right? Anyway, Sarsgaard’s demented scientist, now capable of similarly styled telekinesis, causes a helicopter to crash…and how does Hal save the day? Why, by turning the mayhem into a CG version of Hot Wheels — track and all. Yes indeed, when evil rears its ugly, malformed head, our hero relies on silly computer generated kiddie junk to divide and conquer. From the uniformly poor performances (Lively looks lost, while Strong is simply waiting for the sequel) to the undeniable feeling of being witness to something struggling to find a purpose, Green Lantern is just lame. Fans may forgive his lack of spark. Everyone else will want to avoid its lackluster light.
