Green Lantern (10/11/2011)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Mark Strong, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Angela Bassett and Tim Robbins

Directed by Martin Campbell (Edge of Darkness, Casino Royale and The Legend of Zorro)

Green Lantern followed the superhero formula almost perfectly…almost.

In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, an elite, powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. Warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him the ability to create anything his mind can imagine. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds).

Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. However, Hal’s humanity is one weapon no member of the Corps has ever had, and if–with willpower, determination and the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively)–Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax…he will save the Earth and all of mankind from certain destruction.

As far as I can tell here is the formula for a superhero blockbuster: get yourself some of Hollywood’s biggest names, grab a talented director, load up on special effects, sprinkle in a little humor here and there and stick to the comic books for stories and “facts.” It’s worked for Ironman, Batman, X-men, Hulk, Spiderman, and The Fantastic Four. If you don’t believe me look them up on IMDB.com. You have stars like Robert Downey Jr., Hugh Jackman, Edward Norton and Christian Bale; directors like Jon Favreau, Christopher Nolan and Bryan Singer…and millions and millions of dollars in Box Office revenue.

So you have Ryan Reynolds, Peter Sarsgaard and Mark Strong and director Martin Campbell. I’ll admit Campbell may not be a household name, but he’s done some cool movies (Casino Royale, Vertical Limit, The Mask of Zorro and GoldenEye). There’s some humor, plenty of special effects and they did stay true to the comic books. So this should have been “Worth Buying” or at least “Theater Worthy.” So what happened?

Well, I think they miss the boat in a few areas. First of all the story is extremely disconnected. One minute Hal is a confident test pilot giving “that’s what I do” speeches and the next he’s quitting the Green Lantern Corps with the “I’m not cut out for this” speech. You are left wondering “who is this guy?” This being a superhero movie, it needs a hero.

Unfortunately we get this version of Hal Jordan – an arrogant, womanizing test pilot who is pretty thrilled about this whole superpower thing. One problem…he’s irresponsible. He likes to quit things before they’re finished. And instead of finding some sort of redemption (i.e. Ironman, Batman, etc.) he just becomes a good-looking, self-centered jock who has a ring that gives him limitless power. In fact, in one scene Jordan says, “I may be a total screw-up in every other part of my life. But the one thing I do know how to do is fly.”

Secondly, the characters are woefully underdeveloped. Listen, I get that when you introduce a character that has been around in comic books for over 70 years, there needs to be a significant backstory. Especially when you are dealing with a character who is not as popular as Batman or Superman. (Seriously if you are not a comic book nerd but would like to know more about Green Lantern, check out his bio on Wikipedia). But when you are also introducing an entire universe of species…go slowly. SPOILER ALERT: For example the character Sinestro, who many will recognize as Hal’s mentor who becomes a villain, is not even remotely developed to that end. So after the credits roll and he dons the yellow ring, casual viewers are left scratching their heads saying, “Wait a minute…what’s that all about?”

Then there are the villains.

And finally, I believe another element that made the other superhero movies so enjoyable was the fact that they kept one foot firmly planted in the real world. Green Lantern has so much CGI that it just becomes overwhelming. One of the coolest parts of Ironman was going…that looks possible. I wish the Green Lantern had spent a little more time on Earth instead of sector 5-6-something-or-other.

I love Ryan Reynolds, I like the Green Lantern character…as I walked into the theater I thought for sure this was going to be another “Worth Buying” superhero movie. I’m so disappointed to say it’s worth seeing…but “Only If It’s Free.”

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
The film is Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action. There is no sex but the first time we see Hal Jordan he is waking up next to a woman. He is a womanizer and there are several references to his behavior. The language is mild and the action/violence is not very graphic.

Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):

Q: What’s the message/theme of this movie?
A: Have you ever been afraid of the dark? Or snakes? Or spiders? What else are you afraid of?
As you get older, your fears change. Generally you stop being afraid of the dark and you develop new fears like the fear of failure, rejection and loneliness. Fear can be a paralyzing thing.

In the film Green Lantern we learn that the source of the Green Lantern Corps’ power is “willpower” and their greatest enemy’s power is “fear.” Throughout the film the characters discuss the relationship between the will and fear and how fear can undermine our ability to make good choices.

Q: How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
A: Well in the film the message is clear, “Will is stronger than Fear” and the we can find parallel messages in God’s Word.

Read 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (NLT)

In this passage God is telling us that he has not given us the spirit of fear. In another passage (John 10:10) Jesus says it like this, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” Who is the thief? (Satan)

What is his purpose?

What does that verse tells us Jesus’ purpose is?

Q: How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
A: So according to 2 Timothy 1:7, what did God give us?

In the movie Hal Jordan had plenty of power. If you had a ring that could create anything, what are some of the things you would do?

Obviously we don’t have a green ring with seemingly limitless power. But the Bible tells us God gives us power. What do you think that means?

Another gift God has given us is love…what can we do this week to show love?

Finally, Paul tells Timothy that God has given us self-discipline or self-control. What are some examples of this gift? How did Hal Jordan exercise self-control? And when did ne not?

What is one area in your life that you could use a little more self-control?