Films to See After You Die: #25 Green Lantern

Green Lantern (2011)

Director: Martin Campbell

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Mark Strong, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Tim Robbins and Clancy Brown

Synopsis: Millions of years before the Earth was formed, a group of beings called the Guardians of the Universe used the green essence 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. One such Green Lantern, Abin Sur of Sector 2814, defeated the fear-essence being Parallax (voiced by Clancy Brown) and imprisoned him in the Lost Sector on the ruined planet Ryut. However, in the present day, Parallax escapes from his prison. Six months later, Parallax attacks Sector 2814 and mortally wounds Abin Sur, who escapes and crash-lands on Earth. The dying Abin Sur commands his ring to find a worthy successor on the planet. Ferris Aircraft test pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) is chosen by the ring and transported to the crash site, where Abin Sur appoints him a Green Lantern, by telling him to take the lantern and speak the oath. At home he says the oath of the Green Lanterns while under trance from the glow of the lantern. Jordan is whisked away to the Green Lantern Corps home planet of Oa, where he meets and trains with Tomar-Re (voiced by Geoffrey Rush) and Kilowog (voiced by Michael Clarke Duncan). He encounters Corps leader Sinestro (Mark Strong), who is not pleased that a human which is primitive compared to other species has become a Green Lantern. Meanwhile, after being summoned by his father Senator Robert Hammond (Tim Robbins) to a secret government facility, scientist Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard) performs an autopsy on Abin Sur’s body. A piece of Parallax inside the corpse inserts itself inside Hammond, mutating the scientist and giving him telepathy and telekinetic powers, at the cost of his sanity. After discovering that he was only chosen due to his father’s influence, Hammond resentfully attempts to kill his father by telekinetically sabotaging his helicopter at a party. However, Jordan uses his ring to save the senator and the party guests, including his childhood sweetheart, Ferris manager and fellow test pilot Carol Ferris (Blake Lively). After realizing that Parallax is making his way to Earth, Hal must confront his fears and save the Universe.

Trivia: The Green Lantern uniform is portrayed in computer-generated imagery; this was a creative move by the filmmakers, who wanted the uniform not to be a real cloth outfit but an energy construct generated by the Lantern power ring. Notably the comics originally started with Hal Jordan having an actual uniform, but later this was amended to the Green Lantern’s uniform being a construct created by the rings.

Why I think you shouldn’t watch this: Green Lantern has the makings of a great super hero film with a strong director and an all-star cast but the only really impressive part about the film is the CGI. Not to say this is the worst movie ever made but it is the weakest comic book film entry since the Fantastic 4 films. I was so pleased when I heard Ryan Reynolds got the role of Hal Jordan because I figured he could do no wrong as a cocky test pilot but this movie just proves that DC should have held off and cast him as the Flash. Mark Strong is also underutilized as Sinestro if for some reason they make a second one they need Sinestro as the villain. I own this movie so I obviously like it but if you are willing to watch it don’t expect much more than some amazing CGI.