Green Lantern (2011)

Now this is a hard one. I was really looking forward to it. The previews seemed amazing, after all. I then went and saw it, and kept feeling disappointed.
We follow arrogant jet-fighter pilot Ryan Reynolds as he is given the gift of the Green Lantern by a dying alien. This gift allows him to use this superpower to create anything he wants with his mind. Cue lots of training in a far away world, a scared Reynolds who decides he can’t do it, an angry alien that wants to destroy the world, and a sudden change of heart from our hero, who suddenly becomes one of the most powerful Green Lanterns around.
Call me a cynic, but somehow Reynolds’ sudden change of heart is one of the reasons I left the cinema disappointed. Maybe it’s the DC way and I’m too used to Marvel, but it felt a bit too sudden. The guy goes from cocky pilot, who’s scared of his duty to typical loveable superhero, ready to save the day, almost instantaneously. It’s a bit too perfect to be true, and in a way brings the whole story down in my mind. Oh and the whole dead-dad flashback felt a bit too Top Gun, and added to the whole too-moveish atmosphere of Green Lantern. It would have worked in the ‘90s, but today, movies need to be realistic, even if they are about superheroes. (Why does Batman work and Superman doesn’t, for example?)
Another disappointment was the visuals. Again, maybe I am too used to Marvel’s work, but it felt a bit “early 2000” if you see where I’m going. Blame was given by the director on the 3D technique used, which involves filming in 2D, then artificially creating the 3D effect in editing. I can believe that. The alien world and people lacked detail, it felt too smooth.
Finally, the last thing that killed to movie for me was Ryan Reynolds. He can go up there with Shia Lebeouf as my top ten most annoying people who can ruin a movie. He is just too smug and cocky to be believable. It is a thin line I guess for an actor to capture that comic-book cockiness, but if achieved it is great, look at Downey Jr’s Tony Stark for example.
Maybe I’m being too analytical, but maybe some superheroes cannot work in the 21st century. Superman will never work, and I fear Green Lantern is another one. Maybe the second instalment will prove me wrong, I do hope so.

2.5/5

Loved: Still relatively enjoyable, though a lot more work has to be done!
Hated: Reynolds, pre-dual core visuals, too comic-book story