Green Lantern

Martin Campbell

The story: Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) is a brash and cocky pilot who has yet to come to terms with his father’s death in a plane crash. He also has an unresolved relationship with fellow pilot Carol Ferris (Blake Lively). Naturally, all this makes him the top pick to be a new Green Lantern warrior, the first human to be chosen to be a protector of the universe. His power comes from a ring which enables him to physically project his will and he later proves to be instrumental in the battle against an enemy, Parallax, who feeds on fear.

You wonder if Green Lantern gets much respect from his fellow spandexed crime fighters and world saviours.

Should there be a convention of superheroes in town, one imagines that Superman automatically gets bragging rights for, well, being born super; Spider-Man can boast of his Broadway musical (even if it has been critically panned); while Iron Man will look smugly on, as he knows that his movie franchise has made heaps of money.

Meanwhile, Green Lantern has to lug his lantern around for fear of running out of power for his cheap-looking ring.

And the others probably resent the fact that there are a few thousand intergalactic Green Lantern warriors taking up space and hogging the hors d’oeuvres.

The only one Lantern gets to lord over is Green Hornet, who is not even part of the line-up of either DC or Marvel Comics. Tsk.

All of which is to say that Green Lantern is not a cool superhero and that is something a US$200-million (S$247-million) budget, 3-D effects and Ryan Reynolds in a skin-tight sheath cannot quite fix.

Even director Martin Campbell, who successfully rebooted the James Bond franchise with Daniel Craig in Casino Royale (2006), is not up to the task.

He aims a potshot or two, but is otherwise reluctant to take the mickey out of a superhero who has the lamest masked disguise ever.

Instead, we get earnest speeches about conquering fear and a decidedly lacklustre scene in which Hal argues for Earth’s survival before a council of elders.

With the exception of perhaps Buried (2010), Reynolds’ onscreen achievements continue to be eclipsed by his off-screen ones, notably as People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive last year and a two-year stint as Mr Scarlett Johansson.

Regrettably, the chemistry between him and co-star Blake Lively (from TV’s Gossip Girl) is more friendly than sizzling.

But at least she gets to be the spunky gal who helps to save the day rather than a mere damsel in distress.

There is one other key element missing from this superhero flick: A memorable arch enemy. Where would Superman be without Lex Luthor or Spider-Man without the Green Goblin?

Here, we get the amorphous blob that is Parallax, an error of a villain who barely has a personality.

The potential of Peter Saarsgard’s Dr Hector Hammond – as a tragic character who is thrust into villainy – is, unfortunately, not fulfilled.

The teaser at the end of the film suggests, though, that a more interesting nemesis lies in wait for Hal should a sequel roll around.

If not, Green Lantern should just skip the next gathering of superfolk and spare himself the ragging.

(ST)