Now that Warner Brothers is moving forward with a second Green Lantern movie, Hitfix’s Gregory Ellwood has a few suggestions to save the franchise.
Here’s a hint of what he has to say:
Geoff Johns is a nice guy, but…
It’s never easy being the figurehead when things go wrong, but that’s why they pay you the big bucks, right? Having met Geoff Johns, currently the Chief Creative Officer for DC Entertainment and architect of the “Green Lantern” title, I can attest he’s a very nice guy. In fact, he may be too nice for the job he was given. Most disconcerting, he does not have enough movie experience if he’s expected to shepherd DC’s universe outside of Superman and Batman to the big screen. Too many decisions seem as though they were to honest to the comic book mythos and didn’t take into account this was a movie. Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios may not always be 100% right in their decisions, but they always have the properties best interests at heart as movies, not comic books. Right now, outside of Christopher Nolan’s pocket of the DC universe that appears to be missing in Hal Jordan’s world. And, unfortunately, as the face of DC Entertainment who was out in front of “Lantern” pitching it at Comic-Con, Wonder-Con, online and in print, Johns has to take some of the blame for a number of mistakes the first time around. It’s time for DC Entertainment to put someone in charge who makes sure there are less cooks in the kitchen so the finished result doesn’t seem like such a hodge podge of different ideas.And…
More Hal Jordan, less Tony Stark
Ryan Reynolds, like Johns and DeLine, is a great guy to chat with. Funny, self-deprecating and always friendly to a fault. His sarcastic one liners have made him a star, but they were completely wrong for this particular role. There is nothing wrong with having Hal Jordan have a sense of humor, but he’s not a wisecracking Tony Stark wannabe. Does this mean Reynolds was wrong for the role? Not necessarily, but Jordan is a pretty serious guy (something Frank Miller mocked in his recent run in “All Star Batman and Robin”). Nobody is saying he has to be that much of a bore. Jordan’s personality is that of a classic hero who rarely throws out a one liner to ease a tense situation. Reynolds doesn’t have to portray him as a bore, but he’s not in Deadpool’s wheelhouse either. If not, move on and make a clean break. Both Reynolds and the franchise can survive the separation.
Not being someone who is familiar with the Green Lantern comic books I can say that having the typical one liners that Ryan Reynolds is known for was a plus in my opinion. In fact it was one of the things I wished they had more of when I walked away from the movie…maybe it offended die hard Green Lantern comic book fans but for me it only added to the movie.
I am completly unfamiliar with the Green Lantern but was captivated by the visuals shown in the teasers and promos. Having seen Ryan Reynolds in Blade I was curious to see a super hero with his brand of humor. I was all set to be there opening day until I read the steady stream of ho-hum reviews. I never pay attention when critics blast or tear apart a movie that I want to see because I have found them to be wrong more often than not. However the ho-hum reviews stopped me dead in my tracks. I’m still toying with going to see it but with so many great movies coming — I doubt it.
This article hit it on the head!!! My biggest complaint was that Ryan Reynolds wasn’t playing Hal Jordan… He was playing goofball GL Guy Gardner!!!
I agree that he doesn’t need to be a stiff bore, but make him more of your archetypical HERO and not so much of a snarky guy and, at least for me, it might help save the franchise!