GREEN LANTERN

US, 2011, 114 minutes. Colour.
Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Tim Robbins, Jay O. Sanders, Taika Waititi, Angela Bassett, Jon Tenney, Temuera Morrison.
Voices of: Geoffrey Rush, Michael Clarke Duncan, Salome Jens, Clancy Brown.
Directed by Martin Campbell.


Yet another DC Comics superhero. Others include Batman and Superman. In fact, this presentation of Green Lantern more than resembles Superman. We open in space, on far distant planets where Guardians keep an eye on the universe (sitting aloft on tall pillars) and delegate the powers of Green Lantern, a community of protectors, to the thousands who keep vigil in the vastness of space. However, an imprisoned evil power, Parallax, has escaped internment and is on the galactic prowl, instilling fear which enables it to devour whole fearful planets and their populations. Obviously, not good.

Despite the spectacle and effects, this seemed more than a bit silly.

Meanwhile on earth, Hal Jordan is a test pilot for a huge corporation and, while transfixed by memories of his ace father who died in a fiery crash, ditches his plane to the dismay of his employers, a wheeler-dealing senator and the workers (who later bash him up). How could he be a superhero when he is a self-confessed ‘screw-up’? Actually, the theme of ‘I’m only human’ is a plus for him so that he does not suffer from hubris when he finds he is the chosen one for earth (read US). Ryan Reynolds has been in lots of raucous comedies as well as romantic comedy and he is not necessarily a first choice for Green Lantern. Even he has to be reprimanded by a fish alien (with Geoffrey Rush’s voice) because of his vanity in his lycra suit.

So we have intergalactic contact and a superhero costume and mask- disguised on earth (though it is a relief when his girl-friend, Carol (Blake Lively), recognises him and helps out). His close friend Tom (Takia Waititi, the NZ director of Eagle vs Shark and Boy) is also in on it. So eventually, is Hector, the unfortunate son of the senator (Tim Robbins) who has been jealous of Hal and Carol, who is brought it to examine the corpse of the hero who landed on earth to recruit Hal, but who is infected by Parallax evil and becomes disfigured in mind and body and becomes the evil human villain (Peter Sarsgaard).

Hal has to do the Superman thing a couple of times, but has to go to the Guardians to train (he is not into that) and to offer himself for the final superheroics against the swirling black cloud that is Parallax. And this after a pep talk from Carol who explains the difference between fearless and courageous.

Come to think of it, this plot and treatment still seems a little silly, so Green Lantern is not one of the best DC Comics superhero movies.

1. DC Comics and their popularity? The films of superheroes? Space and Earth and the superhero background?

2. The comparison with other DC Comic heroes, Batman, Superman? The resemblance to the Superman story?

3. The plausibility of the plot – or too fantastic and farfetched?

4. The world of the planets, Parallax and his evil, the visuals of the planets, the special effects, Parallax and the evil cloud? The Guardians and their pillars? Deep Space? Space travel?

5. The comparison with Earth, ordinary, the flight tests and the spectacle of the aerobatics? Apartments, companies, social background? The vast laboratories?

6. The interconnection between Space and Earth? The issue of the ring, the combating of evil? The explanation of the Green Lantern and the various Guardians of the sector? The requirements for this kind of guardianship and heroism? The ring, the wounded Guardian going to Earth? The ring finding Hal? The transformation of Hal into a hero? The Green Lantern in action, saving the senator, in action in confronting Hector? Hector’s transformation? The build-up to the final confrontation with Parallax?

7. The tone of the film? The serious hero, yet the comic Earthly screw-up, being only human?

8. The rather solemn introduction to the story, the planets, the Lantern, the individual Lanterns and the explanation of their role in the Universe? The imprisoning of Parallax? Parallax and the escape, evil, preying on people’s fears, engulfing planets and their populations? The Guardians on their pillars? The wounded hero, the communication with Sinestro? His going to Earth, wounded, crashing? The encounter with Hal, the ring, his death? The bequest to Hal?

9. Hal, the introduction, his relationships with women? His past relationship with Carol? His being late for the test, speeding along the road, the issue of whether he was afraid or not? Flying, defying orders? Carol and her father? The senator? His daredevil behaviour? Memory of his own father, his bond with his father, his father’s crash and death? His inability to do anything? The consequences of his bail-out, the crash, the undercutting of the firm’s business? The workers and their complaints – and later bashing him? Carol and her confrontation?

10. Tom, his friend, in control, advice, going to the spaceship? Tom and his wanting a demonstration of Green Lantern? His help in the final confrontation?

11. Carol, her love for Hal, her anger with him, being a manager of her father’s firm, her father and his character, his role? The rescue at the party? Her recognising him under his mask? Sharing with him? The plan? Hector and his love for Carol? Not so well filled in with the screenplay? Her capture, Hector and his threats? Her release – and her support of Hal, urging him to be courageous rather than fearless?

12. Hal as a character, whisked away to the planets, the instructions, talking with the elders, with Sinestro? With the ring, discovering his power? Recharging the ring? His costume, reaction, his vanity? The arrival of Tomar- Re and his voice, his fish appearance? His wisdom and advice? The sardonic touch in his comments to Hal? The Guardians and Hal’s reaction?

13. Hector, the background of his relationship with Carol, with Hal? His jealousy? His being taken to the laboratory by Doctor Waller? To examine the corpse of the dead hero? His discoveries? His being infected by evil? His issues with his father? At the social, the confrontation and his behaviour? Infected, deformed? Tormented? Exercising power, the death of his father, Doctor Waller? The jealousy with Carol, abducting her, his threats to her? The confrontation with Hal, getting the ring? Not realising that he could not use the ring? His being destroyed by it?

14. The growing menace of Parallax, the explanation of his consuming people and their fears? Carol, giving Hal the courage, her pep talk? The Guardians and Hal’s offer to confront Parallax? Their accepting it?

15. Hal, the confrontation with Parallax, Parallax’s voice, the rampage through the city? Parallax devouring the people? Hal and his ability to get Parallax out of the city, towards the sun? The sun devouring Parallax?

16. The final heroics, the romantic ending? The flawed hero – only human, finding courage, excelling as a superhero?

17. The postscript – and the indication of Sinestro becoming the successor to Parallax?