MOVIE REVIEW: GREEN LANTERN 3D (2011)

Movies are where the impossible becomes possible. Bad people gain redemption and become the hero, just because a man with a text editor and keyboard tells the people around him he deserves it. However, in this film instead of a hero is chosen from a world of many. This hero is, on the surface, unworthy. However, thanks to a few side characters that decides that he is worthy, even when he isn’t, he becomes the hero we all want him to.

The film stands on this intangible object of will. The Green Lanterns are a group of intergalactic guardians who harness their will and free themselves from fear in order to protect the world. What’s happened however? Apparently someone all powerful in the realm of fear has broken loose and is on a rampage and growing stronger and stronger taking out more and more lanterns. It’s the typical superhero tale.

The problem with it all, even though it is part of the formula, is that the role of Hal Jordan is completely miscast and wasted. This man is supposed to be underwhelming, as opposed to how Ryan Reynolds plays him, in being a stereotypical hero character. It is just obvious to all of us that this is the hero, he’s the guy that gets everything he ever wants and never has to choose. It also doesn’t help that he’s the most Reynolds that Reynolds has had to be since Van Wilder.

When you look past the lead role and how engulfed it is in that fun whimsical and irresponsible character that Reynolds has done in almost every film he’s been in on his rise from no name to leading actor and start to look at all the supporting roles there is a lot of mixed results to be honest. If anyone thought that Blake Lively, from The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, could really make a romantic subplot feel engaging then someone’s watching the wrong dailies. Mark Strong and Peter Sarsgaard both did well in their roles. Strong kept the strength of what the this peace keeping squadron should be lantern to lantern and Sarsgaard did well as the counterpart to Reynolds.

My only problem with the role of Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard) and Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) is their core character differences and what it says about people. It’s basically saying that the educated masses are not as good as the guys who are just the “doers” of this world. Not to try and put one on top of the other, but honestly it’s hurtful. While through their fathers’ reputations respectively both Jordan and Hammond have had a lot of their lives handed to them, but it’s sad that the film decided upon itself to make it clear as to which role was more worthy of honour and glory.

The truly worst thing about this movie is how unmoving it ends up being thanks to the lead character. While none of us want to see the world we know end we never end up liking this guy being our saviour. He’s already cocky enough, now he gets to add to his resume of conquests that he’s able to be a superhero that we’ll all cheer for because the public doesn’t really know who’s behind the mask.

Rating: 4.5/10

 

Andrew Robinson

This is my blog. There are many others like it, but this one is mine. My blog is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my blog is useless. Without my blog, I am useless. I must fire my blog true. I will. Before God I swear this creed: my blog and myself are defenders of my mind, we are the masters of our enemy, we are the saviors of my life. So be it, until there is no enemy, but peace. Amen.

  1. thevoid99

    I don't think Ryan Reynolds is a bad actor.  He's pretty funny, I like him in comedies and he was good in "Adventureland".  Yet, I can't believe how much money for the movie and marketing they put into this for more than $300 million.  And from the trailers and everything, it looked terrible.  My dad, who is not a fan of CGI at all, watched ads for the movie and thought it was the worst thing he's ever seen.  Coming from a guy who loves Pauly Shore movies.

    • Andrew Robinson

      wow, that's special.

      Honestly my expectations were shot after seeing the trailers, the design looked lame. But I just felt like watching something, so I saw this… sadly it didn't meet  my already horrible expectations.

  2. Anonymous

    i think by design green lantern isnt interesting, the guy can think of anything to make and it will always come off as goofy, and people will complain why didnt he think of this instead of that. this is why films like inception work. u need to have limitations.

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