Green Lantern
Warner Brothers
Directed by Martin Campbell
Written by Greg Berlanti, Michael Green, Marc Guggenheim, Michael Goldenberg
Story by Berlanti, Green, Goldenberg
Starring Ryan Reynolds (Hal Jordan), Blake Lively (Carol Ferris), Peter Sarsgaard (Hector Hammond), Mark Strong (Sinestro), Temuera Morrison (Abin Sur), Angela Bassett (Dr. Amanda Waller), Tim Robbins (Senator Hammond), Geoffrey Rush (voice of Tomar Re), Michael Clarke Duncan (voice of Kilowog)
Nobody seemed hesitant over the possibility of a post-credits coda. No sooner had Martin Cambell's name appeared on screen than dozens of springs creaked, relieved of matinee posteriors. Other than a few scattered sighs and a bit of socially inept lip smacking from a gentleman behind me, it was the first remarkable sound the audience really made. And as a consensus. No one seemed angry or perturbed in their exit. They were simply done and ready to move on to the next thing.
I had a strange thought as I helped the man next to me try to find a dropped cell-phone by the light of his second (this is our reality). Would we have been any more enthused about the whole thing ten years ago? What if Green Lantern's theatrical release–in this form–had coincided with the first X-Men from Fox? It's not that Green Lantern's visual effects weren't dazzling (they really kind of weren't) or that we've grown tired of superheroes on film. It just feels as if Green Lantern was unearthed from some capsule buried in August of 2000. To spin it a little differently, it's a movie that hasn't really gleaned anything from the more successful franchises produced in the decade since.
With a few curious exceptions.
There are moments early on when Green Lantern feels like Iron Man's little brother, blatantly aping some of his elder's jokes on the schoolyard. Hal Jordan has a stronger claim to combat jets than Tony Stark, but when he pulls the altitude trick we all remember from 2008, Highball reads as a bit of a copycat. Add in the concept of Hal playing John Henry with a pair of advanced drone fighters, and you're left with a fairly dull action sequence, wholly transparent in its intent to demonstrate…Hal's being a pilot? Hal's swagger–if you want to call it that–has no real bearing on his arc. He doesn't learn to stop being so cocky or really utilize that attitude to his advantage. He just stops being that way. There's some rebellion, sure. But for as much as he embraces the light of the Corps, his own battery seems to dwindle throughout. He sips the blue Yoda juice and fosters a new, markedly melancholy level of self sacrifice.
And though there are many, many flaws peppered throughout this movie, it's that joylessness that sucks the life out of scenes which could feasibly be so exhilarating. Hal is weighted down by inadequacy issues stemming from his legendary father's death. He chokes. He quits. He walks away. Even his relationship with Carol verges on townie sad-sack fizzle. What did the ring really see in this guy? His first construct is created in an act of rage. He was attacked, but his opponents were walking away. Only then does he fire up the ring and use it against them. It's bothersome that there was no real consequence for this. Not that Hal is a terrible person for wanting to enact that kind of revenge, but because the Corps of this movie's creation is so intrinsically tied to that idea of will as the stronger alternative to fear. Hal wasn't being brave or resilient there. He was just being aggressive.
While I'd expected the Earthbound sequences might flounder, I still had hope for some sense of purpose or even wonderment on Oa. This is dashed early on when saintly Abin Sur's final battle takes place within roughly 45 seconds. Very little was trimmed from this encounter and escape in the theatrical trailer. This is not simply another outcry against trailers giving too much away. This is just one way of putting the slapdash story of Hal's successor into perspective. As if Hal didn't have to wrestle with the legacy of his father, he must also contend with a constant reminder that Abin Sur was a true Jedi Knight. Fairing much better is Mark Strong's Sinestro, a cold and confident general in the battle against encroaching fear. The best compliment here is that you forget he's pink, and I think the wider audience does too. He doesn't get nearly enough screen time, even if the plan is to portray his fall from grace in future outings.
While Hal's all-too brief training and initiation into the way of the Corps is a high point in the movie (Michael Clarke Duncan made for a perfect Kilowog), the overall design aesthetic and portrayal of Oa will draw unfavorable comparisons to Thor's Asgard. There's no real jaw-dropper in the depiction of Oa. It exists somewhere between Kamino from Attack of the Clones and the promotional art included with a packet of Sea Monkeys. The Guardians appear and function as a color-coordinated alternative to the Jedi Council. It's a genuine shame that Sinestro's addresses to the wider body of Green Lantern Corpsmen is the real extent of our exposure to life on Oa. Sinestro and an exploratory team bump into Parallax during an ill-fated mission, but aside from that and Hal's combat training, the Corps doesn't see much action. Just a lot of congregating and chanting. Even if they weren't involved in the final battle, a montage of space battles or ring selections might've fit nicely in the opening under Tomar Re's narration. In which he is tasked with stating that will-power is green. Twice.
As for the antagonists, Parallax is a menacing cumulonimbus cloud made only sillier with the inclusion of a head. Though he influences Hammond, he doesn't take on any hosts. As an infection, Parallax can potentially make for compelling drama. This is why abstractions have avatars. As a squid-like cloud of pure fear, he's less compelling than a similar embodiment of hatred and terror in The Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation. I mean this sincerely and without irony. As for Hector Hammond, Sarsgaard manages to deliver a character at least partially as creepy as the dude he played in An Education. If he weren't so exceptionally repulsive, I'd say his performance was kind of delicious. He's less an avatar of fear and envy than a tumorous visualization of every internet troll who's ever left you seriously considering severing your internet connection forever. Is he the best match for Hal Jordan? Not in the least. He's meant to be a lifelong adversary, a petulant loser forever in the shadow of Hal Jordan and his Senator father. But ultimately he reads as the lowest toady in the pagoda. The conflict feels so small and irrelevant compared to what Hal faces in outer space. We know that as viewers. But we also know it's just one of those things we're supposed to slog through. Because he's an origin baddie.
If there were any real surprises in this movie, it was Blake Lively. Her early scenes in the locker room did not bode well. These people are not peers. It's not entirely a question of age or even acting ability. These people just don't feel like they have shared experiences. My eyes narrowed as Hal later attempted to get her to dance in the bar. To a song that could not possibly register for this girl. They allude to their failed romance and it does not feel like a genuine history. It feels like strangers conjuring up a fiction. But later, Lively, in a thankless role, really seems to commit. There was a turn there, where I realized it was Reynolds who wasn't entirely present. I might've believed this relationship, if another actor had played Hal. Not any actor. But another. Carol even gets a small, but refreshing moment of agency as she saves Hal from Parallax and leads him to his ring. It was also a little thrilling when she saw through his lame disguise. A rare gift of competency for this kind of role.
