Only Human: A Review of GREEN LANTERN

Expected grade: 5/10

Actual grade: 6/10

(For a full explanation of my grading system, check out this post.)

Unlike most of the movies I've already reviewed, I didn't get a chance to see Green Lantern opening weekend, which meant I had plenty of time to read all the reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, Green Lantern leveled out at a 26%, which, compared to Thor's 77%, is a disaster of epic proportions. And, already having been underwhelmed by Thor, I was prepared for a total bomb. At the same time, I was expecting to enjoy myself some -- at the very least, I would get to stare at Ryan Reynolds for a couple of hours. I didn't quite believe the Rotten Tomatoes consensus anyway. I mean, 9 percentage points below The Hangover Part II? Is that even possible? So I went in hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Turns out having low expectations was the best thing that could have happened. I actually quite enjoyed Green Lantern. In fact, I found it far superior to the disappointing Thor, although not as good as X-Men: First Class.

Ever since I saw the film yesterday, I've been trying to decide why Green Lantern was so lambasted by the critics when Thor was seemingly given a free pass for being completely average. The more I thought about the two films, the more it occurred to me that they're actually quite similar. Both are about superheroes that have never been adapted to film before; a large part of their action takes place in a mystical, fantastical otherworld; both heroes start out as extraordinary but cocky men who learn a lesson in humility and subsequently become even stronger. Essentially, the two films share the same DNA, and in my opinion, most of the negative reviews this film received were due to a kind of "been-there-done-that" summer blockbuster exhaustion. Thor also had the advantage of the insta-cool connection to the Avengers universe. All of the sly inside jokes and easter egg tie-ins in Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk and now Thor (and soon Captain America) make all of those movies must-sees whether they're great or horrendous. Green Lantern, on the other hand, is forced to stand on its own two feet. When actually taken on its own merits, I think Green Lantern is much more successful than Thor in about 90% of what it tries to accomplish.

For starters, Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan plays a vastly more likable protagonist than Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Whereas Hemsworth got the arrogant part of his role down perfectly, he was so good at it I never believed his transition out of it. Ryan Reynolds, on the other hand, is successful at being almost supernaturally charming while portraying both overconfidence and insecurity. (To Hemsworth's credit, Thor is a far more one-dimensional character with approximately zero insecurities.) Hal Jordan has more in common with Tony Stark than Thor, with his swaggering playboy ways hiding a deeper vulnerability.

In fact, I felt that this movie attempted a similar rapport between its two romantic leads that Iron Man established between Robert Downey Jr and Gwyneth Paltrow. This attempt is unfortunately hindered by the fact that Ryan Reynolds is acting opposite Blake Lively. While undeniably beautiful and passable as a love interest, she is horrifically miscast as a tough-as-nails test pilot. Her character is one of the weakest points of the movie. The first time we see her, she is clad in fighter pilot gear, but it seems that with every scene that passed, the costume department just borrowed more and more from her Gossip Girl wardrobe. She ended up being nothing more than the typical pretty crush without having any unique character traits of her own (the same problem I had with Natalie Portman in Thor).

Peter Sarsgaard delivers the most impressive performance of the film, and joins the ranks of comic book villains with alliterative names as the possessed Hector Hammond. His performance was so unbalanced and unrestrained -- it was both disturbing and a joy to watch him let loose. Mark Strong is also striking as Sinestro, the strong-willed but ambiguously intentioned leader of the Green Lanterns.

The biggest thing going against this movie is the mere fact that Green Lantern has never been explored on screen before. As an origin story, there is a lot of necessary exposition that has to be waded through before we can get to the action. I'm excited to see what more creative, exciting stuff the sequels can come up with now all that is out of the way (assuming this film does well enough to warrant sequels). Being its first film adaptation, Green Lantern does not have the built-in familiarity that Superman, Spider-Man, Batman, and X-Men have. He is a more obscure superhero and in this age of gritty realism (a la The Dark Knight) many may find the fantastically outlandish world of Green Lantern to be off-putting. My single biggest (admittedly nitpick-y) gripe was that 100% of the alien characters with actual roles stand on two legs, with two arms, and have faces with two eyes, two ears, a nose, and a mouth. This struck me as a narrow-minded and anthropocentric view of the universe, but I chalk that fault up more to the source material than the actual film.

