Don't read this unless you've already seen the movie. There's some fairly heavy duty spoilers here.
One thing I totally forgot in trying to articulate just how random Hal's personality changes in during the movie is how Sinestro suffers just as badly.
For the brief amount of screen-time he has, Mark Strong is picture-perfect as Sinestro. The problem is that the script fails him completely when it comes time for Hal to prove himself and save the Earth from Parallax. At this point, The Guardians are so desperate for a means to fight Parallax that they have forged a ring powered by the power of Fear and are about to hand it to Sinestro when Hal shows up, says they can't give in to fear or use an evil power against itself. Hal then asks for a chance to prove himself and fight Parallax.
Suddenly, the arrogant but skillful leader, who has been expressing his doubts about Hal's ability from Day One suddenly is all "whatever" about the untested, incompetent rookie facing down a monster that killed most of The Corps best.
At this point in his life, there is no way Sinestro would stand idly by while innocents were in danger. Even if they were stupid, smelly Earthlings. Sinestro could have insisted that he stand with Hal in the fight to come, if only to honor his old friend Abin Sur. He could even have grabbed the yellow ring and flown off, decrying the Guardians' unwillingness to do what must be done.
But he doesn't. He only shows up once the battle is over, along with Tomar Re and Killowog, to save Hal after he nearly gets killed luring Parallax into Earth's sun. And at the end he says he was wrong about Hal and that they were fortunate the ring found someone so much like his old friend.
Which makes the bit after the credits where Sinestro takes the yellow ring from where The Guardians left it COMPLETELY nonsensical! Seriously. The only reason Sinestro was going to take the ring in the first place was because there was no other way to defeat Parallax - or so he thought at the time. Of course this begs the question of why The Guardians didn't get rid of the damn thing in the first place...
Getting back to Hal and the origin-story angle...
One of the biggest complaints I've seen in the reviews of this movie is that most of the movie is a standard origin story with nothing we haven't seen before in every other superhero movie. On the one hand, The Hero's Journey is a standard archetype for a reason, as anyone who has read some Joseph Campbell can tell you. On the other hand, it's a fair complaint... because Hal Jordan is probably the last hero who should get a standard Hero's Journey film.
Hal should already be a bad-ass man with a variety of heroic qualities when the movie opens. In fact, he is. It's only after being given access to power that he begins to doubt himself. Why? Because the Hero's Journey says he should doubt himself at the mid-point of his quest.
And I think that is part of what killed this movie for a lot of the fans - Hal is not a good fit for that story. Kyle Rayner would be. Guy Gardner, who had a lot of issues with his family that inspired him to heroism would be. And depending on which of his backgrounds you used, John Stewart could fit the bill too. But Hal? If you have to have a crisis for Hal, it should have been the same one as Tony Stark - the man-child learns responsibility.
Maybe that's why Hal was written so different in the middle part of the movie? Maybe the writer was trying to avoid accusations of "Oh, well this is just like Iron Man with the jerk learning to be less selfish." Just a thought...
And yet, the great irony was that in trying to make this movie more generic to the masses, I think it mitigated everything that would have made the movie stand out. Indeed, the biggest problem with the movie is I don't think it went far enough with the central concept: a group of alien space cops. The scenes on Oa are far too brief and the alien Lanterns far too underutilized.
Maybe this will be improved in the sequel... when there is one.
Showing posts with label Green Lantern Movie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Green Lantern Movie. Show all posts
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Green Lantern The Movie: A Review
To sum the movie up in one word, disappointing.
With all of the talent involved this should have been a home-run. Instead they took one of the most basic superhero origin stories there is and managed to make it more complicated even while dumbing it down.
Suffice it to say, if you're a Green Lantern purist, you'll likely be pissed off by the liberties taken. Even more liberal fanboys like me, who understand that sometimes these changes have to be made, will wonder exactly WHY certain changes were made when the changes don't make much more sense than what was in the original books.
Still, the movie has much to recommend it. The biggest problem is that the excellent cast is poorly utilized with nobody getting much in the way of screen time or development, except for Hal who is earnestly played by Ryan Reynolds, though the script - penned by four actors - leaves Hal Jordan seeming more schizophrenic than conflicted.