I may have run out of compliments I consider worth paying. It's a largely starless night, this movie. Jokes flicker. Painfully so. Moments of real bravado feel truncated or stifled. Set pieces feel rushed, or often have to share screen time with parallel plot threads. To be frank, I was often bored.
There's a scene there where Hal turns over his ring to Hammond. There's a cut to a wider angle. Hammond is pulling the ring to him, putting it on. Hal turns away for a second. He's taking the opportunity to survey the hangar space. But what it really looks like is he's distracted. In this tense moment, he's lost interest in what's happening. This is a poker face strategy, he's playing. But I couldn't help but relate to his lack of focus.
I just didn't have the will for this one. And it did very little to inspire any.
1.5 Stars
(Out of Five)
Whether you see Green Lantern this weekend or not (and I think there's plenty to be gleaned from imperfect movies), I do strongly suggest you check out the far superior Green Lantern: Emerald Knights animated movie reviewed here.
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Completely agreed on every level. During almost every scene, I found myself thinking how they could have made that moment interesting as opposed to what was happening on screen.
If you liked X-Men 3 or Iron Man 2, you’ll like Green Lantern.
Ouch. Nasty. I don’t get to see this movie for another 2 months, since I live in Brazil. But now you got me scared s***less for this. I really hoped that it’d start a DC movieverse, just like Marvel’s. But…
@msarsur A DC movie continuity wasn’t really an option either way. That’s not the model they wanted to work with.
hurm…. I didn’t read the review because it’s spoiler filled, will revist it once i’ve seen it, but one star does not bode well for the “Green Lantern will be better than Transformers 3” bet i have going with my friend…
@Paul: better or worse than Daredevil? (I mean it.)
Paul, I thought this was an amazingly well-written critique. I would have applied the same opinion (vilify me in 3… 2… 1…) to “X-Men: First Class”. I have no hopes of the Captain America movie being any better. Maybe we’ll fare better with “Cowboys and Aliens”.
@msarsur Tricky. It’s been a while but I almost want to say I prefer Daredevil because there was at least a sense of humor there.
@jeremypihl First Class isn’t perfect, but stronger villains, some great performances, and a real sense of joy make it leaps and bounds better than GL. Cowboys and Aliens looks very promising. I have hopes for Cap as well.
Actually I hated DAREDEVIL because he murders a guy (named Quesada!) in cold blood at the beginning, and *then* the movie tries to be funny. Is GREEN LANTERN that tone-deaf, Paul?
@mmyoung It’s monotone. Which is a different problem.
I haven’t seen it yet but this is pretty much how I am sure I will feel once I see it. Waiting for a good matinee price though on monday. With a cinnabon drink from Penn Station and a sour cream and onion Pretzel it should be fine gorging myself in the dark by the emerald glow of faded ambition.
I have to agree. I hadn’t exactly been looking forward to it, and my reservations proved true. Just an uninteresting movie. They wanted to include too much and ended up making too little of everything.
@msarsur I’d say on par with Daredevil. That’s a bad thing.
@PaulMontgomery I won’t deny that Fassbender and McAvoy made a movie that I was genuinely non-plussed by much more viewable. I couldn’t get past (as inside baseball as this is) so many of the continuity issues and references to the first three movies.
Agreed, agreed, a thousand times agreed. This was not a fun movie.
I have to disagree with the comment about Oa not being as interesting as Asgard. I personally thought the design of Oa was gorgeous. Just as gorgeous as Asgard. The problem I had with Asgard was that (besides the crowning ceremony scene) it felt like the only people there were Thor and his friends/family. Although we didn’t get an intimate look at life on Oa, it at least looked like there WAS life on Oa.
Could not agree more with this review. Bravo, sir.
I agree but the Credits scene is 5/5 STARS sequel is the war
Nicely written review.
All of the other reviews that seem thoughtful to me…also give the movie low scores.
So, I haven’t seen the movie, but it seems like the movie turned out to be what I feared it wouldn’t be. But this whole time, I was cynically expecting this.
This is why I never really got much involved in all the hype for this movie. This is why I don’t even bother clicking on articles that announce things like “OMG Another vague screenslot released for a movie that won’t be released for another 18 months!! LOOK AT THIS IMAGE!! WHAT DOES IT MEAN!!!?”
The only reason I knew anything about the GL movie beforehand…is because comics podcasts couldn’t stop mentioning it. And every time they mentioned it, I thought “Gee, I wish they’d stop hyping this. Because they’re just building themselves up for expectations that are too high.” In my opinion, all sensors indicated that this was going to be a subpar movie.
But look at the hype the GL movie got compared to the lack of hype that X-Men First Class got. We can go on and on, day after day, about how movie studios or television studios or business men aren’t fair and don’t know what quality is. But–does the comics internet community know either? A lot of the people who get on their high-horse and act indignant about comics like Thor The Mighty Avenger getting canceled… these are the same people who hyped the GL movie to no end, while ignoring X-Men First Class. I’m not saying this to call anybody out, but I just think in the future we should all get a lot smarter about the kinds of things we hype.
So, whoever’s listening, IN THE FUTURE PLEASE LEARN YOUR LESSON AND STOP HYPING MOVIES THAT OBVIOUSLY LOOK LIKE THEY’LL BE BAD. Unless all you care about is page-views. Which, maybe that’s what you do care about?
I saw it last night and I really enjoyed it. Not as good as Thor or X-Men, this summer, but still pretty good. I thought Renyolds was good, I thought Lively was way better then expected, I thought the effects were pretty good and his constructs reasonably imaginative (though they could have done a lot more with that). I though the voice acting for the alien corp members was pretty good. I wish Sinestro had done more, or really, done something to show why he is the alpha dog of Oa, and I thought the little after scene, where he does something quite bad was completely undeserved; I mean, they won and he still does that? Seemed a waste to me.
It certainly lacked the luster of Thor or Iron Man, but I still had a good time.
3.5 stars (out of 5)
I can’t really put a finger on why, but I didn’t think it was that bad. I know I thought Thor and X-men were better, but I still kinda liked Green Lantern.
I disagree with the review, I’m afriad to say. It’s certainly not a Dark Knight, or a Spider-man 2, but neither is it a Catwoman or Ghost Rider.
The film has it’s weaknesses, juggling too many ideas, some poor CGI and Blake Lively (baring the scene Paul highlighted in his review where she saw through Hal’s disguise every quickly). Also it seemed like the music composer just altered the superman theme slightly.
However dispite those things I felt the film had a number of strenghts. Everything on Oa was amazing. Hal’s enjoyment when he first flew was infections. And I thought his first fight with Hector in the lab was well staged. While I’m not normally a fan of giant cgi villians, I thought it worked better here than it did in Spider-man 3, or FF 2 as the evil-cloud had some lines of diologue and motivation (as much motivation as a world eating cloud can have).