All of that aside, the biggest difference between Green Lantern and Thor is that, in the end, Green Lantern had a point. When I walked away from Thor, I felt like I'd watched an average summer blockbuster with some cool action and then forgot about it as soon as I'd written my review. Not that Green Lantern is Citizen Kane, or even Spider-Man; who can forget the catchphrase "With great power comes great responsibility"? But there is at least the seed of an idea I felt Green Lantern was trying to get across: to be a hero, you don't need to be fearless -- you need to accept the fact that you're afraid and have the will to overcome your fear. Cliche? Maybe. Done before? Of course. But at least the film was driving towards something. What was the message of Thor? Don't be a cocky, warmongering ass? I'm not sure, and that absence of a central idea is exactly why that film felt lacking to me.

When Hal explains to Sinestro why, despite our faults, our planet deserves to be saved, he tells him that on Earth we have a phrase: "I'm only human." That phrase lies at the heart of this film. We try to be the best we can be, but more often than not, we fall short. This film may have fallen short in some areas, but I could feel the effort, the desire to be great. That alone sets it above Thor, which felt like a run-of-the-mill, empty-at-the-heart action machine. Green Lantern may not be great, but it's good, and you've got to give Ryan Reynolds, director Martin Campbell, and the whole team credit for trying to bring this obscure superhero to shining green light.

The Mystery Box Finally Opens: A Review of SUPER 8

Expected grade: 9/10

Actual grade: 9/10

(For a full explanation of my grading system, check out this post.)

I have been anticipating the release of SUPER 8 since the first teaser was unveiled during last summer's season. The quick shots of a violent train derailment followed by...something...pounding its way out of one of the wrecked cars was short, mystifying, and had me instantly hooked. I couldn't believe I had to wait a year for the film to come out. I have eagerly devoured every article, interview, poster, trailer and press release since then. JJ Abrams is one of my favorite figures in the world of entertainment today. LOST is my all-time favorite show, FRINGE is one of my current favorites, and I've loved every film he's been involved in, both as a producer (CLOVERFIELD) and director (MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III and STAR TREK). SUPER 8, Abrams' third feature-directing effort, is also his first completely original feature film, his prior two having both been installments in well-established franchises. Oh, and it also happened to be a collaboration with one of the greatest filmmakers of all time: Steven Spielberg. It's easy to say it was one of my most anticipated movies ever, and my expectations could barely have been higher (I say barely, and gave an expected grade of 9, because even I would never be foolish enough to expect a film to be completely perfect).

And boy...was the wait worth it. Abrams and Spielberg prove to be a formidable team. You can feel the love and very personal effort that both filmmakers contributed to this collaboration. SUPER 8 has been widely reported as reminiscent of Spielberg's own alien-themed works, E.T. and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, so I won't delve too much into that, other than to say that these reports are correct. The youthful energy, the focus on a group of kids trying to make sense of other-worldly phenomena, and the emotional resonance of heartbreak, young love, and growing up are all present here, just as they were in those films that inspired it.

In a world where you already know almost everything about a film even before you step foot in the theatre, due to leaked set photos and script pages, spoilers from advanced screenings, and even tweets from extras on the set, to be successfully held in the dark for so long is a thrilling experience. And no one does it quite like Abrams. He is the master of suspense, of what he likes to call the "mystery box." From my first viewing of the first teaser almost a year ago, to when the lights came up Thursday night as the credits rolled, I would rate the experience a 10/10. As for the film itself, it's not perfect, but it's pretty darn great. With a stand-alone actual film grade of 8/10, I would average out the entire package to a 9/10, meaning that if you, like me, have been rabidly anticipating this film as a fan of JJ Abrams, you will probably love it. If you just happen to wander into the theatre and see this film, you will still love it, but perhaps not quite at the same level.

