Film Review: Ryan Reynolds in ‘Green Lantern’ is Spectacle Over Story

CHICAGO – The tipping point is close approaching in the super hero movie aura, especially as the B-list get their moment in the projection machine. “Green Lantern,” featuring Ryan Reynolds, stays true to its comic book roots, but lacks any cohesive passion within the main story.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

Essentially, there is too much going on in Green Lantern, so every element of the narrative, except the origin of the hero, gets short shrift and leaves viewers confused and unfulfilled. Since this is the introductory Green Lantern film, the origin must get told, the first “assignment” must be given and of course a little romance must distract the latest model hero from his noble duties.

Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) is a hotshot test pilot who is constantly bending the rules, including leading a couple of robot airplane drones into a tailspin. His unconventionally is due to the loss of his father, a test pilot who died in a prototype in the early 1990s. Among Hal’s colleagues is Carol Ferris (Blake Lively) who is equal to Hal as a pilot, but they can’t seem to connect in any other sense.

At the same time, out in the wilds of the universe, a dire situation is developing regarding a new organism named Parallax. The being absorbs the energy of fear, creating a massive strength that can literally withstand space and time. In one incident Parallax takes on several members of the Green Lantern Corp, chosen warriors whose job is to protect all sectors of the universe. When one of that Corp, Abin Sur (Temeura Morrison), escapes during the fight, he falls into earth’s atmosphere mortally wounded. His job before expiring is to find a replacement, and that just happens to be Hal Jordan.

Jordan is the first human to take up the Green Lantern duties, and once he figures out the ring he’s received from the dead alien and the oath he recites to the lantern itself, he emerges with the Green Lantern Corp uniform and whisked away to the Planet Oa to learn the secrets of the Guardians (the ancient universe protectors who oversee the Corp). He also meets Sinestro (Mark Strong), who is trying to convince his fellow ring men and the Guardians that Parallax is a major threat. Hal’s subsequent training consists of willing the powerful ring to do anything, conjuring up solutions to fight the evil.

Back on earth, a scientist named Hector Hammond (Peter Saarsgard) is examining the body of Abin Sur. He accidently comes in contact with the “yellow matter” of fear in the wound that killed the alien, and this starts to alter his perspective. Hal Jordan, in his first days as Green Lantern, must now face down the challenges of Parallax, Hector Hammond and Carol Ferris. Ferris may be in love with him again, meaning the crises of the universe may just have to wait.

”Green Lantern” opens everywhere June 17th, in select theaters (see listings) in 3D. Featuring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Tim Robbins, Mark Strong, Temeura Morrison and Angela Bassett. Screenplay by Greg Berlanti, Michael Green, Marc Guggenheim and Michael Goldenberg. Directed by Martin Campbell. Rated “PG-13”