The constructs were inventive, and I felt Hals “hero journey” was more believable than Thor’s earlier in the year. Hal had a side of himself he’d been hiding from, and it was holding him back in every area of his life.
As I said before this is certainly not my new favourite Superhero movie, but I think a 3 star rating would be better suited. It’s DC’s Fantastic Four. It can be criticed for noting being as weighty as the other franchises, but sometimes I want light-fun, and I think this fits the bill.
Making fun of Bale’s Batman voice was brilliant!
Thanks for such an honest and straight up review. It’s a relief to hear it told like it is!
I liked it alot! Completely disagree with 98% of this review!! Going to see it a 2nd time later..
Update 99% disagree lol
Emerald Knights was dullllllllll and my least favorite DCU DVD..
@Superyan I’m curious about that 1%.
Since this is the spoiler thread, and I will not be seeing this double flusher, what was the credits scene that has been mentioned?
I’m still looking forward to this movie.
SPOILER
@Firevine
Sinestro takes his green ring off, puts on a yellow one, and his suit changes.
@Firevine
Sinestro puts on the Yellow Ring.
It was Sinestro putting on the yellow ring and costume.
I’d give it a 2 out 5. It wasn’t the worst ever but I’d say its at Wolverine levels. I agree that it feels like the stuck two movies together. The movie went from origin origin origin to suddenly fighting the biggest villain in the known universe in like 30 seconds. I felt like the skipped a whole section of the film. Suddenly Paralax was just there and Hal was fighting it alone. I know he’s the hero but he trained with Kilowog for all of 3 minutes and suddenly he’s just “great”? I find that hard to believe. Also the scene with the guardians where Hal made his speech was totally unearned and pointless. They just brushed him off and so does Sinestro yet suddenly just as Hal is collapsing Tomar, Kilowog and Sinestro just decide to show up? After they so causually dismissed his plan? That just doesn’t sit right with me. I felt like the producers/writers made a decent origin movie up until the point paralax showed up on earth. It was just too soon for that kind of a battle and a victory. Also, why would Sinestro think to even put on the yellow ring after the credits when he just watched the emodiment of fear get burned up in the sun?
Blake lively was my biggest concern going into this. She wasn’t as bad as I thought. Though I found it unbelievable that they knew each other as kids. Wasn’t she supposed to be there when Hal watched his Dad blow up? I think they had to change it to they knew each other as kids and not grew up together because the age disparity is simply too great.
Not horrible but not great. First Class and Thor rise heads and tails above this. Also that last effect shot of him flying out of Ferris Aircraft was some of the fakest looking shit in the movie. To end with that is horrifying.
Man, there is really not enough of an arc for that coda to work. That should happen in Act II of the sequel.
I really enjoyed the movie.
the Tiki
I feel like the review was well thought out, but at points mean spirited for no other reason than to be witty. Care Bare the movie…. C’mon. I stayed up to midnight to see it and I had every reason to hate it because I paid my $$ and was tired. I kept expecting to hate something. The slow parts were slow. The mis-steps were mis-steps, but every movie this summer has had missteps. See twitterpated Jane Foster, or Glass meh version of Emma Frost, or BLACK people used as bad plot points. I still enjoyed those movies. This movie was worth it to me for Sinestro and some of the story points up on the screen. It wasn’t the greatest movie ever and it sure wasn’t the worst comic book movie. I’d say its on par with last summers 2 week darling Iron Man 2.
@espressoDOM Yeah, that was a little mean. But it’s true.
@PaulMontgomery I have zero desire to see this movie, but at least it inspired a really great review. Very well written analysis. bravo!
Hot Wheels leading the way!
Nice review, Mr. Montgomery. I always enjoy your reviews and articles, regardless of whether or not I fully agree with everything said. Our respective senses of humor seem to aligned well. I definitely didn’t love the flick by any means, but was able to take away enough positive aspects to be satisfied. Here’s hoping it does well and gets a fully fleshed-out sequel, one more deserving of the GL name.
@DarrOn Here’s to that!
@PaulMontgomery As much as I did like the movie I have to agree that the yellow ring coda was so unbelievably undeserved and unearned it’s been gnawing at me since I saw it last night. It was such a waste of what could be a really good sequel story.
@all haters….keep on hatin
Paul, very much liked the review, very much agree. Throughout the movie, I kept wanting to fix things. Not the typical fanboy “that doesn’t match my comics” fix, just fix the story they were telling. About a third of the way into the film I said to myself “That’s where they should have started the movie!” and by the end I was questioning the need for a GL origin story film at all. With about 3 more lines at the beginning, Geoffrey Rush could have summed up the “Hal becomes a GL” part and we could have been off to the races. With so many origin story super hero movies out there, we seem to forget that the movie that started the modern super-hero film craze (X-men) dropped us right in the middle of the world.
@Paul love your writing style. Great job. Disappointing DC & WB couldn’t put together a more component and more importantly, FUN film. The poor reaction to the film doesn’t bode well for a sequel, that could be so much better than this. Any news if the sequel has already been greenlit?
I give it a C+ or B-.
There are many well done scenes, and more than a few lost opportunities. I don’t think its total crap, but the problems I had fall in line with the problems I had with Thor and X Men: First Class. It felt like scenes weren’t given any room to breathe. They just move along to the next scene in order to keep the plot moving.
They’ve become films with plot points not a story.
I teach a filmmaking/storytelling class and what I drill in is that action dictates character, a character is defined by the actions they do. Thor suffered in areas (while it is a charming film) where they felt the need to keep it moving, Character moments were blended in with action beats. You don’t get a sense of loss with Thor being stuck on earth, he seems to accept it quickly (move that plot along). With X Men, the middle (Act 2) felt like scenes were cut off at the knees. Each scene had the old reliable exit line in oreder to move to the next scene, resolve any issues to keep that plot going. Characters didn’t discuss their concerns, it was exit line to next scene.
With GL, its not garbage, but it suffers from the same “cliff notes” form of story telling, keep the plot moving. Hal, and other characters seem to do what they need to do in order to get to that next scene. If it slowed down a little, give Hal more conflict, maybe even wonder (christ he flies through outer space) it would help make it a better film. X Men: First Class. B, Thor B, GL, B– or C+. It’s a little workman like, with a slightly under performing villain, but I was still entertained.
And I consider Spiderman 3, Batman & Robin and Ghost Rider the worst of the genre. The Dark Knight still overshadows any and all.
That’s disappointing.
Ooops, sorry I forgot about Superman 4: Quest for peace. That is by far the biggest turkey out of the whole Superhero genre.
*compotent
I, for one, am EXTREMELY happy that this has finally come out. Now DC can take those damn banners off the top of their books and stop messing up the covers.
