Green Lantern

(M) Warner DVD/BD

In a year that had too many comic book action heroes, this big budget film about a second-tier DC Comic favourite was always going to be a gamble, and despite Ryan Reynolds best efforts as the titular Hal Jordan this glossy overblown addition didn’t ignite the box office as predicted.

Perhaps part of its failing was the heavy reliance on special effects at the expense of an engaging story. It could also have something to do with the fact that as an origin story, the story of Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern lacks any originality.

Villains seemingly ripped from more interesting properties and a total absence of chemistry between Reynolds and actress Blake Lively (as love interest Carol Ferris) put the final nails into any future exploits.

Similarly themed Thor managed to intertwine its fantastic and realistic settings well, but this film can’t rise above a poorly written script and been-there-done-that storyline. An unfortunate antonym, here is a film less impressive than some of its intriguing parts, and alas a missed opportunity to fire up a franchise.

Adrian Drayton