And yet - despite all this - I liked it. I didn't love it. And it's nowhere near as good as I'd hoped. But I'd say it's worth seeing on the big screen because the effects ARE amazing. The movie isn't anywhere as bad as it's being made out to be by some critics but I can't really say it's that great. It's a popcorn movie. Nothing more.
For massive spoilers, read on.
I know several Green Lantern purists will be offended by some key elements of the mythos that have been changed. In this version, for instance, Parallax is a rogue Guardian consumed by the power of Fear. In this version, rather than being wary of any emotional energy but Will, The Guardians refined the power of Fear but decided against using it after what happened to Parallax. And the idea that any single Green Lantern like Abin Sur could contain a rogue Guardian... preposterous!
Really, these changes are inconsequential. It matters not just how Parallax came into being so long as he is a monster made of pure fear, who feeds on the fears of others. It matters not just how the Yellow Energy gets created, so long as it is there for Sinestro to claim one day after his fall from grace. Do you really think we can easily explain way the Anti-Matter Universe, The Planet Qward and the Weaponeers without becoming as bogged down in continuity as the David Lynch version of Dune?
What matters, as always, is character. Sadly, Green Lantern is lacking in that regard.
The biggest problem with Green Lantern: The Movie is that it is the very definition of a plot driven story, where characters motivations and actions will change on the spin of a dime because that's what the story says happens.
Hal Jordan is portrayed as being a brave - if foolish and reckless - young man... right up until the point the plot requires him to have a crisis of faith in his own abilities.
Sinestro is portrayed as a cold but courageous leader who insists on handling everything personally... right up until the point the script requires him to start doubting The Guardians and their power and for him to refuse to help a rookie Lantern whose ability he doubts.
Carol Ferris is a confident, all-business professional... right up until the script calls for her to start cooing like a schoolgirl. Well, I think that was the intent. With Blake Lively, it's kind of hard to tell as she spends most of the movie looking like a school girl playing at being a tough business woman.
Apart from her, the cast is excellent - though wasted. Michael Clarke Duncan is perfectly cast as the Green Lantern drill sergeant Killowog... for all of the two minutes he is on screen. Ditto Tomar-Re and Mark Strong as Sinestro. Perhaps strangest of all is Angela Bassett as Amanda Waller - a name which has a lot of significance to long-time DC Comics fans... though you'd never know the importance of the name from the way her character is treated here.
Ryan Reynolds is a great Hal Jordan, with his portrayal being reminiscent of Mark Waid's take on the character in Justice League Of America: Year One - a confident hotshot who romances, drives and flies without fear. He is Maverick from Top Gun on speed. At least for the first 20 minutes of the movie...
As I said, the script leaves a lot of the characters in a very schizophrenic state. Hal is a man-child who never grew up, has one night stands, drives recklessly and endangers his livelihood and his life at work. He seems completely fearless... until the point when he is supposed to have a crisis of faith and have long talks with his semi-girlfriend about how he can overcome his fears.
The script tries to throw fanboys various bones, with scenes where we see Hal's troubled family life, his close relationship with a nephew who worships him and a flashback where we see Hal's greatest defining moment - the death of his father in a plane crash. But as nice as these touches are and as good as they are at humanizing Hal past being a typical cocky jerk protagonist, nothing is done with these characters or these concepts save to show that Hal is a decent guy under all his attitude.
Another weakness of the script is how very little of it makes sense. In the opening scenes, Ferris Aircraft is trying to sell drone planes to the US Military, claiming that they can do anything a human pilot can do and do it better. Given that, why are they pitting their own pilots against the drones? Wouldn't the USAF insist on putting their own pilots against the drones, if for no other reason than - oh, I don't know - the pilots working for the company selling the drones might not be objective in the field?
And honestly - there is no good reason for Hector Hammond to be in this movie. None whatsoever. He's not an A-List Green Lantern villain, even if Geoff Johns DID include in him the latest retelling of Secret Origin. The make-up for the character looked ridiculous and inspired laughter in the crowd of teenagers I saw the movie with, who were otherwise silent for the rest of the film, shockingly enough. And really, his acting as a beacon for Parallax adds nothing to the movie. You could have just as easily had Parallax key in on the ring that imprisoned him - i.e. The one Hal is wearing now - and have him decide to attack Earth that way.