I echo stuclach. I wasn’t very excited in the first place, but now I am pretty sure I won’t see this in theaters, or even until it is on TNT in 2 years.
its sad that WB is dropping the ball on someone of the best characters..
I loved watching Kyle Rayner on the big screen for the first time…I mean Hal Jordan. Did anyone catch Wonder Woman’s plane? Hal gives it as a gift to his nephew it looked like the Super Friends invisible Jet to me.
Wow, this is a really nitpicky review. Paul, did you strain yourself with all that reaching, stretching, desperately grasping for negative things to say? Here’s the real lowdown. They packed too much into the film. They broke a cardinal rule of filmmaking by having exposition delivered by a voiceover. So what? Rules were made to be broken, and the exposition works fine. Hector Hammond is given short shrift. I wish critics would be very, very specific by what they mean about poor special effects. I found the special effects to be better than I expected. The alien creatures all looked quite believable. The action scenes were well executed. There are even some nice lines of dialogue, mostly between Hal and Carol. I like this film better than “Thor” because the characters were actually more adult and more psychologically well rounded. “Thor” had a tendency to pander to the kiddies, if ya know what I mean. What, exactly did Thor see in Jane Foster, anyway? Or did “Thor” simply need an obligatory romance? I think “Green Lantern” is really quite entertaining, and will do quite well at the box office. I think the second film with Sinestro will probably be more focused with only one villian.
I pretty much agree with Paul, though I disagree fundamentally on the success of Blake Lively’s performance, I thought she was awful.
@Invasionforce
I’m pretty sure Paul gave his opinion. Unless he is powered by negative reviews (the brown ring) I’d just take it he saw a lot wrong with the film.
He isn’t alone.
Just to clarify: by saying that more than one person view the film in a negative light is not meant to dismiss the opinions of those who enjoyed the film.
I just don’t think you need to find a reason for someone not liking the film beyond not liking it.
i already had very little desire to see this movie, even though i do like the comic character. From the Key art to the trailers all i saw was an overproduced SFX showcase. After all these bad reviews i’m pretty sure i’ll save my cash and wait for it to be on netflix or most likely, cable.
haven’t had time to see any of these summer movies yet, so i’m glad i can cross it off my list.
excellent review btw.
I am sorry to hear that so many people don’t like the film, but I am going to see it anyway for three reasons. One: I want to be able to judge it for myself. Two: I could be one of the few who like it because I did like Spider-Man 3 , X-Men 3, Iron Man 2 and Daredevil. And most of you keep saying it is like those movies. Three: I want to support DC comics so future DC Comics movies can be made. I hope to god I like it.
I actually really enjoyed it.
That was a review? Thought it was someone’s thesis…
Took two out of three daughters to it (the teenagers) and they thought it was fun. Fun! Took about ten words. Had they not liked it, that, too, would have probably taken about ten words. Although I have to tell you, Paul, anyone who can name-drop a baddie from Care Bears is doing something right…my daughters held me hostage one night and that damn Care Bear stare…
Since brevity is the soul of wit: disappointed that three fairly regular comic book writers did so poorly in getting GL’s story right…Hector Hammond could have been sole villain in movie with allusions to “the yellow”…more Lanterns with speaking parts…didn’t Avatar show how to do aliens right?…Guardians were pretty freaking cool…could have done without Senator Robbins plot device…wassup with score music so similar to Superman’s that my 11-year old noticed it…and a helicopter accident scene? Ugh…Blake Lively actually surprised me…she really did…Ryan Reynolds was fun but inconsistent…why is it that every hero has better Rouge’s Gallery than Supes…could really go for my own ring and lantern!
@ComicreaderX Yes, that was a review. And a very good one. It’s what we pay Paul to do.
I think the first point you make about this film possibly being an anachronism is very insightful and accurate. Not only was it a bit underwhelming technically/visually (constructs were cool), but just compared to the coherent, fun, and substantial stories we’ve seen told in recent superhero movies, this one tastes very bland. Personally, I enjoyed watching it, especially for the actors, but I can’t say this was more than mediocre. I think the fun I had watching was very superficial and in-the-moment based. Several years ago, as one of the first superhero flicks, this would have been more excusable, but not in an age that has already seen the likes of The Dark Knight and Iron Man, the latter of which is probably what they should have emulated.
I also feel like this film could have benefitted from being even at least 15 minutes longer, which would put it near the length of Iron Man. There were many holes in this arc that needed to be filled somehow, so I wonder why those voids were either deemed negligible or just given less priority to creating a shorter film.
@Invasionforce No. It was not especially difficult to recall things I did not like about the movie. Though I do think I provided a fair list of things I did like about it as well.
@ComicreaderX I’m not sure what you’re asking. You want us to publish ten word reviews?
I’ve always enjoyed your writing, but that was exceptionally good.
Out of the four major comic book movies this summer, I was looking forward to GL the least. Not because I thought it would be bad, but because I have th least connection with him. I’ve read a few GL comics over a the years, but I’m not exactly a die hard like a lot of people here are. I was the same way when I first saw Daredevil and I actually enjoyed that movie. Spider-Man 3 and X3 were disappointing to me more so because of the fact that those are my two favorite comic series, so when they were mediocre, it was like being stabbed in the back.
I haven’t seen GL yet, but to me I think its going similiar experience as DD. I’ve the reviews from film critics and fanboys of GL, but I haven’t been able to get a sense of the other diverse auidences like me since it seems only the two aforementioned groups are reviewing it. I mean, as of me writing this GL has a 23% on RT from critics, but its audience rating is 72%. So, is it possible that if I go into GL with low expectations of it only being a summer blockbuster and little attachment to the character that I may enjoy this movie?
Saw grean lantern last night ya it was bad I wouldn’t recomend it.
Man this review and thread is what makes fanboys.. Fanboys! The nitpicking drives me crazy.
@Paul – the 1% I agreed with was your compliment of Blake Lively’s performance and being surprised it was good (or perhaps it was faint praise that she was *gasp* as terrible as Katie Holmes in Batman Begins). I think Mark Strong was pitch perfect as Sinestro and you seemed to like him too.
Should read **wasn’t** as bad as Holmes. Again though, I didn’t mind her in Begins either, and preferred her over Maggie Gyllinhaal, but I digress..
@ComicreaderX I would rather have a critique with supporting data then what is effectively a tweet.
i just saw the movie and posted a critique on the Suicide Squad blog of how Ryan Reynolds did as well as how they handled the Amanda Waller character:
http://suicidesquadtaskforcex.blogspot.com/2011/06/green-lantern-movie-review-wall-ryan.html
@Superyan I’m really not nitpicking. I’m glad you seemed to enjoy the movie. The flaws I discussed were glaring to me, and I’d be doing a disservice to readers if I didn’t explain why. Note that my problems with the movie have little or nothing to do with comic continuity concerns people usually reference when labeling a review as fanboyish nitpickery.
