So, this Green Lantern comic book phenomenon – I thought I was familiar with the concept, but I think my feeble mind was confusing it with Green Hornet. (My apologies, comic book geeks of earth.) Apparently, “Green Lantern” refers to a whole legion of intergalactic policemen who have lantern-powered rings that allow them to conjure up stuff when they get in a jam. Have I sufficiently irritated GL fans with my lackluster description?! Whatever.
In the movie, Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds, Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place... Google this 90s sitcom gem) is a rebellious, death-defying test pilot who’s haunted by the memory of watching his dad, a celebrated pilot back in his day, die in a fiery jet crash. While he’s battling his demons and his inability to commit to anything, let alone former/soon-to-be-current love interest and fellow pilot, Carol Ferris (Blake Lively, Gossip Girl), there’s a cosmic showdown happening between the Green Lantern corps and an evil, giant space leviathan called Parallax. After it kills a mighty Green Lantern warrior, the fallen dude’s ring chooses Hal as a replacement. Parallax soon descends upon Earth and Hal must conquer his fears if he’s to save the planet, and perhaps, even the universe.
Alright, gotta tell you – I was pretty much ready to leave after the first 10 minutes of this movie. First of all, the 3-D was completely screwed up. Everything was jerky and distorted – and actually slightly better without the glasses. But the technical glitch wasn’t the only problem. The story was hokey, the dialogue was weak, and the acting was just awful! Blake Lively was anything but (lively, that is), and, despite the smokin’ bod and sexy perma-stubble, Ryan Reynolds was like a broken record with his trademark overly ironic delivery of every single line.
UGH! It was not looking good.
But, not long after the 3-D glitch was resolved, the movie seemed to sort of hit its stride. The romantic subplot was still lame and distracting (I hated that aspect of Spiderman, too – is this a chick flick or an action movie?!), but the spectacular special effects and fight sequences finally kicked in, as did the overall excitement. Really cool to look at. And Peter Sarsgaard (Dead Man Walking, Boys Don’t Cry, husband to Maggie Gyllenhaal) kicks some tail in his seriously creepy performance as a scientist who becomes infected by Parallax and transforms into a bubble-foreheaded psychopath.
Overall, content: flimsy. Visuals: cool. Cool enough to warrant a trip to the theater? I think so. But I suppose it depends on your priorities/mood/state of mind/standards. I have no concept of how this is being received by hardcore Green Lantern fans, as I don't speak geek, but I'm sure it will be excellent fodder for Comic-Con panel discussions. (Hm, I just might qualify as a geek for knowing what that is.)
FYI… some of the scenes where the Parallax sucks the life out of its victims were actually a little on the intense side. My five-year-old son is pretty tough and fearless when it comes to movies. He can handle the occasional PG-13 flick, but I’m thinking he’s not quite ready for this one.
For New Orleans-area movie theaters and showtimes, visit...
http://neworleans.mrmovietimes.com/
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