What makes this film not perfect is perhaps the thing that non-fans of Abrams are most looking forward to: the monster. In the first two-thirds of the film, the monster is little-seen (much like the shark in JAWS), and is often legitimately frightening. But once we hit the climax, and get to know the monster better, the answers we receive can be underwhelming to some. Some may wish it was left more explicitly in the dark -- others may wish that clearer answers were given. Either way, the monster is nowhere close to the most compelling part of the film. The reason this did not bother me is because I was expecting it. LOST being my favorite show, I knew that JJ Abrams was a superb crafter of mystery and suspense...but that if he has any weakness, it's in following that suspense through to a conclusion that is satisfying to everyone (though in his defense, he had very limited involvement in that show after its first season).

Abrams was recently quoted in a New York Times article as saying "There's no answer to the [mystery] box that's going to make you happy. But, the key is to use the box as a bait, to grab people and bring them into one story, only to introduce another. In Lost, the island was the lure, but the characters were the glue, and most viewers, [I] venture, were content to have spent time with them, no matter how it concluded." The same thing is true of SUPER 8. The monster is the hook to get people in the theatre, but the real story is about the kids. This is why the underwhelming monster didn't disappoint me -- it was never about the monster.

At its heart, SUPER 8 is the story of six kids growing up in a small town, struggling with overbearing fathers, family tragedies, first love, and the demands of finishing their own low-budget zombie movie on an 8mm camera. These kids are the genuine revelation of this film, not the secrets of the monster. Each one is real, unique, and expertly casted. I can genuinely say I have rarely seen such excellent casting of young actors in a film. They could have easily blended into one indistinct mash of teenage angst and ambition, but instead each one had his or her own unique voice that made them stand out. I would be hard-pressed to say which one was the best, although Elle Fanning, as the lone girl in the group, especially shines. She was given perhaps the most complicated role of any of the kids and executes it masterfully. There is real depth of emotion behind her innocent face, something that is especially remarkable given that, at 14, she is the youngest in the group. But none of this is to say the rest of the kids are not amazing. Ryan Lee, as the overexcitable pyromaniac, almost steals the entire movie. Riley Griffiths, as the film-within-the-film's director, is outwardly bossy while hiding a more insecure interior. And Joel Courtney, the protagonist, is believably confused and torn while simultaneously wavering between the tragedy of his mother's recent passing, the struggle of dealing with his distant father, the raging hormones of his newfound crush, and the wide-eyed wonder of the supernatural events surrounding him. The rapport these kids have together, the snappy dialogue, the witty retorts, the chummy interactions, well-intentioned bullying, and ultimately love and support of one another rings utterly true. I found myself getting completely swept away in their journey, feeling like a kid again myself, staring with them in wonder as trains crashed and soldiers invaded and objects flew through the air. Perhaps I so closely identified with these kids because I too used to film movies with my friends when I was their age. But I believe that whether or not you took part in this particularly nerdy past-time, you can still identify with their exploits.

Speaking of train crashes, this review would not be complete without at least a brief mention of that sequence. It was one of the most breathtaking, violent, explosive, and well-executed actions scenes in recent memory. It felt simultaneously realistic and over-the-top, and, like, the characters witnessing it, I think I barely breathed until it was over. If you're going to this film for action, that sequence alone will make the ticket price worthwhile.

In a summer where almost every single major release is based on a book (Harry Potter) or a comic book (Thor, X-Men, Green Lantern, Captain America) or a toy (Transformers) or a theme park ride (Pirates) or at the very least is a sequel/prequel (Hangover Part II, Cars 2, Kung Fu Panda 2, Rise of the Planet of the Apes), an original, well-crafted work of art is a breathtaking experience -- one that is rarely seen anymore and therefore undervalued. After seeing this film, it's going to be even harder to forget that films can be actual labors of love and return to the usual processed, pre-packaged noisy fun that has become the norm. I cannot thank JJ Abrams enough for letting me taste true originality, and for that alone, SUPER 8 receives a 9/10 from me. Never mind the fact that it's also a damn good film.