We’ve seen summer blockbusters with thoughtful scripts, great performances, and innovative visual storytelling. So I won’t alter the level of critical attention between award season dramas and summer action movies. Don’t ask me to turn my brain off, kick back and be less discerning. I was ready to be entertained and wasn’t. I’m telling you why that was because that was my role here.
So Green Lantern… there indeed some good parts and things that work. But overall, it’s just there. Not terrible, not good, just there. Hal Jordan spending the majority of his time on Earth is like Batman spending the majority of his time in the Batcave. He can go further. the few things I did like, don’t think any of it involved Hal. It’s a weird film where it feels like nothing happens but they tried to put to much in at the same time, they put in a ton of things but barely give any of it enough time to move onto the next thing. Also disappointing that all the Oa stuff is in the trailers, I mean pretty much all of it. If you saw the trailers there was all of Oa.
People have to stop comparing this to Star Wars in the press by the way. Because in Star Wars Luke didn’t leave Tatooine for five minutes, only to back to Tatooine after he figured out what the Empire was going “I can’t do this!” Luke actually did stuff and went places. And the after the credit sequence… wosh. Cause you know thats earned. With all the five minutes of screen time that character had.
The Good: Mark Strong, Hector Hammond, The First Oa sequence with the training and such. And a fair amount of the CGI is pretty good.
The Bad, The Bland and the Ugly: Pretty much everything else.
Again the thing of it is, it’s not a terrible film, it’s just kind of there. I don’t think it’s disappointing to just comic fans. I think anyone who goes to films and hasn’t read a comic in years will be disappointed. This is a movie a month from now we won’t think about and will forget we saw until the DVD promotion hits. And sometimes a bland movie is worse then a bad movie, at least bad movies will take risk or stay with you for sometime. Green Lantern will stay with no body.
Eh, I found it okay. I agree there wasn’t enough of a sense of “awe” to it though.
I think movie studios desperately need to stop trying to recapture the magic of Iron Man. It was lightning in a bottle. And most of the credit belongs to RDJ. Hell, the same cast and crew couldn’t even recreate it in IM2. To learn from it is one thing, but I think future superhero flicks would benefit from moving in a different direction.
@PaulMontgomery: Don’t listen to ’em, Fuzzy. Your review was spot on. Any “harshness” was deserved and well spoken as usual. And there wasn’t a nitpick in sight. You’re one of the best writers on a site chock full o’ good writers. We love ya. Keep it up.
Conor…lighten up. Sarcasm…something you might want to look up at 2 a.m. No shit it’s a review.
I’m pretty sure I wasn’t straight up bitching about the length (insert penis joke if you must) of the review.
Paul…it was a great, long review, ’nuff said.
I do feel for you, because it appears that you were in a melancholy place while viewing GL. And before any of Paul’s pit bulls jump me in the cyber-alley, I say that as someone who has also sat through my fair share of horrendous flicks. Your pain flows through bittersweetly in your words.
What I was trying to get at, but apparently was not succeeding in, possibly to it being late at night/ early morning is this (follow along “spoons,” because I’m not going to put down a lot here): my daughters liked it.
While only knowing that Green Lantern is who he is, that Carol is pretty and will be Star Sapphire some day, and that Sinestro will betray the Corps, they liked it. As viewers that is all they brought to the table and the still liked it.
There were things they didn’t like and things I didn’t like. And things we liked.
And Paul, your review reads much better today. It’s rock-solid. I think we both wanted better for GL. My daughters (2 out of 3) wanted to see GL with daddy and they liked it, so I guess I liked it, too.
Peace.
Now I want a shirt that reads “I am Paul Montgomery’s pit bull”.
The irony here is that in real life I have poodles.
I thought they were a mix of two breeds.
To those gettiing on Paul for his review. You guys are looking ridiculous here. I hope you are aware of this. It’s cool if youl enjoyed the movie. Some people simply like seeing things they like on the big screen, and that’s enough for them. But it’s pretty much been universally agreed upon with both critics and the general internet that this movie is neither entertaining or well executed. That doesn’t mean you can’t like it. But it does mean that you can’t take fault (without looking ignorant and “fanboyish”) with a critical review. Paul’s review is spot on, IMO. And well written & explained, to boot.
@vadamowens Technically yes. Goldendoodles (poodle and golden retriever) and cockapoos (poodle and cocker spaniel). Though the latter are a dubious kind of mutt.
I really don’t think that it is as bad as everyone is saying. They had great FX, everything (mostly) was true to the comic, & the actors actually pulled off each of their respective characters. The real downside of the movie to me was that a good part of it felt unnatural & forced. The backstory, the kiss at the end & also the focusing on Earth rather than Oa (which they should have spent a little more time on, but they didn’t have Oa for a short a time as critics & people are making it out to be). But let’s ask ourselves a question here, was this done in order to try to reach a broader audience other than comic readers? I think so, I think that they wanted to make it more on Earth in order to not suffocate the comic virgins with the mythos. Judging from the profits its been making already it looks like it just might be a commercial success, at least enough to warrant for a sequel & I for one would definitely love a Sinestro Corps sequel, especialy with that awesome scene after the credits!
@SpiderTitan I’d argue that coda in the credits is not a scene. It’s the movie version of a pinup sketch.
I think people need to stop judging films by what their children think. Chances are your young children won’t like “The Godfather” “Jaws” or “Raging Bull” But would like “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” “Aliens in the attic” and apparently “Green Lantern”. Children aren’t the barometer for quality. I know a woman who didn’t like Rango because her “Kid found it boring.” Nothing on her opinion, she just told me what her child thought, which was not what I asked.
I’ll give the film a 3 out of 5, compared to THOR’s 4. While there were certainly some weak moments (the helicopter scene. Really? didn’t another superhero do something along those lines years ago?), overall I had fun watching the movie. Sadly, I agree with many that the Hal & Carol relationship just didn’t seem real most of the time. Her recognizing Hal, one of the better moments they have together. Have Hector & Hal always known each other? I don’t recall that, but then DC has changed continuity so often anyway it might be a fact now.
I liked the scenes on Oa far more than many on Earth and hope the sequel will spend more time in space and with the Corp. Btw, I read a article on a non-fan site where they talked about Blake Lively and refer to Carol Ferris more than once as Star Sapphire’s alter ego. Was something already said about Hal’s foe/flame appearing at some point?
