Jordan’s love interest, Carol Ferris, is also an underwhelming, so-called ‘empowered’ character due to a fairly ordinary performance by Blake Lively. The movie lacks a bit of star power compared to Marvel’s output, this year – Tim Robbins isn’t really a match for Anthony Hopkins or Tommy Lee Jones in this department, and it means more is left to Reynolds and an underused Mark Strong to carry the film.
The divisive aspect of the film comes in the effects, which was always going to be a problem with a hero that brings objects to life using his imagination and a green ring. What works so well in comic-book form transitions to the screen with mixed results – many of Hal Jordan’s constructs built with his power ring just don’t look quite right. Whether it’s a minigun or a giant fist, it all looks a bit weird and slightly unconvincing. Perhaps it’s the shocking nature of seeing real-life objects like gun turrets and swords emerge from a ring, with a covering of bright green, that jars awkwardly with the concept of live-action cinema. This is where it has similarities with Fantastic Four, in that it looks a bit too daft in places.
That’s the exception rather than the rule, however, as numerous sequences are visually impressive. The effects are quite good fun, actually, and if audiences are willing to buy into giant toys beating each other up in the Transformers movies, they should really be able to get on-board with this. Highlights include Jordan’s rescue of Carol Ferris from a helicopter crash, as well as Jordan’s climactic battle with Parallax (not to mention the backdrop for this showdown).
These are moments that Emerald Knight fans will get a thrill out of, and that’s the appeal of the film, really. If you’re uttering the Green Lantern oath under your breath on either of the two stirring occasions that Jordan recites it himself, this will be a cinematic experience you’ll undoubtedly enjoy, if not treasure. For those that are unfamiliar with the character but are open to a comic book-movie that encompasses a few far-out concepts, the movie is a fun summer blockbuster. The use of Green Lantern’s grand mythology distinguishes Campbell’s film within this sub-genre, though it may be too far removed for general audiences to really get to grips with.
