Green Lantern Took Away my will to want Another Film and Made Me Fear there would be Another

 Green Lantern (1 1/2 out of 5 stars)

Directed by: Martin Campbell (Casino Royale, Mask of Zorro, Goldeneye)

Written by: Greg Berlanti, Michael Green, Marc Guggenheim, and Michael Goldenberg

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Tim Robbins, Mark Strong

When you have a film with five writers that scares me.  When it comes to writing a film or television episode the fewer writers the better.  I have the motto too many cooks spoil the pot, and I think that this is where Green Lantern went wrong.  This film falls in line more with Daredevil than films like the latest X-Men or The Dark Knight.

Now, I am an active comic book fan, but i must admit i do not know much about he back story or history of this character.  This films follows Hal Jordan a test pilot, screw up, and ladies man who is chosen by the ring of a dying alien to become a new green lantern.  The green ring and the people though out the galaxy who have them can use these rings to will things into being.  The power of the green ring is will.  As Jordan is taken away he finds out that he will be part of an intergalactic squadron who protect the galaxy.  While there he meets of people who possess the green rings, famous characters from the comic like Sinestro, Tomar-Re, and Kilowog.

Meanwhile on Earth Hal forms has love interest in his childhood and another test pilot and business woman Carol Ferris (Blake Lively).  Carol is the rock that helps give Hal the ability to have the will to fight for his destiny as a green lantern.  The main villain (Paralax) is on of the fallen elders whom created the green lantern that has formed another emotion fear, and create villainy in Hector (Peter Sarsgaard).  Like all first super hero films this film works to fill in the back story and create a good action film.

Alright, so as far as super hero films go this has been the worst this summer.  The directing is not great.  Campbell wants to make an action film, but got lost in the back story.  I think a strong director would have also gotten better performances out of the actors.  blake Lively is so wooden, and I don't buy her emotions once.  Peter Sarsgaard an often brilliant actor is cartoonish.  I also don't think the Ryan Reynolds was the right choice for this character.  I read one graphic novel before seeing this film, and just did not feel a connection between him and the character.  I think that the writing is the weakest part of this film, there were moments when the characters would deliver lines that were supposed to be funny and I just could not muster a laugh.  The lines were also cheesy, and it does not surprise me that wrote this film wrote for the awful television series No Ordinary Family.

I wanted to like this film, but I was just not compelled enough, and did not build a connection to the mythology, the story, or the characters. Sure this film is pretty to look and the action is cool, but that can't save this film. When and if they write a sequel (which I am sure they will) they need to work on the story and get a new director to build this franchise and bring it in a new direction.