‘Green Lantern’ Will Leave You Blue

By MATTHEW BLAIR

There were a lot of good superhero movies released over the summer, and DC’s “Green Lantern” was not one of them.

Starring Ryan Reynolds, the movie is a typical superhero movie: there are some ancient intergalactic beings that created a power source which is used to police the universe, some ancient enemy has escaped an ancient space tomb, and it’s up to the smart-mouthed and troubled anti-hero of a hero to save everything because the ancient enemy is, of course, heading right for Earth.

The movie opens with a very dramatic and epic scene in which the ancient enemy escapes from its prison in the very farthest reaches of the galaxy. The enemy, Parallax, voiced by Clancy Brown, is the embodiment of fear, which in the world of “Green Lantern” is the worst thing ever. Luckily there are the equally ancient Guardians of the Universe, which have created a green power source, fueled by pure strength of will and determination, to combat such intergalactic threats. The green power source is harnessed by an intergalactic police force, called the Green Lantern Corps, and is channeled through a ring. The Corps member sent to combat Parallax is beaten, and having barely escaped with his life, crash lands on Earth and commands his ring to find a worthy successor. The ring finds Hal Jordan (Reynolds), an experimental aircraft test pilot, and brings him back to the crashed alien, who then commands Jordan to take the green lantern, the ring, and to speak an oath which would make Jordan the first human Green Lantern.

After that the plot grows steadily thinner. Movie producers probably hoped that movie-goers would be enthralled by Reynolds’ amazing physique and snarky smile, or that at least they would be distracted by the post-production visual effects. Alas, no amount of polish can make this movie shine brightly. It’s a far too predictable movie to really reach out and connect with movie-goers on a deeper level.

However, “Green Lantern” is a very entertaining movie if you believe that movies are simply entertainment. The fight scenes are decently impressive, and the humor is appreciable. There’s even a snide comment about how superheros can maintain their secret identity by simply wearing some sort of eye-mask. There are some shining stars in this mediocre superhero film, most notably being Peter Sarsgaard’s role as Hal Jordan’s earthbound nemesis, Dr. Hector Hammond. Blake Lively, of “Gossip Girl” and “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” plays the love interest of Jordan, Carol Ferris.

Make sure you stay seated until the credits are done for the customary “after-the-credits” secret footage which probably sets up a sequel. However, based upon how poorly “Green Lantern” performed in the box office, expect the 20 second clip to be the last of the Green Lantern you’ll ever see.

You can check out “Green Lantern” for $1 at Cheap Seats this weekend in Monroe 116 at 10 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30, and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1st.

You can also see “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” in Monroe 116 at 7 p.m. on Friday, 10 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Image courtesy of lold.org