Green Lantern is Getting Really Bad Reviews

Green Lantern will be released in theaters this Friday, but the moratorium DC Comics put up on early reviews has just expired today. When reviews are not allowed to be printed until less than a week before the premiere, that's usually a big hint that the product is not very good and the creators admit it. This is not a new tactic in movies and is becoming a more common practice in video games. "Early" reviews of Green Lantern have not been very kind, especially considering the director, Martin Campbell, director of Goldeneye, The Mask of Zorro, and Casino Royale, the lead actor, Ryan Reynolds, known for a being a comic book fan and estrogen bait even for guys, and creative support from Geoff Johns, writer of the acclaimed Green Lantern: Secret Origin, which the film is heavily based on. Here are some snippets taken from Rotten Tomatoes:

"Campbell's ADD style privileges spectacle over story -- so much so that the film never rewards the viewer for even trying to keep track of what is going on." - Karina Longworth, Village Voice

"It's a frustrating, deeply flawed film rife with missed story opportunities and squandered potential." - Jim Vejvoda, IGN

"Fails on so many levels, both as a movie and as a comics adaptation, that it's easily one of the bigger disappointments of the summer." - Edward Douglas, ComingSoon.net

"Disappointing superhero movie that delivers a couple of decent set pieces but is ultimately let down by a laughably poor script, some extremely dodgy editing, a lack of humour and a non-committal performance from Ryan Reynolds." - Matthew Turner, ViewLondon

And ultimately, the one review that was so brutally honest, I felt sad reading it, but I somehow knew this one was the most accurate:

"The ring may not make mistakes when it chooses a new Green Lantern, but plenty of mistakes were made in bringing Green Lantern to the screen, and in the end, I have a feeling this is our one and only trip to Oa" - Drew McWeeny, HitFix

So once again, it appears that a fan favorite comic book character with a rich backstory receives a poor live-action film adaptation, joining the likes of Daredevil, Elektra, Ghost Rider, The Incredible Hulk, Judge Dredd, The Losers, The Punisher, and The Spirit.

I normally do not pay for films that are poorly received, especially movies I was looking forward to seeing, but I won't truly believe the film is as awful as the critics have said until I see this green mess for myself. Stay tuned for my review this weekend.