Day 224: "I pledge allegiance to a lantern, given to me by a dying purple alien."

Having never really read any of the Green Lantern comic books, I can't say that I'm a fan.  After seeing the movie Green Lantern however, I may start reading them.  This was a really good comic/science fiction movie.  A summer, effects-laden, funny, action-packed adventure, Green Lantern does a whole lot right.  It briefly covers the Lanterns' origins in the beginning of the film, and shows the audience a lot of Lantern history and backstory without actually bogging down the movie.  The alien Lanterns were a diverse group, but the ones that had actual parts and lines involving the story were really good.  I do know that Sinestro was a Lantern, but his eventual betrayal isn't covered here, instead we get a short look at him as a Lantern, and how the circumstances surrounding his eventual turn come to be.  The main villain here is Parallax, one of the Guardians who created the Lanterns, but instead of being content with the force of Will being the dominant power source of the Lanterns, he experimented with the idea that Fear was a more powerful source, and it consumed him.  He escapes from his prison, mortally injures the Lantern responsible for his imprisonment, and continues his swath of destruction through the universe.  the alien lands on Earth, and he charges Hal Jordan with the responsibility of assuming his role as a Lantern.  Parallax discovers this and bee-lines for Earth.  Lots of fighting and explosions ensue, and a great time is had by all.

Ryan Reynolds plays Hal Jordan, a man who is a test pilot, but still lives in contant fear of his own mortality.  The role is a bit of a departure for Reynolds, but his trademark snarky wit remains intact and abundantly shown.  Blake Lively is his love interest, almost a throwaway role, honestly.  Peter Sarsgaard is Dr. Hector Hammond, the nerdy, insecure yin to Reynolds' cocky, overconfident yang, and he plays a great bad guy.  Tim Robbins, Temuera Morrison, Michael Clarke Duncan, Geoffrey Rush and Angela Bassett also appear in significant roles.

I had a lot of fun seeing Green Lantern, and fear not, I can all but guarantee that there will be a sequel or two here.  My only hope is that they get this cast back for them.  This was just released on home video, and is worth seeing in high definition if you have the means.  Skip the 3D though.  8.75/10.

See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!