@stevec50 Her flying nickname is “Sapphire” just as Hal’s is “Highball.” That’s the extent of it.
well, in comicreaderX’s defense i think he is saying he had an enjoyable experience with his daugthers at the film. hence, it is good.
which is completely valid
@edward But having a good time with your family does not speak to the quality of your product.
i guess it isn’t valid. sorry, comicreaderX
@Jurassicalien i don’t know, mate. it does when you are able to enjoy it on the level of a fun family activity. Not everyone has to watch a film with the exact same reasons
comicreaderX gave full context. He’s within his rights, so let’s not attack anybody.
@PaulMontgomery Yeah. I remember a long time ago you posted a pic of what I believe was one of your goldendoodles. Handsome animal.
I just saw the movie with my wife and sister. They are not GL fans while I am. We all enjoyed the movie more than we expected. I saw the nitpics, plot holes, etc… and still enjoyed it. Frankly, the biggest surprise for me was Hal and Carol’s stormy relationship. Much better and more believable for me than Thor and Jane Foster’s (anybody remember she was a nurse in her original comics run?). He went gaga over her. A god, surounded by beautiful warrior women and he falls for a skinny Earth girl? Just sayin. Haven’t seen X-Men yet, next week, but so far I’d give GL a 3.5 out of 5 for mythos and a 4 out of 5 for fun.
Ok it was no where near X-Men First Class, but no way was it as bad as Daredevil. I felt the earth scenes were a bore because Lively and Reynalds had no chemistry, but Oa looked fine as did the Corps. I just wish the GLC had done more. The dialogue was stilted and thee were no surprises, but I guess I had such low expectations..I came out thinking it was an average movie. Not Daredevil, Electra or Catwoman bad by any means.
While I respect Paul’s reivew and his option, I have to disagree with him. I really did like this movie. It made me laugh and go hell yeah more then a couple of times. I guess I am one of the few who liked it. It is not the best movie I have ever seen by far, but I was entertained. And for me that was the whole point.
@Jurassicalien Then what does? Why is a product not quality when people see it with their family? I don’t think I understand what you mean?
@SamIAm I could on a long diatribe about this but my point being is that “having a good time with your family” could mean many things, but that doesn’t say anything about the product made. Also ‘m sorry, but kids love shit. They really do, turn on any Disney or Nick show made today and watch it, it’s shit. And you’re kids may love it, and you’ll be happy they love it and maybe you’ll be enjoy your time with your kids watching TV. Doesn’t mean those shows aren’t shit, and it doesn’t mean Green Lantern wasn’t boring.
WOW! Well, guess what? I had a lot of fun with this movie. I fully admit there are structural issues with the film and some of the CGI is head-scratching. But as a whole I enjoyed it.
As a movie buff I can see where someone could find all sorts of shortcomings. But as someone who just went and watched it looking for some fun entertainment, well…I got it.
I have my own noticable issues with the movie but nothing that ruined my experience. Plan on seeing it again next week.
There were a few moments I enjoyed, namely the perfomances of Strong & Sarsgaard, and the guardians looked kind of cool, but I think the biggest thing I can say that I took from this movie is finally knowing how to say OA. (I’ve always said “Oh-Ay” in my head.)
@Jurassicalien While I do disagree with you good sir (on kids liking shit), I thank you for clearing up your point.
I dunno, I guess you could pick anything apart. I just came out of the theatre a very satisfied GL fan. Perhaps my standards aren’t that high 🙂 Anyways, hope they make more.
when are you guys doing a vidpodcast GL movie review?
I was disturbed when it was announced that Ryan Reynolds was cast as Hal and Blake Lively as Carol. I hated the original trailer because it showed me Reynolds doing all of the “Van Wilder” crap I was afraid he was going to do. But over the last few months Warner Bros. had released new trailers that gotten me to rethink my assessment of the film. Unfortunately, when I went to see the movie Friday it proved to be just what I was afraid it was originally: a dull, superficial superhero trope played out with subpar actors and written by too many people for the narrative to have any focus and clarity. If this is what you get from COO Geoff Johns shepherding a project along, I am so happy that Chris Nolan is in charge of Superman.
Now I remember why I’ve been coming to iFanboy for years. Because you can have threads like these without malicious intent! Actual opinions being thrown around and no one gets flamed! Valid criticism! Love it.
@itsbecca: OH-AY! That’s hilarious! I’m not making fun. I honestly laughed out loud. It’s funny how we comic fans can think we’re saying a word right for YEARS. Green Lantern especially is chock full o’ that shit. Atrocitus’ planet Ryut for instance. I thought it was pronounced “ree-yoot”, and according to Tomar Re it’s “riot”. Who knew? Well at least the movie accomplished something. You can now pronounce Oa correctly. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll continue to pronounce it your way, because you can.
As I’ve said, looking at it from a pure structural standpoint there are noticable flaws. Yes you have the occasional cheesy dialogue, a hamfisted Hector Hammonds story, some rather lazy writing, and a few “wow that’s goofy looking CGI” moments. But as far as FUN goes, I had an absolute blast. Yes, it borrows from numerous other super-hero films, but it also stands alone.
I guess I just saw the movie from a different perspective. I was very apprehensive going in thinking that GL had more potential baggage than any of the other three super-hero films this summer. When my son and I left the theater, we had plenty to talk about. He enjoyed it and so did I. We had FUN.
Just, for the record. Let it be known. I too like fun.
I went in not know what to expect, I left entertained, but knowing that there were going to be people out there that were going to hate this movie, it had plenty of flaws, and very little cameras time was really invested into the Corps, so you really never got to know much about any of them (which is really my biggest issue with the movie), that said I still liked it for the most part, and never felt bored while watching it.
I tought they did a prety damn good job with the contructs, especially in the well choreographed Hal-Sinestro fight. If that’s glimps at things to come I’m so down for a yellow lanterney GL 2.
@SirSullymore: I agree. On a positive note, it was clear that Campbell and the SFX team worked hard to bring the constucts to life (even if the other effects suffered as a result). And it paid off. The all too brief training session was definitely a high point for me. I also got a thrill seeing Sinestro’s strike team throw a combined net construct at Parallax on Ryut (it was the best part of a pretty bad scene). And Hal whipping out the WWII anit-aircraft guns and launchin that tanker with springs was also pretty bitchin.
None of my friends caught it (not bragging), but there was a moment in the sparring session where Sinestro throws the three swords after Hal. After getting his bearings, Hal grabs one of the swords and they exchange a few blows before Sinestro simply makes Hal’s sword disappear. Because it was Sinestro’s construct. Thus teaching Hal the very important lesson, “never use another lantern’s constructs” It was subtle but fucking brilliant. We could’ve used a whole lot more of that!
I enjoyed the movie, loved the Sinestro parts, couldn’t wait to see him again during the movie, thought the constructs were well done, it had it’s issues and problems, but overall I liked it.
