Not sure why I actually expected this movie to be good, but it wasn’t. I can hear you now… “Ricky, you never give a movie a good review. You hate everything!” That’s true, for the most part. Nearly everything coming from Hollywood these days is trash. Also, I am sick and tired of the 3D crap. It does NOT make a movie better. In most cases, it actually hurts the film. In this case, it does just that. This movie would have been SO much better without the 3D effects. (I will admit, the introduction is pretty cool in 3D.)
What Went Wrong
Since I am notorious for giving movies bad reviews, I am going to try something different. I have been paying close attention to Mark Dubec over the last couple years, and that guy knows how to give movies a fair review. So rather than ripping on the film, I will tell you what I liked, what I didn’t like (and why) as well as whether I think you should see it in the theaters, wait until it comes out on DVD, or if you should see it in the first place.
(I am actually going to try a new rating system. I am still going to rate it on a scale of 1 to 5, but my good buddy Brad Rockwood asked me today, “How many “kernels” did it get?” He was kidding, of course, and meant it in terms of popcorn kernels. I laughed out loud, and thought… that’s not a bad idea! So below, you will see my rating in Ricky Kernels!)
Over the last few years, special effects are what drive people to seats. Whether it’s in 3D or not, movies are always trying to outdo the last blockbuster. This movie, on the other hand, goes backward… offering up some HORRIBLE special effects. There are times where it is obvious they are filming on a green screen. There are times, several times actually, that it is so bad it’s almost laughable. The acting is also terrible. I mean, come on. Ryan Reynolds as a superhero? From what I hear, Hal Jordan is actually a jerk in real life. (Well, real life in the story of Green Lantern.) Reynolds isn’t the nicest guy on the planet, so maybe that is why they picked him. But in the movie, he plays a whiny adolescent that is just trying to find his way. He’s a decent actor, but not in a movie like this.
The movie also feels extremely rushed. The movie starts out with a little bit of history, then you are right into the action. You go through several scenes and then all of a sudden, it’s almost over. You can tell when it’s almost over too. Not that I wanted the film to go on for any longer than it did, but the entire film felt rushed. Match that with horrible special effects; you can see why I didn’t like it.
What Went Well
Like I said, I am going to try and give these movies some credit, no matter what I think of the film overall. I’m trying to be fair here… just let it happen!
The script is great. I loved the story. Imagine being a normal guy, just making your way through life… when all of a sudden, you are chosen by a ring (yeah, I know) to be a protector of planet earth. There are several parts that put the world into perspective of the “what if”. What if there is life on other planets. Life that is so much smarter than us, so much beyond us. I typically don’t like movies like this, as I prefer things that are real and could really happen. But the film did make me ponder the what if.
The film will do well, if nothing more than the shock value that another superhero action movie brings. There are a LOT of people that will line up to see this film this weekend and for weeks from release. Before the screening, they had several people line up that were wearing Green Lantern gear. From the mask (the mask is almost laughable in the movie) to the skintight suit, folks dressed to the nines. I wore a hoodie!
The movie has a few good one-liners… but not enough for you to spend the money. Stay at home this weekend. It’s not worth the money. (It might be if you can find it on IMAX. This is a good example of an “in your face” movie that should be displayed on a screen of that size.) I might not even rent it, unless you are really into superhero movies. I give this one 1/5 stars… or kernels.
