The main reason why Green Lantern didn't work for me...

[jds1911a1]

each GL has used the ring differently. The problem witht he film is they have mashed up Kyle Rayners mid 90's to 2006 complex ring constucts (machine guns, cadillacs, spacecraft) with Alan Scott and Hal Jordon's more simple but fun constructs (hands, boxing gloves, mitts, Bubbles, and the occiasional bow and Arrow). John Stewart in the 80's and 90's comics made very detailed constructs that were almost like architect bluepints. and a big part of the style of each GL was the artist who drew them and the age of the audience
Bruce Timm's JLU john stewart decided to focus on John as a former marine not the architect, so his constructs are simple and to the point why make a laser gun when you can will the ring to make a laser beam. Why make a ring ship or bubble when the ring aura acts like a space suit. It actually makes way more sense than constructs and of course was simpler to produce in animation. That's waht made the Justice guild Green guardsmen so fun is they were the giant birdcages and boxing gloves that Alan Scott and Hal Jordon did

Jessica the "rhyme" is actually the Green lantern's oath and a major part of the character. The oath associated with HAL (silver age and forward) GL corps
In Brightest day, in blackest Night
No Evil Shall escape my sight
Let those who worship Evil's might
Beware my power...Green Lantern's light

was actually first recited by Alan Scott's golden age Green Lantern in 1943 but his more common oath isn't as catchy (and I hate to admit that as a huge Alan Scott fan).
Dc never prints Alan's full oath only that
" he recites an oath that concludes
...and I shall shed my light over dark evil,
For the dark things cannot stand the light,
THE LIGHT OF THE GREEN LANTERN!"

Think of the oath like the Pledge of Allegience, or the Boy Scout Motto. It is something for kids to recite and gives them a tie to the character (from a 40's and 50's perspective) by our jaded 2010 adult minds it may seem corny but GL isn't GL without it

[ctc]

>I think it just comes down to unfamiliarity with the character.

I think you guys are over thinking it. Green Lantern ISN’T that complicated. “Magic ring space cop punches out monsters.” Ta-dah! NO superhero is that complicated: back in the day every comic had a one or two line intro on the title page of every issue. That was all you needed; the rest.... the important part of the story.... was what went on in the pages.

Maybe that’s the problem? That they focus too long on the buildup? Does he really HAVE to go to Oa for training? “The ring has chosen YOU....” Doesn’t THAT tell us all we really need to know? It’s not like the “local boy makes good” schtick is something audiences need explained.

>And there is nothing in GL that's any sillier than Superman, Spider-Man, X-Men, etc.

That’s exactly my point: if folks can accept that a radioactive bugbite gives you super strength, or an alien form another planet would be JUST LIKE US except mighty ‘cos he’s solar powered, or radiation gives you eyeball lasers; then a technomagic ring that lets you fly through space shouldn’t be that big a stretch.

Don C.

[kennermike]

I think it just comes down to unfamiliarity with the character. When I hear the associations people make to other Hollywood characters, I understand their point of view. If I didn't know anything at all about Green Lantern, I might say that too. But I grew up with the Neal Adams issues and then got hooked on the Geoff Johns era which really took the concept to a far greater realm of story telling. So when I see this movie, I'm seeing Green Lantern come to life from the comics, which carries more bang for my buck. I also have the benefit of seeing it's potential and that's what people unfamiliar don't see. The next film is likely to blow everyone's socks off. Whoever thought we would get a $200 million film about Green Lantern? I'm lovin' it.

most of the people I talked at work were getting the Green Hornet mixed up with The Green Lantern that shows how much unfamiliarity was out in mass market ,even the geek fandon alone was not going to pay the bills for this $200 million dollars mess actually I heard it was more like $ 300 million price tag ouch ! could be wrong though?

[Random Axe]

most of the people I talked at work were getting the Green Hornet mixed up with The Green Lantern that shows how much unfamiliarity was out in mass market

Seth Rogan royally screwed two green franchises in 2011. What an untalented D-bag.

[Blackkryptonite]

Geeez, I haven't even seen it yet and just from reading this thread I have my doubts now. I have to admit I really loved the JLU version of John Stewart and the way he used the ring's powers over all the other detailed stuff. I know the movie is heavy with all sorts of fancy and visual appealing constructs from the ring which I guess is a personal preference but for myself it makes more sense to just get down to business and use it like J.S. did. SIGH I may wait till it's out on BluRay.

[Mego Magyar]

I'm going tonight. From what I've heard a lot depends on how much and how far back you go with the character.

My familiarity with Green Lantern since the 1970's ( actually I had a Green Lantern Halloween costume either in the late 1960's or eerily 70's, don't remember ) I started reading comics as a hobby in the mid-late 1970's and my first GL issue was #107 - although I had an earlier issue from before I could really read. I saw the Corps stories become more frequent, the Guy Gardner takes over and a lot of other stuff from the early days. I was there for Emerald Dawn and the coming of Kyle Rayner - that's when they lost me. I didn't go for making Hal evil and giving the ring to someone new.