While I don’t agree with a significant portion this review, it is way, way better written than most movie critic reviews I read. For me this movie wasn’t nearly this bad, there was certainly room for improvement and I hope we see it in a sequel. 3/5 for me.
@PaulMontgomery It’s official! Paul hates anything fun. 😉
The movie had its problems, but I enjoyed it. I know most people say “it felt like 30-minutes had been cut out” when trying to defend a bad movie, but this time it actually felt that way. We needed more Corps., more Sinestro, and more interactions with Hal in space. We didn’t build enough weight for the end of the movie. But, like I said, I never felt bored and annoyed with Green Lantern.
I liked it. Not a lot, but I don’t consider it a waste of my time. It was a big, fun action movie. I actually thought Reynolds was great and Lively was bland. Mark Strong was perfect, but didn’t get much to do, and Sarsgaard was a decent villain, albeit a massive caricature.
There was a lot of really, really dumb things in it, and it dragged out, but I’d give it maybe 2.5/5.
To put things in perspective. The last super hero movie to feature a giant cloud as an enemy got a 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and made $131 domestic and $157 foreign for a total of $289.
It only took four years to forget the travesty that was Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Although if Green Lantern did well, maybe Loki will become a giant cloud for the Avengers movie. That would be rad right?
Why are people turning this into a Marvel/DC thing? IM 2 split opinion but otherwise a broad consensus has emerged about whether a film was good or bad – Thor, IM, Dark Knight, BB, X1, X2, SM! and 2, XFC = good and Catwoman, DD, Ghost Rider, X3, SM3 FF and FF2 = bad. Please note I said “broad consensus”, your mileage may vary on all those films. I hate to say it (and i mean that) but the broad consensus on GL is bad.
It seems to me like there were two really awesome movies that were intertwined to make one. There’s the one about Parallax, it’s threat to Oa and the universe, and Sinestro’s corruption, and one about Hal’s struggle with his past and acceptance of his role as a Green Lantern. When they mixed them together they cut out most of the background, motivations, and character development of both. This left us with one movie that seemed to jump back and forth way to much trying to do everything and accomplishing little. But at moments it became the amazing movie it could have been. Hopefully they’ll learn from the mistakes of this movie if they make a sequel.
Well it looks like the bad reviews afected the box office as it came in lower than thor and xmen first class. With a high budget and promotion. I don’t know if where gonna get a sequal or a jla film. I wonder how warner and geoff johns will spin this?
It does seems like Marvel is better with putting out quality movies in the last couple of years. I do want to stay away from the Marvel & DC thing. The pubilc may not see it as a DC movie or a Marvel movie, they will see it as a comic book movie. I hope this movie doesn’t have a ripple effects with other comic book movies – Captain America, Spider-Man and so on…
This was the worst comic-related movie I’ve ever seen. It reminded me of the ‘Red Ships of Spain’ sketch with Will Ferrell on SNL. I could’ve gotten up and walked around and no one would’ve noticed or cared. The villains in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II were more believable. Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively both acted as if they’d never heard of Green Lantern before this movie. I was angry when I left…and so were most of the rest in the theatre. There was more foul language from the crowd than what was on-screen. I would give it 1/2 star (at best).
I see that folks are talking about continuity on here and ther lies the problem. This movie is a stand alone thing and folks are bringing in their past with them. I have seen this twice now and the first time I thought it was ok. The 2nd time I noticed that there were flaws in the movie.
1. Blake Lively, her performance was hot and cold. Her scene in the bar was very good. Her and RR seemed to have chemistry there but no where else in the flick.
2. How was it established that Sinestro is the greatest now? He wasn’t real developed well. The actor playing him was great.
3. Parralax was beaten that easy, really? Come on man! Really?
The Good.
1. The constructs were well done. One of the highlights for me. I liked the hot wheels scene. I also liked when he dropped Amanda Waller into a water construct and flushed her away to never be seen on screen again.
2. The CGI wasnt that bad. 300 mill to make and I thought it looked very good.
Overall not as good as Thor but a good start for DC/WB movies.
I actually enjoyed the movie a lot. It’s cheesy humor with some entertaining action scenes, is what Green Lantern (Hal) is all about. I did think the depiction of Parallax was odd, but he/it has never been really defined in the comics (its always changing).
It was a solid B+ movie.
Oh, man. apparently GL dropped 66% in its second week. It it too soon for a “Remake & Reboot” column?
Were you eating fancy aged cheese and sipping wine while typing this? Get off your over-analytical arse Mr. Montgomery. I watched the movie yesturday and walked out thinking, damn! I actually got to see a live-action interpretation of one of my favorite comic characters. Was it perfect absolutely not! But I don’t see the “bend over and grab your ankles” bashing it seems to be recieving. P.S. I still love you 🙂
Since the first images released in Entertainment Weekly I have heard absolutely nothing but negative regarding Green Lantern. Nothing Positive at all. And since the movie’s release it has been bashed on by every geek with an opinion and small following. Repeating the same spun and regurgitated rhetoric that Movie reviewer so and so expressed on such and such a date, dating all the way back to when the first images appeared in the movie trades. Having seen the movie, more than once now, I’m going to step forward and express my opinion on not just Green Lantern the film, but comic book properties in general, as well as the main movie going public. This is also a message to movie critics who have done nothing but bash this movie since before it’s release date.
I’m a Green Lantern Fan -that way you know and understand that I am a Comic Book Geek. As well as a comic book historian. Yes, I am One of those guys, and I have been a Lantern fan since the seventies. I was introduced to him on Challenge of the Super friends as a kid, I was reading the comic in the eighties and early nineties as an adolescent, and as an adult switched to Green Lantern trade paperbacks to keep up on what has been happening with the character. I have watched and enjoyed the various Cartoon appearances of not just Hal Jordan, But John Stewart, and the multitudes of other Lanterns, on various animated shows and animated movie projects.
I’ll admit I was skeptical when I learned that DC’s next major character to hit the screen was Green Lantern. I said to myself and wondered about the decisions made by these executives. ” Wait…What? Hold up a sec…what the hell are you doing? It’s not going to do well. But my reasoning at the time had nothing to do with CGI costumes, or what is considered by some so called movie experts, as a rehash of Top Gun, or even Iron Man as bad film making in the vein of Batman and Robin. My reason was simple. Today’s paying movie going audience is too Fickle a bunch for a Green Lantern movie to be a success right now. These people can determine the life of a movie, in this day and age a year before the first shot is even in the can. Think I’m wrong look at the scrutiny happening with both The Avengers, and The Dark Knight Rises. That being said, Green Lantern was a painful tremendous gamble. Even for a comic book fan. And Especially after following the second biggest money making movie of all time, as an attempted launch for new major character franchise.
