Green Lantern
If you don't read my blog often, you may have missed the number of superhero movies I have watched over the last couple of years. If you are familiar with my blog, you may have realized that I am bordering on unhealthy obsession with superheroes. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get as interested in Green Lantern. I'm not saying that the movie is bad, but I feel like it just wasn't up to par with so many of its genre mates.
The story and character of Hal Jordan are really well done, and made accessible to the audience through Ryan Reynold's performance.
Side note: I am much more excited for Ryan's role in the new Deadpool movie.
Hal Jordan is a risk-taker. In fact, he has a bit of a death wish. As a test pilot, Hal likes to be reckless, in spite of the concern expressed by his colleagues and family. When a Green Lantern (one of thousands of universal "police" whose power originates from willpower) crash-lands on Earth, his ring (which channels his powers) chooses Hal as a worthy successor. He goes to join the other Green Lanterns, and goes through training. Of course, it wouldn't be a proper movie plot if he didn't struggle with his powers and who he has become, so Hal has exactly those problems.
During all of this, there is a sub-plot focusing on the romance between Hal and Carol. He has to figure out whether he should tell her about his powers, along with all the other relationship things that superheroes tend to have to deal with. A friend/colleague Dr. Hector Hammond is a rival for Carol's attractions. But he also gets exposed to Parallax during the autopsy of the deceased Green Lantern. Parallax is a being which feeds on fear, and it is the greatest enemy of the Green Lantern. For you lovers of literary devices, there is a clear parallelism between the larger plot of the Green Lanterns versus the Parallax and Hal versus Hector.
I'm not going to keep summarizing the plot, or else I would ruin it all for those who do still want to watch it. However, I would like to discuss the special effects/computer animation. The other Green Lanterns were really well done, on level with other motion capture and make-up skills of the time (as in, 2011...technology develops quickly these days). On the other hand, the things that Hal and the Green Lanterns create from their willpower are, shall we say, a little underwhelming. Something about the light on their suits and the things they construct are a bit cartoonish. I don't know why, but I was somewhat reminded of Space Jam.
The concept of the Green Lanterns getting their power from willpower was something I could wrap my head around, for the most part. But the way that the Parallax worked and how it was destroying them was a little more confusing. It's been a while since I have watched the movie, so I can't remember exactly what was tripping me up, but I remember having questions about how and why the fight between Parallax and Green Lantern was happening the way it was, and how their powers worked. I think, if I understood, that the message was to embrace your fears and take control of them. I could be wrong.
Besides all of that, the character of Hal was really strong. He was cocky and reckless, but below that hard exterior there was some clear depression over his loss. He wanted to die because he figured life wasn't really worth leaving. Except for his nephew. I think I would have preferred if the movie had focused more on this.
As I said at the beginning, this movie was not bad. Yet, months after seeing it, the thing that sticks with me most is the feeling of being unable to comprehend the concept upon which the main plot was hinged. If you get it, then power to you! If you like the movie, I do not see anything wrong with that. If you really love superheroes, possibly particularly DC superheroes, then you should really watch this movie. The characters are well developed, and I think that that was the movie's greatest strength.
The story and character of Hal Jordan are really well done, and made accessible to the audience through Ryan Reynold's performance.
Side note: I am much more excited for Ryan's role in the new Deadpool movie.
Hal Jordan is a risk-taker. In fact, he has a bit of a death wish. As a test pilot, Hal likes to be reckless, in spite of the concern expressed by his colleagues and family. When a Green Lantern (one of thousands of universal "police" whose power originates from willpower) crash-lands on Earth, his ring (which channels his powers) chooses Hal as a worthy successor. He goes to join the other Green Lanterns, and goes through training. Of course, it wouldn't be a proper movie plot if he didn't struggle with his powers and who he has become, so Hal has exactly those problems.
During all of this, there is a sub-plot focusing on the romance between Hal and Carol. He has to figure out whether he should tell her about his powers, along with all the other relationship things that superheroes tend to have to deal with. A friend/colleague Dr. Hector Hammond is a rival for Carol's attractions. But he also gets exposed to Parallax during the autopsy of the deceased Green Lantern. Parallax is a being which feeds on fear, and it is the greatest enemy of the Green Lantern. For you lovers of literary devices, there is a clear parallelism between the larger plot of the Green Lanterns versus the Parallax and Hal versus Hector.
I'm not going to keep summarizing the plot, or else I would ruin it all for those who do still want to watch it. However, I would like to discuss the special effects/computer animation. The other Green Lanterns were really well done, on level with other motion capture and make-up skills of the time (as in, 2011...technology develops quickly these days). On the other hand, the things that Hal and the Green Lanterns create from their willpower are, shall we say, a little underwhelming. Something about the light on their suits and the things they construct are a bit cartoonish. I don't know why, but I was somewhat reminded of Space Jam.
The concept of the Green Lanterns getting their power from willpower was something I could wrap my head around, for the most part. But the way that the Parallax worked and how it was destroying them was a little more confusing. It's been a while since I have watched the movie, so I can't remember exactly what was tripping me up, but I remember having questions about how and why the fight between Parallax and Green Lantern was happening the way it was, and how their powers worked. I think, if I understood, that the message was to embrace your fears and take control of them. I could be wrong.
Besides all of that, the character of Hal was really strong. He was cocky and reckless, but below that hard exterior there was some clear depression over his loss. He wanted to die because he figured life wasn't really worth leaving. Except for his nephew. I think I would have preferred if the movie had focused more on this.
As I said at the beginning, this movie was not bad. Yet, months after seeing it, the thing that sticks with me most is the feeling of being unable to comprehend the concept upon which the main plot was hinged. If you get it, then power to you! If you like the movie, I do not see anything wrong with that. If you really love superheroes, possibly particularly DC superheroes, then you should really watch this movie. The characters are well developed, and I think that that was the movie's greatest strength.
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