Chen ShuyiIf a dying purple extraterrestrial creature hands you a ring with paranormal powers and pleads with you to save the world, what will you do?
In Green Lantern, the latest blockbuster to cash in on comic book lovers of the DC Comics of the same name, Canadian-born actor Ryan Reynolds portrays Hal Jordan, a test pilot who’s in exactly that situation. Benevolent-looking eyes and robust abs aside, Hal’s known to be reckless and irresponsible. He’s in the habit of doing stuff that’s out of the norm, like crashing a jet, breaking the hearts of girls.
But that’s not stopping an intergalactic police force that protects the peace and justice of the universe, otherwise known as the Green Lantern Corps, from choosing Hal as The One to fight against the strong villain, Parallax. Severely injured by powers of Parallax, a dying Green Lantern warrior Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison) appoints and anoints Hal as his successor just before he takes his last breath.
However, superheroes aren’t always born that way. Green Lantern gives an in-depth character analysis into Hal’s ambivalent personality, from how he doubts his worth as a member of the Green Lantern Corps, to how he finally steps out from the anguish and shadow of his memories of his late pilot father and eventually overcomes his fear. Moviegoers who are looking for a full-packed action flick may be slightly disappointed though, as the film does spend quite a bit of time concentrating on the evolution of Hal’s character, attitude and mindset.
Hal is brought to planet Oa, the headquarters for the Green Lantern Corps. He meets his mentor Thaal Sinestro (Mark Strong), who is similarly doubtful of Hal’s abilities to uphold the power entrusted to him, stating that fearlessness and an iron will are what a true-blue Green Lantern needs to defeat the enemy. Hal then undergoes a brief but surprisingly effective training from brutal-looking trainer Kilowog (voiceover by Michael Clarke Duncan), where he soon realizes that the ring enables him to produce anything that he envisions – as long as he does it with full focus and willpower.
Midway into the plot, Dr Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard), a scientist and son of the U.S. senator, is accidentally infected with cells of Parallax while studying the dead body of Abin Sur. With his new telekinesis powers, Hector unknowingly becomes the pawn of Parallax, thus becoming the second antagonist in the film. Hector begins to go on a killing spree, slaying numerous victims, including his own father.
But what’s a superhero story without a damsel in distress? Popular Gossip Girl actress Blake Lively stars as Carol Ferris, the love interest of both Hal and Hector. Rational, beautiful and capable, Carol is nearly the opposite of Hal, which is why she hates (but also loves) him and his nonchalant approach towards their tangled lovers-or-just-childhood-friends relationship. Nevertheless, the hero always gets the girl. Hence, when Hal saves Carol from 2 disastrous occasions created by Hector, Carol starts to see the better side of Hal and eventually accepts his love.
Production-wise, you’d be pretty impressed by the cool computer generated imagery (CGI) effects in the film, such as the make-believe weapons Hal developed, or even the large variety of otherworldly appearances each Green Lantern holds. In addition, the efforts made to analyse and thus give dimension to each character in the film, from Hal to Hector and even Tomar-Re, are also commendable, especially for a comic-derivative.
On the other hand, die-hard fans of the Green Lantern comic (in other words, the ‘Fanterns’) may be somewhat disheartened by the insufficient on-screen moments of the main villain Parallax. Common enemies from the comic, such as the Black Lantern Corps or the Red Lantern Corps, didn’t appear in the film either.
If you’re discouraged by the lack of action with the main villain in the film, the director of Green Lantern, Martin Campbell, has promised a sequel is likely. Who knows, the next enemy may surprise you even more than Parallax… (you will have to catch the film’s credits to get that)
Meanwhile, check out the movie trailer of Green Lantern below. Green Lantern is also available in 3D.
Movie: Green Lantern
Rating: 3/5
Opens: 16 June
Duration: 114 minutes
Language: English
Age Rating: PG
Genre: Action
Director: Martin Campbell
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.