Movie Review: Green Lantern

In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds). Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corps has ever had: humanity. With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax... he will become the greatest Green Lantern of all.

DC comic fans will appreciate just about everything Green Lantern delivers on screen. Ryan Reynolds' arrogance is a perfect fit for Hal's Character. The evolution of the first human Green Lantern sees Hal go from an exceptional human, to an extraordinary defender of the galaxy. With the infinite abilities provided by the ring, only hindered by willpower and imagination, one might think that there is nothing capable of standing up to anyone wielding the power of the Green Lantern's Ring. We soon discover that the Green Lantern is powered by harnessed willpower. A formidable power source although strong, also has a rival. That rival being the power of harnessed fear.

So much was invested in Ryan Reynolds and it has paid off all the way down to the non standard uniform making its alien source much more believable. I for one couldn't help but show anxiousness to see what could come from the mind of a brand new Green Lantern. In his first appearance, his heroism seemed spectacular although over exaggerated as he fabricated a racetrack to re-route a runaway crashing helicopter. He also saves the girl. Hmm… almost thought I would eventually hear "you've got me… who's got you!?" circa Superman 1978.

As enjoyable as I found Green Lantern to be, I question if non-comic book fans will enjoy it as much.

3 out of 4 Buckets