So, I'll be interested in seeing what I think of the movie.

[huedell]

Someone admitting they don't know the character indepth doesn't negate it
all for me personally... it's merely a discussion context.

Case Solved.
You answered your Own Thread Title with you very 1st Sentence.

Meh.... it's a mixed bag because the GL "thing" should
be UNIVERSALLY understood and enjoyed to be accepted
as a big budget superhero film (not just justified by comicbook dudes)....
on the other hand, you can't squelch all the fun
out of what makes the character the character to begin with.

[Brue]

I keep hearing the defense of this movie - you don't know the character or you don't know the John's version. Guess what? The people DON'T know the character. So saying critics (and Hector or me or Jessica or people willing to pay to see it) don't know the character or current version is a ridiculous arguement. The film MUST be able to get legs without previous knowledge of the character.

Unfortunately many people don't know much about him and many who do know the character from the 70's comics, the 80's Super Friends or heaven forbid Stewart form Justice league.

This movie is rated very good by comic geeks (I consider my self one yet still don't love it). There aren't enough of those to make this movie a success.

It is a decent special effects movie that is sort of fun but it is not a great movie - far from it. If you loved it great but that doesn't mean every critic is wrong.

[jemboy2004]

If you loved it great but that doesn't mean every critic is wrong.

On the other hand it doesn't mean their right either....

[Brue]

On the other hand it doesn't mean their right either....

I meant that everyone who criticizes the movie can not be considered wrong.

by critic i didn't mean Critic as in paid media. I meant people that didn't like it. Not that everybody didn't like it.


However, even if you take it the way you did - It doesn't me all Critcs (media reviewers) are wrong. That does not in any way assume all are right. And I would not preclude that all reviewers are always in line with reality. But when the majority are against it it does not bode well for the movie.

[jessica]

I keep getting Green Lantern and Green Hornet and Riddler all mixed up. They all wear green. That's all I know. Green Hornet has the cool car. Green Lantern has that pink faced friend, and Riddler has question marks on his outfit. I have to stop and think it through. I am just not familiar with comics. If my kids want to see it, I'll take them. No biggie.

[Mego Magyar]

OK, I saw it. Did I like it, yes - like Thor it didn't drag for me and I wasn't wondering "how much longer" like I was toward the end of Batman Begins. Was it a SUPER FANTASTIC movie, no. It was good and I enjoyed it but I can understand some of the criticisms.

First, I didn't know Reynolds from anything else so he didn't bother me, I thought he was an ok Hal. The special effects were also good.

While you shouldn't need to know the comic history of the character it helps, so that makes it harder for the general public to "get it". I was never a devoted GL reader, I knew enough to pick up a book if I wanted and be able to enjoy it. This movie draws more on recent comic history then original history. I would have preferred it if Abin Sur gave him the ring, he went to Oa for training and came back to Earth to find a situation that needed him to save the day. Personally I think that mixing Hector Hammond and Parallex wasn't the best idea for trying to appeal to a non comic reading audience. I hope there is a sequel but if there isn't I won't be surprised.

Also, after two animated GL movies and now this I'm NOT a fan of showing the GL Corps with Sinestro as a GL. He should be a villain, period. A renegade GL and that's all the explanation needed. It didn't make any sense at the end of the movie that he'd put on the yellow ring for no reason.

[thunderbolt]

I keep hearing the defense of this movie - you don't know the character or you don't know the John's version. Guess what? The people DON'T know the character. So saying critics (and Hector or me or Jessica or people willing to pay to see it) don't know the character or current version is a ridiculous arguement. The film MUST be able to get legs without previous knowledge of the character.

Unfortunately many people don't know much about him and many who do know the character from the 70's comics, the 80's Super Friends or heaven forbid Stewart form Justice league.

This movie is rated very good by comic geeks (I consider my self one yet still don't love it). There aren't enough of those to make this movie a success.

It is a decent special effects movie that is sort of fun but it is not a great movie - far from it. If you loved it great but that doesn't mean every critic is wrong.

And that seems to be its problem with the general public, its great for the 100,000 comic geeks that buy the comics. All that is lost on the people that have never picked up a comic and have only seen the character on cartoons or don't know him from Green Hornet.

[jemboy2004]

And that seems to be its problem with the general public, its great for the 100,000 comic geeks that buy the comics. All that is lost on the people that have never picked up a comic and have only seen the character on cartoons or don't know him from Green Hornet.

And the problem with some is they trash something they never seen. I felt the same way about the new Wonder Woman so many people trashed it and never seen it. I thought at least see it then you have the right to trash it but of course you can trash something you never seen and it's so easy to do so.

Brue I didn't really mean it in anyway negative. I did take critic as paid to be a movie critic so your point makes sense. I still don't see how Thor, XMEN and other's are so much better than GL? They are all pretty ridiculous when you think about it too much IMO.