‘Lanterns’: The Live Action Redemption for Green Lantern

Before we get into HBO’s Lanterns series, let’s address the (construct) elephant in the room. In 2011, we were introduced to Hal Jordan via Ryan Reynolds in the live-action Green Lantern movie and I was seated. My very first tattoo was the Green Lantern insignia (this meant something to me, baby). We were all seated. We just didn’t know it was a front row seat to a box office bomb that turned the Green Lantern superhero into a punchline. The movie was supposed to put respect on the Green Lantern’s name, not destroy it. Bring light to the DC Universe, not leave it in darkness. It’s been 15 years of jokes, 15 years of ridicule, 15 years of disrespect Green Lantern fans have had to suffer. Never mind a groundbreaking comic book run in 2005, the stigma of the Green Lantern movie was a spot that couldn’t be removed, until now. HBO green lit the Lanterns live-action tv adaptation of the Green Lantern franchise. The show debuted on August 16th. After it aired, everyone that ever joked on the Green Lanterns was realizing ain’t shit funny now.

The series starts off with Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) in 1996 giving a first time ever heart to heart television interview, where we see an unmasked Hal Jordan stating his name for the world to know as a young John Stewart (Cairo Cash Lee) watches the tv along with his brothers, nervously anticipating the return of their marine father, the senior John Stewart (J. Alphonse Nicholson). Hal Jordan speaks of what being a Green Lantern entails and boils it down to one question: “Are you afraid?” That’s the question you have to answer to become a Green Lantern. When John Stewart’s father arrives back home, knowing his children were up watching tv before he walked in. He asks the name of the Green Lantern. John gives it, then proceeds outside. The young John Stewart places an apple on his head as his father draws his gun, then proceeds to ask his son if he’s afraid. John Stewart tells his father no. We then see the apple explode from a single shot. John senior proud of his son not flinching embraces his son then suggest getting a burger (that shit was wild). Ten years later (2016), we see a grown John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) sitting shotgun beside an older and more gruff Hal Jordan.

The show runners have described Lanterns being in the style of True Detective. A series that will ground these Green Lanterns (described as space cops) to earth. Our EIC William Evans, described the show in a way I was kicking myself for not seeing, as he stated, “This is more in line with Training Day“. He’s right. The animosity between Hal Jordan and John Stewart is the entire driving force behind this show. John Stewart is calm, collected. He isn’t letting his true emotions be shown, but he is annoyed. Which Hal Jordan can tell as he is the one who is late, gone for two weeks, and is showing up hungover. Hal, true to form, keeps asking John if he’s not the slightest bit annoyed by this. John simply says no while referring to Hal Jordan as “sir.” However, Hal knows that sir really translates to fuck you. This is where it gets interesting. Hal explains he was late due to stopping a civil war on a planet. He tells john he resolved it with diplomacy and some punching. However, John doesn’t know “how it is” because it’s been two months of “training,” and he hasn’t worn the ring yet.

Hal believes they got time to et to all that and that he’ll wear the ring when the ring chooses him. However, John reminds him that unlike Hal, it was the Guardians of the Universe that selected him to become a Green Lantern. Hal let’s John know that “The Guardians may think you’re hot shit but you’re just a substitute teacher.” Damn. Hal called that man Jonathan Shale (The Substitute) to his face. This animosity runs rampant all throughout the pilot episode. At the root of it, Hal Jordan knows what he’s doing and John’s questioning of his judgement as well as procedure shows that these two are polar opposites. Hal goes by his gut, instinct, and years of experience. John assess a situation with rational judgment and goes by protocol. We’ve seen this in many a buddy cop film or tv show, like Lethal Weapon and True Detective. Lanterns tho? Lanterns looking like these two might never get along or find common ground.

Which, as a viewer, makes me hope that they are able to work together. Being a Green Lantern fan since youth, it’s funny that in the comics there wasn’t this much animosity between Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Well at least not from John side. Once Hal stepped down as Green Lantern and John replaced him, that man was sea salt level salty. Salt and vinegar chips type salty. McDonald’s lowering the sodium in the fries in specific regions levels of salt.

I am enjoying the detective element in Lanterns most of all. In the earlier years of the comics, Green Lanterns are more akin to peace keepers. U.S. Marshalls or diplomats in a sense. The more militarization and police comparison came more-so in the Justice League cartoon (2000s) and Green Lantern, Vol. 4 (2005) comic run. We get to see the different perspectives of how John and Hal break down a crime scene. It reminded me of Men in Black. Hal is a much more rough around the edges version of Kay. Allowing John to proceed on his own instinct and fail miserably as a learning lesson in his attempt to inform Sheriff Kerry (Kelly MacDonald). There are so many elements within the show that give us a unique perspective with Green Lantern in the DCU: the celebrity that comes with Hal Jordan making his identity public and the way Sheriff Kerry can’t stand Hal’s presence as she knows him bringing talk of aliens being among the citizens of Rushville, Nebraska will cause the small town to panic.

There’s something about Hal Jordan not being in uniform or using his ring for mundane things like creating money or a bottle opener that keeps the show grounded. However, once we get into the interrogation scene, we see Hal Jordan in full effect. Following his instincts and showing everyone, he’s right. As well as his cockiness when a threat becomes evident. Kyle Chandler brings a charm to Hal Jordan that makes this much harsher and territorial version come across as human. We’ve all experienced that work culture of being asked by the higher ups to train someone who is your replacement. It is worth noting that Chandler makes an amazing witch when it comes to his ‘Halogram’ (as John coined it) being much nicer and even apologetic. Which begs the viewer to wonder; what happened between in ten-year gap of the last Halogram back up that changed Hal’s personality and demeanor?

Aaron Pierre’s approach to and portrayal of John Stewart is remarkable. Where the issue of colorism came up in his casting of John Stewart, it was always an entirely separate conversation that in no way was reflective of Pierre’s acting ability. Which is to say, we know this man can act his ass off. He is the perfect straight man to Kyle Chandler’s portrayal of wild Hal Jordan. Pierre is able to emote each annoyance with his treatment and dealing with Hal Jordan in such a controlled manor. The more Hal tries to get to him, the more no sells (wrestling term for not reacting to an attack. As if there was no pain). It wasn’t until John’s life was literally put in danger did we see Aaron Pierre get to give John the release for his expression of anger. Even in that expression, and delivery, that talk with his father we see John go from 150, reset, then back down to his default collected demeanor. Pierre delivers the frustration of someone that was selected to do a job but is being prevented from getting the training necessary for the job, by the person that should be teaching them that job. Not to mention the teacher talking to your 5 types of crazy.

Aaron Pierre has John Stewart displaying the patience of a saint. Which will be interesting to see if that maintains throughout the rest of the season or even the rest of the show. We’re seeing that this show is moving between two (technically 3) different time periods. There will be a lot of change from the entry points we have met Hal and John at. As well as a murder mystery to solve as we saw at the top of the show and right before the closing of the show. All in All, Lanterns takes a different approach to the Green Lantern mythos and lore but is giving us prestige TV heat. It’s a beautiful show that makes the constructs look durable and realistic with CGI.

I am also now realizing I went through this entire review without really mentioning how the constructs look. The Green Lantern constructs were feeling like the real make or break for the show. However, that acting was so good, you don’t really notice that we only see perhaps three constructs on screen for this first episode? That’s when you know you got good ass actors and show runners going crazy with this project. Got seated so hard by Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre’s performances as Hal Jordan and Jon Stewart that the constructs ain’t even matter.

We. Are. So. Fucking. Back . Bay-Baaaaaay

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