Tease Me, Baby! – Green Lantern
Hey guys, your friendly neighbourhood Sharp-O here with Tease Me, Baby! For Green Lantern. Since Aaron knows bugger all about Green Lantern, I thought I had better talk about the movie since I’m a huge fan and I’m pretty stoked.
The basic premise of Green Lantern is that a fearless test pilot named Hal Jordan is chosen by the dying alien Abin Sur to become a member of the Green Lantern Corps; an intergalactic police force. He is trained in the ways of the Green Lantern by fellow Corpsmen Sinestro, Tomar Re and Kilowog. It’s weird to hear Tomar Re (voiced by Geoffry Rush) pronounce his name and learn that I’ve been saying it wrong for all these years. It’s Tomar RAY instead of Tomar REE.
Hal was chosen for the specific purpose of defeating an imminent threat to the galaxy in the form of Parallax, an entity made of pure fear, as well as contend with Dr. Hector Hammond, a human scientist in charge of dissecting Abin Sur and eventual pawn of Parallax. Here’s the full trailer.
It was quite hard for me to pinpoint stuff to talk about because I could talk at length about the trailer and all the little nods and what things mean in regards to the mythos but I think I’ll just stick to a 4-5 things that I like from the trailer.
We are The Corps!
I like that they establish early in the trailer exactly how big and how many races are involved in the Green Lantern Corps. They might not all get speaking parts but a lot of comic favourites get screen time. Mark Strong plays Sinestro and is suitably dutiful, serious, and pompous towards Hal Jordan.
“Beware your fears made into light!”
It’s only a quick flash but we get to see a giant floating symbol but those who read comics know this as the symbol of the Sinestro Corps. Are they hinting at a corruption of the Corps’ greatest officer in a possible sequel? I hope so.
The Galactus Gambit
Oh, boy. I can see the rationale behind making Parallax a giant smoke monster. The living embodiment of fear literally spreading itself across the Earth is a very provocative image but I’m hesitant to say I like it. We have seen clips where you see its face and it does look like the Parallax we know, just covered in a smoky visage, writhing with haunted apparitions of its victims.
“Because everyone knows the oath.”
I liked the scene in the previous trailer. Hal’s right, he doesn’t know the oath, so he recites his own to comical effect until the ring touches the lantern and it’s as if something takes over him. His pupils turn green and he recites the oath as if he has no control over his mouth. It’s an interesting take, as if the lantern’s indoctrinate the holder into the ways of The Corps.
“A sword? Oh, human….”
We get a glimpse of Sinestro’s aforementioned pompousness towards Hal during this sparring match and get our first glimpse of Michael Clarke Duncan as Corps drill sergeant Kilowog. I’ve wanted Michael Clarke Duncan to voice Kilowog since the project started. I can’t wait to hear him say ‘Poozer’.
Somebody call for Dan Dare!
That’s a reference not many will get but the designs for the Guardians (The founders and leaders of The Green Lantern Corps) are very reminiscent of The Mekon, the arch-nemesis of pulp comic hero, Dan Dare. They look suitably indifferent as Hal Jordan pleads with them to help him fight Parallax.
I might be a little biased here but I’m really excited for this movie. Earlier trailers pegged this movie as being far more comedic than it should be so I’m thankful that between the 4 minute trailer we got earlier in the year and this one, they’ve shown just how epic in scope they intend this movie to be.
Green Lantern’s light will be shining in cinemas June 17th.