Green Lantern

The latest in a summer of superhero films Green Lantern more than shows why he is deserving of the big screen.

Less well known than Batman, Superman or Spider-Man this particular hero has been around since the 1940s, although this version came into existence in 1959.

Right from the start the movie establishes things are going to be a little different, opening with vast space vistas as the history of the Green Lantern Corps is explained.

The audience is told in no uncertain terms that this isn’t just an action film, it is a science fiction epic. This helps to add greater weight to what follows. The threat isn’t just to our world but the universe.

Hal Jordan (played by Ryan Reynolds) is a reckless test pilot struggling with his irresponsibility and memories of his father’s death that can cripple him with fear.

In the comics Hal Jordan is the man without fear (a title he shares with Daredevil) but here we are presented with a more human figure.

The fear Hal feels shames him. It is apt then that the central theme of the film is to overcome fear, represented by the living embodiment of that emotion in the form of Parallax (voiced by Clancy Brown). 

Unleashed from his prison in Sector 666 Parallax consumes all in his path, sharing similarities with Galactus from ‘Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer’ in both form and purpose.

Green Lantern Abin Sur (played by Temuera Morrison) is one of Parallax’s first victims, living just long enough to reach Earth and select Hal Jordan as his replacement, inducting him into an inter-galactic law enforcement agency.

The trickiest part of any superhero film is the period that leads up to the creation of the hero. Ang Lee’s ‘Hulk’ movie is an example of how delaying this transformation for too long can make a dull movie.

Here Ryan Reynolds is entertaining enough to keep the audience interested and the cut aways to the approaching menace of Parallax make sure the tension continues to rise.  

Finally gaining the ring and the title of Green Lantern he is quickly whisked away to begin training on Oa, home world of the Lantern Corp.

Bringing to mind the CGI splendour of Asgard from the recent ‘Thor’ movie Oa and it inhabitants evoke the right sense  of awe and wonder. This includes a dazzling flight sequence as Hal learns the capabilities of the ring.

Under the guidance of bird-like Tomar-Re (played with dignified gravitas by Geoffrey Rush), pig faced Kilowog (played with much enthusiasm by Michael Clarke Duncan) and purple skinned Sinestro (played with Mark Strong, displaying quiet menace) Hal is put through his paces.

These sequences establish what is great about the concept of the Green Lantern. The ring he is gifted with can create anything he can think of. The only limitation is imagination and concentration.

The very idea that anyone could put on the ring and unleash its power invites the audience to think about what they would do with it. What would they create to deal with tricky situations?

At the same time Hal Jordan is becoming a hero one of his childhood friends is becoming a villain. Infected by part of Parallax lurking in Abin Sur’s body Hector Hammond (played by Peter Sarsgaard) begins a grotesque transformation.

Becoming smarter and gaining telekinetic and telepathic powers Hector’s head becomes oversized and distorted.

Hector is there to provide a threat to the Green Lantern as he learns the ropes back on Earth, while the real menace of Parallax approaches.

It is to the credit of the writers and the actors that this is not simply killing time. It is more an examination of what both men do with the powers given to them.

Despite his doubts about himself Hal tries to live up to the responsibility given to him. Hector instead gives into his bitterness and anger, fuelled by his ability to hear what people really think about him.

An interesting development in this film is that Hal and Hector knew each other as children, along with the love interest, Carol.

This share background gives the drama that plays out a great sense of intimacy. This helps give Carol Ferris (played by Blake Lively) an added depth.

She isn’t just a damsel in distress, nor is her relationship with Hal straight forward. While they do have a past together it is clear that she cares for him and his well being as a sibling. This is tinged with a sense of disappointment that he hasn’t matured and lived up to his potential.

When Parallax does arrive at the climax of the film we see the full power of the Green Lantern, pushing him to the limit as he fights a foe that dwarves the city.

Visually Green Lantern works best during the space scenes. The costume itself isn’t too bad, the choice to make its surface appear as musculature only mildly distracting.

The mask itself doesn’t look quite right, obscuring Ryan’s distinctive features, but the choice to change his eye colour while suited up really works. When his eyes change colour we know he means business.

In comparison the rest of the alien Green Lantern Corp are ironically more realistic than the CGI Ryan Reynolds used in several scenes.

They are distinctive and their respective actors go along way to make the audience believe in them as characters.

I was concerned upon seeing footage of Parallax for the first time but he is not simply an indistinct cloud. Tendrils twist and transform themselves into animalistic maws and snapping claws, evoking the idea that the force is being shaped much the same way the Lanterns focus their green energy.

The attack on the city at the end conjures up images of 9/11, rolling black clouds sweeping through the streets, innocent people vaporised in its wake.

The film is paced well, mixing in action, humour and romance. Thomas Kalmaku (played by Taika Waititi) provides much needed comic relief as Hal’s mechanic friend, offering a wry counter-point for all the craziness that is going on.

Only Tim Robbins as Senator Hammond and Angela Bassett as Dr Amanda Waller feel redundant. They serve an important plot purpose but both sleep walk through their roles.

Hector is an interesting choice as villain, with much pathos been invoked by his situation. I would have preferred that they toned down how fat they made his face look as his head mutated, as the loss of definition made the actors features less identifiable.

Green Lantern is far from perfect, still spending too much time establishing the character and short changing us on action but it is a promising start.

Now we know who he is and how his powers works any subsequent films can concentrate on upping the ante.

Rating: 7/10