PS - Unlike half the people in attendance in my theatre, be sure to remain seated through the credits. You get to see the film the kids have been working on in its entirety... And it's brilliant. The child actors themselves wrote most of the scenes and the sense of improvisation, absurdity, and budding talent are all superbly crafted in this short sequence. Don't miss it.

Mutant And Proud: A Review of X-MEN FIRST CLASS

Expected grade: 7/10

Actual grade: 8/10

(For a full explanation of my grading system, check out this post.)

I have enjoyed all of the X-Men movies to date (yes, I even thought the messy Last Stand was at least fun). I especially loved X2, still one of my favorite superhero movies. I also have huge celebrity crushes on James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Rose Byrne (and am starting to develop one for Jennifer Lawrence), so there was no doubt in my mind that I would enjoy this movie. I hoped it would be a step up from the uneven, poorly directed last two films of the franchise, but didn't expect it to top the former glory of X2. And I was pretty much right. While not quite matching X2, it comes damn close -- much closer than expected.

This film, while perhaps not mind-blowing or zeitgeist-defining, is solid and consistent, something The Last Stand and Wolverine cannot claim. There are interesting mutants, intriguing plot lines, great acting, and awesome action sequences. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender carry this movie on their hunky, superpowered shoulders. At times this movie almost felt like a bromance...which served to increase the impending feeling of tragedy, knowing where these two characters end up.

That's the most important and challenging aspect of this film: the fact that we as an audience know where all the characters and plot lines are going to end up. I would assume that the majority of people going to see this film have seen at least one of the previous movies or have a passing knowledge of the comic books, and therefore know that Professor X and Magneto are former friends/current enemies, mutants fighting on opposing sides. While basically knowing the end of the film seems like it could potentially ruin the journey, it instead enhanced it and allowed for several sly references to things the audience knows will eventually come to pass. A sense of inevitability permeated the whole film, and it was alternately delightful and heartbreaking to watch it all unfold. Watching the film was like putting together a puzzle, wondering how we get from A to Z, and watching as each piece falls into place. And just like the recent reboot of Star Trek, which used time travel as a means to play around with the mythology of a well-loved franchise, this film takes a few liberties with the previously established mythology of the X-Men world, but in a respectful, exciting way that may even surprise the most ardent fanboys.

Perhaps the film's greatest strength is its context. Placing this film in the 60s gave it an atmosphere, look, and style that were unique and exciting, from the hairstyles and costumes to the set designs to the megalomaniacal villain with near-silent henchmen. At times, the movie felt almost like a retro James Bond film with superpowers. Kevin Bacon played a delightful villain, toeing the line between menacing and hammy with admirable alacrity. His Bond-villain lairs were fantastic -- both the secret room behind the rotating strip club booth and the underwater headquarters on the high-tech submarine. Perhaps most importantly, setting the film in this era allowed for the usage of the Cuban Missile Crisis as the climactic action set piece. The idea that the entire Crisis was in fact staged by mutants was fascinating and gave the entire affair a sense of real-world urgency -- it grounded the fantastical, superpowered plot in reality and thus gave us a relatable story (something that, in my opinion, Thor failed to do).

There were perhaps a few superfluous mutants who ended up not adding much to the story, but I appreciated the effort to delve deeper into the X-Men mythology and provide us with less familiar mutants we hadn't been introduced to yet. It was also refreshing to finally see an X-Men film that did not revolve entirely around Wolverine. And January Jones was blandly beautiful as Emma Frost -- I still find her uncompelling when she's acting with anyone other than Jon Hamm, but her pale complexion and icy demeanor were perhaps best suited for this role than any other outside of Betty Draper. Also, watch for a couple blink-and-you'll-miss-them, hysterical cameos. I'm glad I had no idea they were coming, and so I'll say no more.

In short, X-Men First Class is an alternately light-hearted and serious, but always groovy fun look at how the two most famous mutants came to be. If you are a fan of the X-Men franchise, as I am, it is a must-see. If you aren't, then it's still a fun way to spend a summer afternoon, but will probably not end up being a life-changing experience. Either way, this film is a refreshing return-to-form for the franchise...something director Matthew Vaughn can be (mutant and) proud about.