As both a movie fan and fan of the comic character, Do I have my gripes about the movie? Yes I do. The Green Lanterns have a large cache of Villains that could have been used for the movie that would have made a more compelling story than either Hector Hammond or Parallax. But they opted to use those two villains. Since I didn’t write the script I have no choice but to accept what was written in the screen play. And keep an open mind. I also understand as a comic book reader, I am going to care more about what happens on the screen with these characters, than the masses, because I am already acquainted with these characters and their back stories. So for Hector Hammond’s origin to get tied to Parallax no big deal, at least they kept the character essence. If characterization, motivation, or powers are different in some way, I will know, and may say something about it, Not just Bash. I’m going into the movie knowing, it’s a different medium, it’s a different interpretation of said characters. I’m not going to instantly jump on the Bashing Bandwagon just because I’m a little distracted by whether or not the costume is glowing using computer graphics.
In one video review, the reviewer went off a full two minutes on just the CGI and kept going back to it. Okay, I’m sorry it wasn’t to their satisfaction. CGI is used as a means of telling the story, sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. And yeah it tends to work better if working hand in hand with practical effects, but to say ” the movie is a horrible piece of shit” which is a direct quote by one reviewer is at best excessive especially if their majority basis of argument is on the visual effects. Maybe I can accept the costumes on the Lanterns a little bit better because I understand that the uniform itself is what is referred to in the comic as a” hard light construct”. In other words a three dimensional virtual hologram, to uniform said Green Lantern. The reviewers are bitching about computer generated images based on a technology that enables hard light computer generated images produced from someone’s imagination fed from the power ring itself. The constructs are hard light, the life support is hard light. Everything regarding that ring is based on imagination and the hard light technology of the ring. If you stop and look at it that way…what the hell is the problem? That’s like saying The movie is a piece of shit because the constructs aren’t realistic. If you are bitching about that you missed the concept, that was explained in scenes on Oa. But is the movie as bad as they are making it out to be? The answer is no. Is it a little bit disappointing? Yeah.
When M.I.B. was released, I knew Hollywood was capable of producing a Green Lantern movie. But in the Forty some year history of Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern, there are a lot of things to chose to try to put it in a 2 hour Origin Movie. You have Abin Surr, The Planet of Oa, The Guardians, Carol Ferris, and Sinestro who are the staple characters to consider. Were they in the Movie? Was the Corp in the movie? Yeah. As far a the Top Gun Bash, apparently some of these Cyber Geeks, who did their painstaking research know just enough to explain in their rants how long the character may have been around, however might have not gotten around to reading certain source materials…like say, Oh Emerald Dawn. Which explains the fears Hal has, and the so called Daddy issues which continued all through the Third Green Lantern Volume run, which one critic really had a problem with. Both Iron Man and Green Lantern have a bit of existentialism to the philosophies of their characters as written in the comics, so why bitch about it when it happens on the screen? The critics had to whine about that too. And then these so called Plot holes. Again having seen the movie more than once there are quite a few subtle clues that are laced through out the movie that the average viewer isn’t going to pick up the first time, especially when they are so focused on “THE BAD CGI” Could it have been dumbed down a bit more for the non comic fans that don’t understand the continuity. Sure. As I said I was a little disappointed as well, I’m not saying the movie is perfect, because it isn’t. But to compare it with Batman and Robin? Or Star Wars the Phantom Menace, particular critics are over exaggerating. Not to mention they are just jumping on the band wagon of others who are were also disappointed, to the nth degree.
There appears to be a problem with a Film Franchise that blows up and exceeds all expectations. you end up with a double edged sword. I’m of coarse talking about “THE DARK KNIGHT”, one of the Greatest comic book movie successes ever. That isn’t an opinion. that is a fact. You are running into a enormous problem with releasing a Movie based on a character from that stable of characters after that much success. It becomes a question of how do we capitalize on the success which inevitably devolves into how to we make more money? Because after all, Movie making is a business. The Bat has proved to be the ever giving cash cow for Warner Bros since 1988, and for DC Comics. But Batman and Robin almost brought the end to both the franchise and the Comic book Genre as a marketable resource single handed. What most of these critics don’t mention when they are bashing is, Genres go in cycles, public tastes in films change, and script and script rewrites go through draft after draft, changing writers which adds to the problems making a incomplete script into a bad movie. Resources are constantly tapped to the point they become Toydetic, which also feed the problem. And a studio’s lack of faith in a production causes a studio to at times over- market, trying to build the hype where little fan fare is there.
DC has been plagued in the past by their successes. Donner’s Superman even today remains the standard by which all comic book movies are made.They suffer from trying to capture that lightning in a bottle again. The movie has to be right, and released at the right time. I’m not talking just about effects or casting, I’m talking about the love and creativity and verisimilitude of the transition of characters from the printed page to the silver screen. If Hollywood actually paid attention to their history regarding this genre they would perhaps discover that the biggest surprises and cash cows the industry has had have also had a long history of development. And during that development have been low key. Twenty years ago, a good film took around three years to complete from pre-production to release. Those days are few and far between, but when it happens, and are low key, you have a tremendous hit. Look at Batman Begins. Look at Spider-Man. Look at Burton’s Batman.
DC has THREE characters that if you say their names- everyone on the planet knows who they are. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman. There is a reason why they are referred to as the DC Trinity. Wonder Woman would have been the best viable option to follow logically. Instead, the Higher Ups decided that Wonder Woman wasn’t a strong enough movie option and decided to capitalize on her television success by ordering an ill fated TV pilot, which was of coarse was ripped apart and torn to shreds, by the same cybergeeks on their websites and pod casts after seeing a couple of production stills they didn’t like.There was so much negative criticism in fact, the major networks passed on it and the pilot is destined to never appear on anything but as a special feature on a DVD or Blu Ray. Wonder Woman production still from the Pilot.There was so much negative criticism in fact, the major networks passed on it and the pilot is destined to never appear on anything but as a special feature on a DVD or Blu Ray. For that you have my thanks. And Yeah, I do mean that in the most sarcastic and snarky way possible. DC takes a gamble and tries a relatively obscure character (to the general public) and hopes for the best. I can’t fault DC for taking the gamble. As much as I love the character, this film was poor timing and a costly gamble right out the gate.
For all my skepticism, I gave the movie a try, with an open mind. For all your expertize and Bravado you opinionated Jack Asses didn’t help the cause,to make it a success. You want to blame DC and Warner Bros, for making a bad movie. We have to take a little responsibility. Maybe if comic book geeks weren’t so quick to judge every little decision, regarding costumes, casting, effects, writing, directing, and any other thing you can possibly complain about, during pre-production and during production, maybe studios wouldn’t be so scared that they have to second guess everything before a release, and better movies would be made. It’s hard to complain about the problems when you are part of the problem. Maybe if certain critics actually took that into consideration, they may have a decent movie.