And if I may allow myself one fanboy nitpick? The idea that he somehow develops telepathy and telekinesis from touching a bit of Parallax that was in Abin Sur's body is far more ridiculous than his origin in the comics, where he developed superpowers after being exposed to the radioactive core of an alien spaceship.
That beind said, is there anything about the movie I did like? Well, yes...
Ryan Reynolds does a good job with Hal, despite the weaknesses in the script and he totally sells the funny parts as well as the sheer joy as he learns the powers of the ring. The bit where he first flies under his own power is magical.
Most of the cast is good, for what little time they are on screen.
The effects are top-notch and raise the bar for CGI in superhero movies.
And I've had a few people text me already asking which Green Lantern stories I'd recommend since - after seeing the movie - they want to read some of the books. Any comic adaptation that encourages people to seek out the source material can't be that bad.
With all of the talent involved this should have been a home-run. Instead they took one of the most basic superhero origin stories there is and managed to make it more complicated even while dumbing it down.
Suffice it to say, if you're a Green Lantern purist, you'll likely be pissed off by the liberties taken. Even more liberal fanboys like me, who understand that sometimes these changes have to be made, will wonder exactly WHY certain changes were made when the changes don't make much more sense than what was in the original books.
Still, the movie has much to recommend it. The biggest problem is that the excellent cast is poorly utilized with nobody getting much in the way of screen time or development, except for Hal who is earnestly played by Ryan Reynolds, though the script - penned by four actors - leaves Hal Jordan seeming more schizophrenic than conflicted.
And yet - despite all this - I liked it. I didn't love it. And it's nowhere near as good as I'd hoped. But I'd say it's worth seeing on the big screen because the effects ARE amazing. The movie isn't anywhere as bad as it's being made out to be by some critics but I can't really say it's that great. It's a popcorn movie. Nothing more.
For massive spoilers, read on.
I know several Green Lantern purists will be offended by some key elements of the mythos that have been changed. In this version, for instance, Parallax is a rogue Guardian consumed by the power of Fear. In this version, rather than being wary of any emotional energy but Will, The Guardians refined the power of Fear but decided against using it after what happened to Parallax. And the idea that any single Green Lantern like Abin Sur could contain a rogue Guardian... preposterous!
Really, these changes are inconsequential. It matters not just how Parallax came into being so long as he is a monster made of pure fear, who feeds on the fears of others. It matters not just how the Yellow Energy gets created, so long as it is there for Sinestro to claim one day after his fall from grace. Do you really think we can easily explain way the Anti-Matter Universe, The Planet Qward and the Weaponeers without becoming as bogged down in continuity as the David Lynch version of Dune?
What matters, as always, is character. Sadly, Green Lantern is lacking in that regard.
The biggest problem with Green Lantern: The Movie is that it is the very definition of a plot driven story, where characters motivations and actions will change on the spin of a dime because that's what the story says happens.
Hal Jordan is portrayed as being a brave - if foolish and reckless - young man... right up until the point the plot requires him to have a crisis of faith in his own abilities.
Sinestro is portrayed as a cold but courageous leader who insists on handling everything personally... right up until the point the script requires him to start doubting The Guardians and their power and for him to refuse to help a rookie Lantern whose ability he doubts.
Carol Ferris is a confident, all-business professional... right up until the script calls for her to start cooing like a schoolgirl. Well, I think that was the intent. With Blake Lively, it's kind of hard to tell as she spends most of the movie looking like a school girl playing at being a tough business woman.
Apart from her, the cast is excellent - though wasted. Michael Clarke Duncan is perfectly cast as the Green Lantern drill sergeant Killowog... for all of the two minutes he is on screen. Ditto Tomar-Re and Mark Strong as Sinestro. Perhaps strangest of all is Angela Bassett as Amanda Waller - a name which has a lot of significance to long-time DC Comics fans... though you'd never know the importance of the name from the way her character is treated here.
