The Green Lantern
Director: Martin Campbell
Starring: Blake Lively, Mark Strong, Peter Sarsgaard, Ryan Reynolds
Details: US/114mins 12A
Reynolds is slick test pilot Hal Jordan, a man chosen by a fallen member of The Green Lantern Corps - an elite group who protect the universe - as the next intergalactic hero. When he wears a special ring powered by the lantern, he can literally make whatever object he imagines appear in front of him - which comes in handy when there's a giant, eh, scary cloud thing called Parallax hurtling towards earth. After some training with cynical Alpha Hero Sinestro, and smooching with Blake Lively's ballsy boss, Hal gets lanterned-up and is ready to do battle with Peter Sarsgaard's warped Dr. Hector Hammon (as well as the aforementioned giant face in a cloud).
A workmanlike director, Martin Campbell is probably best known for his brilliant reinvigoration of the Bond franchise with Casino Royale, but he's never worked on a production with effects this heavy before. True, few helmers have, but the resulting film feels strangely flat when it should be brimming with fun. In fairness to Campbell, the effects are well-handled and some of the action is mildly impressive, but the script is so by-the-numbers and at times clichéd that it'll vex even the most dedicated comic book fan.
There's a wryness to Ryan Reynolds that audiences have now come to expect. He may have been brilliant in the sombre, underrated Buried, but the man was born to play a role like this. Yet here, he's barely given a chance to wax lyrical with some trademark quips, or showcase his admirable comic timing (along with action hero physicality) - so what was the point in casting him? Once again, the Canadian actor is the best thing about a bloated, sub-par production that continuously hints at how great it could have been.
An amusing training session in space; genuine sparks between Reynolds and Lively; a core plot involving a snarling Sarsgaard that could've worked with the inclusion of a pissed-off cloud. There's enough in Green Lantern for a 'pass', and if the audience likes the main character enough to warrant a sequel, then maybe the creases can be ironed out. But as a standalone film, it's simply just too full of could-have-beens.
Review by Mike Sheridan
Your Comments
Paul
Great Story and Special Effects, Ryan Rynolds is Brilliant in the role, could of done more for the movie, but well worth watching for all
Posted 09/11/2011 16:45:47
Login or Register to leave a comment
Disclaimer
The opinions expressed here are those of the viewer and do not reflect those of Entertainment.ie. Entertainment.ie accepts no responsibility, legal or otherwise, for their accuracy of content. Please contact us to report abusive content
Search for Cinema Listings
Most Popular Reviews
|
|
Men in Black III |
|
|
Jeff Who Lives at Home |
|
|
Bel Ami |
|
|
The Dictator |
|
|
The Raid |




