The summer has just started and I’m already experiencing super hero overload. Thanks to Green Lantern, I’m also experiencing the color green overload. Director Martin Campbell sure loves the color. Not just any green, but neon green to be exact. I used to love the color green. Now, I can go the rest of the summer without it.
In Green Lantern, Hal Jordan (played by the ultra fit Ryan Reynolds) is a “loser” of a fighter pilot for the US government who is fearless, which makes a mystical ring choose him as its new owner. The previous owner, Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison), lost a battle with the fear-absorbing evildoer, Parallax (voiced by Clancy Brown). While Abin Sur lies dying, his ring goes in search for the perfect person who lives without fear.
Apparently, screen and story writers Greg Berlanti, Michael Green, Marc Guggenheim, and Michael Goldenberg associate fearless with being a cocky hothead. This is fine, because cocky hothead fits Reynolds’ Hal just fine. But, I am scratching my head as to whether the entire plot of Green Lantern and its points are incredibly cheesy or just interesting entertainment.
It’s easy to get lost in the prose of the characters. Their many ruminations about “the guardians,” not allowing fear to infiltrate your mind, and an enormous fear-eating entity induced much eye-rolling in this reviewer. I also rolled my eyes at the fact that the only people who have ultra svelte bodies were the two young, hot lead actors, Reynolds and Blake Lively (Carol Ferris). Everyone else in the film is either made to look ultra weird or just hard to look at. It sounds like a conspiracy.
Another conspiracy is the way that, despite Green Lantern being a favorite amongst many in the comic book set, Director Campbell can’t seem to make Hal Jordan different from all of the other super heroes who have graced the big screen before him.
I won’t give Green Lantern the red light just yet. Reynolds does bring a certain appeal to Hal/Green Lantern. An audience member can grow to love him. But, will audience members love the Green Lantern enough to spend hard earned money on a sequel? There is sure to be two or three more Green Lanterns, given the film’s first week box office success.
Lively does bring a little something extra to her Carol. I like to see powerful women in an action film. Not only is Carol a good fighter pilot, but she’s also got enough guts to help the Green Lantern without being the damsel in distress. Carol could have fallen down the rabbit hole as just another love interest, so I applaud the writers and director for taking a chance on a strong female lead. Then again, these same men made sure to put Carol in ultra tight clothes that seem to purposely highlight her ample bosom.
Other actors of note are Peter Sarsgaard as creepy professor Hector Hammond, Mark Strong as the powerful and foreboding Sinestro, Micheal Clarke Duncan as the un-gentle giant Kilowog, Dorian Kingi as odd-looking fish Tomar-Re, and Angela Bassett as the resilient Dr. Amanda Waller.
Green Lantern needs a lesson in importance. As an audience member, I couldn’t care less about the characters and the cheesy plot points. And, that’s half of the battle at the box office.
Kimberly Grant may be reached at KAliciaG@aol.com
Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures. TM & DC Comics
Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan in the action adventure 'Green Lantern,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
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