Ryan Reynolds is a great Hal Jordan, with his portrayal being reminiscent of Mark Waid's take on the character in Justice League Of America: Year One - a confident hotshot who romances, drives and flies without fear. He is Maverick from Top Gun on speed. At least for the first 20 minutes of the movie...
As I said, the script leaves a lot of the characters in a very schizophrenic state. Hal is a man-child who never grew up, has one night stands, drives recklessly and endangers his livelihood and his life at work. He seems completely fearless... until the point when he is supposed to have a crisis of faith and have long talks with his semi-girlfriend about how he can overcome his fears.
The script tries to throw fanboys various bones, with scenes where we see Hal's troubled family life, his close relationship with a nephew who worships him and a flashback where we see Hal's greatest defining moment - the death of his father in a plane crash. But as nice as these touches are and as good as they are at humanizing Hal past being a typical cocky jerk protagonist, nothing is done with these characters or these concepts save to show that Hal is a decent guy under all his attitude.
Another weakness of the script is how very little of it makes sense. In the opening scenes, Ferris Aircraft is trying to sell drone planes to the US Military, claiming that they can do anything a human pilot can do and do it better. Given that, why are they pitting their own pilots against the drones? Wouldn't the USAF insist on putting their own pilots against the drones, if for no other reason than - oh, I don't know - the pilots working for the company selling the drones might not be objective in the field?
And honestly - there is no good reason for Hector Hammond to be in this movie. None whatsoever. He's not an A-List Green Lantern villain, even if Geoff Johns DID include in him the latest retelling of Secret Origin. The make-up for the character looked ridiculous and inspired laughter in the crowd of teenagers I saw the movie with, who were otherwise silent for the rest of the film, shockingly enough. And really, his acting as a beacon for Parallax adds nothing to the movie. You could have just as easily had Parallax key in on the ring that imprisoned him - i.e. The one Hal is wearing now - and have him decide to attack Earth that way.
And if I may allow myself one fanboy nitpick? The idea that he somehow develops telepathy and telekinesis from touching a bit of Parallax that was in Abin Sur's body is far more ridiculous than his origin in the comics, where he developed superpowers after being exposed to the radioactive core of an alien spaceship.
That beind said, is there anything about the movie I did like? Well, yes...
Ryan Reynolds does a good job with Hal, despite the weaknesses in the script and he totally sells the funny parts as well as the sheer joy as he learns the powers of the ring. The bit where he first flies under his own power is magical.
Most of the cast is good, for what little time they are on screen.
The effects are top-notch and raise the bar for CGI in superhero movies.
And I've had a few people text me already asking which Green Lantern stories I'd recommend since - after seeing the movie - they want to read some of the books. Any comic adaptation that encourages people to seek out the source material can't be that bad.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
New Green Lantern Trailer! Looking even better.
I think this coming out three days before my birthday may be the best birthday present I get this year.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Green Lantern Movie Trailer Is Out... and it looks AWESOME!
I think Iron Man just met his
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Our First View of the Green Lantern Movie
SOURCE:The Green Lantern Pictures Just Keep On Coming
Not only do we have pictures of Hal Jordan in costume, we have pictures of him out of costume, with Carol Ferris, before and after pictures of Hector Hammond (with Amanda Waller in the background) and a background shot of Hector Hammond's lab where he is examining Abin Sur's body.
All in all, I like what I see here.
Sure, the "ribbed for her pleasure" (expect to see that joke repeated everywhere) bodysuit wasn't what I was expecting. But so long as there's no rubber defined nipples, I see no reason to panic.
So please, my fellow Green Lantern fans, maintain your calm and use that willpower you wish to emulate to avoid giving into fear.
Yes, the costume is different from any costume we've seen in the comics. But given how frequently the Green Lantern costume has changed and evolved over the years, that's hardly surprising. To be quite frank, I'm amazed we got a bodysuit with a mask and a glowing, recognizable GL Logo. If that doesn't comfort you, consider that Hal is wearing a brown leather bomber jacket as part of his street clothes... just like in the comics. Trust me - that's a MUCH better sign that the people running things are staying true to the spirit of the character than that they've tweaked the design on the superhero uniform a bit.
