Green Lantern
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Green Lantern

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Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) is a daredevil test pilot who is chosen by Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison), a dying alien, to become a member of an elite intergalactic force known as the Green Lantern. Based on the remote planet Oa, they are an ancient race of aliens that has divided the universe into segments to patrol and enforce intergalactic order. However, as a member of the human race, the youngest species in the universe, his humanity may be considered a weakness. Sinestro (Mark Strong, unrecognisable with his purple skin), the imperious leader of the Green Lantern Corps, considers him unsuitable.

He is given a magical emerald ring that can generate a variety of effects, sustained purely by the ring wearer’s imagination and strength of will. However, Hal proves a failure in his first test run as a member of the corps. Returning to Earth disillusioned he soon finds a purpose when he sets out to save his planet from a malevolent noxious black cloud, known as Parallax, which feeds off fear and is wreaking a trail of destruction amongst the universe.

Parallax is feeding off the petty jealousy and hatred felt by nerdy scientist Hector Hammond (an almost unrecognisable Peter Sarsgaard), the son of a powerful Senator. Hector performed an autopsy on Abin Sur, but was infected by some alien goo that transforms him into an ugly beast with an enlarged misshapen head. Before you can say “by brightest day and blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight” Hal dons his pretty green latex suit and does battle with the evil force.

Having revitalised the Bond franchise twice with Goldeneye and more recently Casino Royale, Martin Campbell has a fine track record with action films and does what he can with the disappointing and formulaic script. There are a number of flat spots throughout the film where the pace slackens and interest wanes. Five writers have contributed to the script, most of who come from a television background. Greg Berlanti (tv series like Everwood and Brothers And Sisters, etc), Michael Green (Smallville, etc), Marc Guggenheim (who worked with the other two on Jack And Bobby) and Michael Goldenberg (Contact, Peter Pan, etc), which accounts for the shifting tone of the film.

The CGI effects are good, but they at times overwhelm the film until it becomes something of a hollow spectacle. This is another of those films retro-fitted for 3D, and while the process is used well in some of the outer space sequences, it adds little to the film overall. Too many of these substandard 3D conversions will kill the potentially lucrative process. As written here, Reynolds, whose screen persona as the brash, smug and often immature hot head, is perfectly suited to the role. The affable Reynolds also has an undeniable boyish charm, cockiness and the perfectly sculpted abs that suit the role.

The film wastes a solid supporting cast that includes Tim Robbins, Jay O Sanders and Angela Bassett. Geoffrey Rush provides the voice for one of the Lanterns, a fish-like creature named Tomar-Re, while Michael Clarke Duncan provides the voice for the massive Kilowog. Sarsgaard hams it up nicely as the villain of the piece. Blake Lively is given little do in her role as Carol Ferris, the love interest for our reluctant hero.