Green Lantern: Awesome sauce

Directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale); written by Greg Berlanti (No Ordinary Family), Michael Green (Heroes), Marc Guggenheim (Green Lantern: Emerald Knights) and Michael Goldberg (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix); and starring Ryan Reynolds (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and Blake Lively (Gossip Girl), Green Lantern proved a solid comic movie with a strong plot, good writing, and realistic CGI.

I’ve looked forward to this film ever since watching Hal Jordan in the Superfriends, reading him in various Justice League comics, and following his solo adventures with the Green Arrow. I hoped Green Lantern would live up to its amazing looking commercials. Luckily, it did.

Without giving anything away, the plot follows “Top Gun” pilot, Hal Jordan, whose absolute fearlessness attracts the attention of the ring of a dying member of the Green Lantern core, Abin Sur, who crash-landed on Earth. Afterwards, the film traverses Hal battling local and galactic evil. The writers did a good job laying out the comic’s storyline for newcomers, while incorporating known Green Lantern baddies such as Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard), Parallax, and Sinestro (Mark Strong) alongside Green Lantern goodies such as Kilowog (Michael Clarke Duncan), Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), and Thomas Kalmaku (Taika Waititi). And a hotter incarnation of Amanda Waller, played by Angela Bassett, also appears. Basically, if you’ve read Green Lantern: Secret Origin, then you know the basis for the plot. If you don’t, the film will come as a nice surprise.

You always want to compare a comic film to its predecessors. The problem with many comic book movies includes an appeal to low attention spans (Transformers); an inability to write believable characters (GI Joe); the desire to juggle multiple villains (Batman Forever); or the belief in needing to simplify the mythology (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen). However, Green Lantern avoids all of that. It shares traits with pre-existing films like Batman: The Dark Knight or Superman Returns (yes, that Superman) through its focus on intelligence over mindless entertainment. Although it has multiple plot lines, it balances each well. And although it features awesome action scenes, it intersperses them with small bits of intelligence and reality including Hal Jordan’s flashbacks and Hammond’s nightmares. While steeped in Green Lantern’s canon, it unfolds the story so newcomers won’t get lost.

In fact, if you don’t know anything about the Green Lantern’s background or the DC and Marvel universes, you’d assume the filmmakers incorporated the most successful parts of past comic book movies including a Rhodey-Stark-like friendship (Iron Man), a Betty Banner-like love interest (Hulk), a Top Gun-like opening, a theme surrounding a man with no fear (Daredevil), and a few scenes reminiscent of Spiderman 3 (you’ll know them when you see them).

Ryan Reynolds did a great job as Hal Jordan. Although they updated his character to a two-dimensional rogue pilot with a player-like “need for speed,” eventually he becomes more realistic and fleshed out. Additionally, Reynolds’ casual delivery showed his ease in playing a beloved DC hero. Although a brunette-colored Blake Lively did a decent job as Carol Ferris, I would’ve preferred a slightly more intelligent actress such as Naomi Watts. Considering Lively looks a decade younger than her male co-stars, I found their shared childhood references slightly dubious. Although she and Reynolds lacked any chemistry above the friend level, the writers developed their connection without turning her into the stereotypical helpless heroine.

When watching the 3D version, I found the first 20 minutes absolutely awesome, especially the close-up detailing Abin Sur’s ship, but, fear not — 2D watchers won’t miss much after the initial scenes. However, Hollywood has come a long way from Star Trek: TOS in portraying alien species without limiting themselves to two-legged humanoids. Plus, the CGI artists did a great job rendering the Guardians’ robes, the Green Lantern outfit, and Kilowog.

Admittedly, there are a couple bitter seeds in this fleshy apple, but they are few and far apart. A couple of the lines sounded slightly hackneyed including Parallax’s opening line and Carol Ferris’ dialogue. It initially felt jarring when switching between the CGI and real world scenes. And, although amazing, the CGI occasionally looked toy-like. Hal’s speech to the Guardians went on too long and almost seemed laughable. Although his family felt like the stock worried family, they also portrayed grounding for his character. And while we don’t see Ryan Reynolds at his Two Guys, A Girl, and a Pizza Place best regarding getting the humor across, he’s still funny. I’d love to make a comment about the ending, but I’ll pass that on in trying to avoid spoilers.

Overall, I give Green Lantern four clacks. It proved a great film experience. They balanced the inaction with the action and appealed to the comic book lover in me who had not read the Origins comic. The writing featured great punchlines including a few minor references to other iconic cartoon/comic book figures. If you love comic movies or even if you don’t, this film is for you. P.S. don’t leave until the credits finish. Overall, I dub this film “awesome sauce.”

Clacked by An Nicholson
on Jun 16, 2011 @ 09:05 EST5EDT