For goodness sake, I've seen far too many rants and seen far too many people I count as friends swearing that this movie is going to be a complete disaster just because of a few photos! And some of the reasons are just plain silly. So what if the ring design seems to be based on Kyle's ring rather than the classic Silver Age one? You know why that is? Because the logo shows up better on that style ring. Branding, kids. It's all about the branding.
And to answer perhaps the most insane complaint I've seen yet... yes, the costume in skin-tight and doesn't leave a lot to the imagination. Big deal. To the one fan who I've read complaining about how this is all some desperate attempt to appeal to the Ryan Reynolds fangirls and bring them in to watch the movie, I have this to say.
Suck it up.
Seriously?! Are you're afraid that that the womenfolk might come and menstruate all over the theater while you're trying to get your geek on? Or that gay men might be getting their hearts aflutter over a nice ass? Well, get over yourself. The geek girls and gay geek guys deserve their R&R beefcake!
Not only do we have pictures of Hal Jordan in costume, we have pictures of him out of costume, with Carol Ferris, before and after pictures of Hector Hammond (with Amanda Waller in the background) and a background shot of Hector Hammond's lab where he is examining Abin Sur's body.
All in all, I like what I see here.
Sure, the "ribbed for her pleasure" (expect to see that joke repeated everywhere) bodysuit wasn't what I was expecting. But so long as there's no rubber defined nipples, I see no reason to panic.
So please, my fellow Green Lantern fans, maintain your calm and use that willpower you wish to emulate to avoid giving into fear.
Yes, the costume is different from any costume we've seen in the comics. But given how frequently the Green Lantern costume has changed and evolved over the years, that's hardly surprising. To be quite frank, I'm amazed we got a bodysuit with a mask and a glowing, recognizable GL Logo. If that doesn't comfort you, consider that Hal is wearing a brown leather bomber jacket as part of his street clothes... just like in the comics. Trust me - that's a MUCH better sign that the people running things are staying true to the spirit of the character than that they've tweaked the design on the superhero uniform a bit.
For goodness sake, I've seen far too many rants and seen far too many people I count as friends swearing that this movie is going to be a complete disaster just because of a few photos! And some of the reasons are just plain silly. So what if the ring design seems to be based on Kyle's ring rather than the classic Silver Age one? You know why that is? Because the logo shows up better on that style ring. Branding, kids. It's all about the branding.
And to answer perhaps the most insane complaint I've seen yet... yes, the costume in skin-tight and doesn't leave a lot to the imagination. Big deal. To the one fan who I've read complaining about how this is all some desperate attempt to appeal to the Ryan Reynolds fangirls and bring them in to watch the movie, I have this to say.
Suck it up.
Seriously?! Are you're afraid that that the womenfolk might come and menstruate all over the theater while you're trying to get your geek on? Or that gay men might be getting their hearts aflutter over a nice ass? Well, get over yourself. The geek girls and gay geek guys deserve their R&R beefcake!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Van Wilder is Hal Jordan?
SOURCE: Ryan Reynolds is the 'Green Lantern'
On the one hand, I'm sad Nathan Fillion didn't get it. And I personally think Ryan Reynolds would be a better Kyle Rayner than a Hal Jordan, unless we're going with the "can occasionally crack wise" Geoff Johns Hal Jordan.
On the other hand, given that the alternative was Justin Timberlake, I'm relieved. And the pitiful wailing of all the Marvel fanboys who are now scared that a Deadpool movie will never get made now with Reynolds accepting a bigger role amuses me deeply.
Cry for me Marvel Zombies! Your tears are sweet to me.
On the one hand, I'm sad Nathan Fillion didn't get it. And I personally think Ryan Reynolds would be a better Kyle Rayner than a Hal Jordan, unless we're going with the "can occasionally crack wise" Geoff Johns Hal Jordan.
On the other hand, given that the alternative was Justin Timberlake, I'm relieved. And the pitiful wailing of all the Marvel fanboys who are now scared that a Deadpool movie will never get made now with Reynolds accepting a bigger role amuses me deeply.
Cry for me Marvel Zombies! Your tears are sweet to me.
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