Green Lantern, with Ryan Reynolds, Peter Sarsgaard, Blake Lively & Mark Strong. This film was excoriated over & over by critics, before it came out, before it was seen. Unfair of them!

I was never, as a kid, a fan of The Green Lantern.  I never bought his comic books.  I preferred the other superheros when I needed a fantasy, graphic mag fix.  It just seemed a little hokey that the big thing was; he was “green” & had a lantern.  I know!  The minds of children make no sense at times, they’re just echoes of everything around them.  I liked the heros that had their own talent, power or skills (Batman, Superman, etc.).  They didn’t need a ring, that needed to be recharged.  That was me, as a kid.

I watched an animated feature of Green Lantern last week to get a clue about what it was all about.  I knew, I was going to run into Green Lantern as a big Summer film, so I wanted to be prepared.  I wasn’t that impressed, because I’m not really a child anymore (contrary to my elderly parents’ ongoing delusions).  I wouldn’t have been impressed, preparing for Superman or Batman either.

What many don’t understand is, that while the other superheros (& their story dramas) are ready & set for the big screen; I don’t think Green Lantern is exactly fitted for all this.  The whole Green Lantern tale should have been altered slightly.  Changing little details to make it palatable for adults who enjoy fantasy.

By adults, I mean those whose tastes are adult & not those eccentric souls that like Green Lantern, as a hobby or comic book enthusiast, who collect things to satisfy their needs.

So… trivial details actually were modified, e.g., now showing the bodies of the “Immortals”; who are little people with big heads (in the comic books) who look a little grumpy.  In the movie they’re swathed in long cloaks & don’t move off their pedestals.  Little things like that were changed.

Ryan Reynolds is great.  He’s not one of my favorites but he knows when to put a lid on his natural, sarcastic attitude.  I know he’s clawed his way to the almost top, by marriage & sucking up.  I don’t criticize him for that.  He’s had to do what he’s had to do.  He’s not prime action star material, but he’ll do in a pinch.  He’s earnest.  I last saw him in Buried & he did well in that film, but I have absolutely no opinion on that film whatsoever.  I just refuse!  (Because I don’t like situations of claustrophobia.)

Peter Sarsgaard is one who’s been unable to hide his naked opportunism over the years. But he does have great talent.  I’m glad for his successes & he’s an excellent character actor, in very eccentric roles.  He makes a nice sub-villain (oops, a minor spoiler).

Blake Lively.  She’s okay.  I don’t usually comment substantially on needless window dressing.  But I found her to be a bit of a bird.  Head forward, ready to peck.  Apparently, that’s her way of being.

Mark Strong’s character is a secondary figure, but integral to the story as part of the Green Lantern universe.  I last saw Strong briefly in the beginning of The Way Back, which I have previously reviewed.  He’s very clear in his roles.  I enjoyed his presence, but had to make sure it was him, after the fact.

His character makeup was superior.

All in all, even though I consider the criticisms of the film (by others) as unfair.  I can’t recommend this film to anyone.  You’d have to be a die-hard “comic book Green Lantern fan” to enjoy it.

The special effects were awesome, but they don’t take the day.  Avoid the film, but don’t blame the actors.  It’s just not a good choice of scripts & content to bring to the screen.  Of course, the actors are going to be happy to be involved in any large project.

There are no A-Listers in this film.

I liked the film because I like anything that’s science fiction & has a budget to make something “to look at”.