Follow

    Hal Jordan

    Character » Hal Jordan appears in 5259 issues.

    With the ability to overcome great fear and harness the power of will, test-pilot Hal Jordan was chosen to be the Green Lantern of Sector 2814 inheriting the ring of the dying alien Green Lantern, Abin Sur. He later on went to creating his own power ring from his own will power. Through sheer will power and determination, Hal has established an impressive record of heroism across the galaxy with the help of his fellow Green Lanterns as well as his peers in the Justice League.

    a perspective on the Green Lantern film

    Avatar image for caesarsghost
    caesarsghost

    578

    Forum Posts

    4113

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 14

    User Lists: 1

    Edited By caesarsghost

    Doing what I do, just browsing the forums, I could not help but notice that many of the Green Lantern forums seem to focus on Ryan Reynolds, whether or not he was the right choice for Hal Jordan.  
     
    I do not take issue with the topic being present- it makes sense. Big budget comic book movie with a character that has been around (in his present incarnation) since the 1950s, Viners are bound to have various opinions on the casting choice of the title character.  
     
    Everyone is entitled to their opinion right? Well, conditionally. It depends on what informs the opinion. It seems that many have jumped on the "Ryan Reynolds is going to be terrible" bandwagon because a couple of more well-informed Viners have surmised such.  
     
    Is my point clear? I have read some blogs from Viners that have expressed skepticism about Reynold's future performance, and these are fine. They back up their opinions with examples from comics, Reynold's past performances etc... The only thing that bugs me is the 'yeah, he will suck' thoughts without giving the topic proper consideration. I mean, we all love comic books, right? We care about the movies that come from these comic franchises, we want them to do well, it only makes sense that such a person would want to give every aspect of the question proper time and thought.  
     
    In that spirit- here is where I land on the whole Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan debate.  
     
    He will be wonderful! This was a near-perfect casting choice.  
     
    Now it is time to back up that opinion with some evidence.  
     
    He is confident- this is possibly the single most important aspect to Hal Jordan. Confidence is nearly synonymous with willpower in this case- Hal jumps into any situation- outnumbered, outgunned, outclassed, with the confidence that he is going to come out on top. He flies into these situations without a moment's hesitation because he has confidence in himself and confidence in the corps/ knows that he is doing the right thing. Comic book evidence? He is a test pilot for crying out loud ("she can do just a hair under mach three..," he puts his life on the line constantly because he is confident, self-assured), Revenge of the Green Lanterns: Hal and Guy attack the MANHUNTER HOMEWORLD on a rescue mission (the odds were three billion to one and he still had the time for witty banter with Arisia). The Flash: Rebirth- Barry says that Hal 'laughed like a maniac' whenever the League was outnumbered. What better statement of confidence could there be? Reynolds should portray this perfectly- just look at what he did with Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Think of the elevator scene before the battle- the guy just exudes confidence, sarcasm, cockiness. Perfect for Hal.  
     
    He is funny- Ladies and gentlemen, Hal Jordan is funny. Perhaps his post-Parallax self is a little less funny than his pre-Parallax days, but the Hal that will be in the film is pre-Parallax and thus the funnier one (and I actually dont get this argument that post-Parallax Hal is somehow stiff and joyless, but that is another blog). Do we need some evidence? Look at Wanted: Hal Jordan. When he kisses the Zamaron queen- 'c'mere, gorgeous.' Look at Secret Origin-  'dont tell me that Salaak didn't teach you about contained pocket dimensions as storage units for power batteries' '...I keep mine in my locker...'  We all know that Reynolds is hilarious (much of his past film roles have been comedic) and thus he is perfectly suited to play this rather large portion of Hal Jordan's character- there can really be no such thing as too funny with Hal! Hal is hilarious, he has shown it time and again- this is actually part and parcel with his confident/cocky nature, he makes jokes when things look their bleakest. These are the two largest parts of Hal Jordan's character- we have seen it in the comics, we have seen it in Reynolds past films- this is a match.  
     
    But will he be too funny- hopefully we already dismissed this idea in the previous paragraph, but the prevalence of this thought on the boards means that it bears some repeating. People seem to think that Reynolds will play him too light, too funny and without the gravitas that Hal has been known to have (his father did die in a plane crash right before his eyes after all). 1st- even though this terrible thing happened to him, he has kept his sense of humor. We have seen it, proved it, moving on. He does have 'serious' moments (Secret Origin where he makes the construct of his father, or sits in his plane, or Sinestro Corps war when he fights with Kyllax, though after he defeats Sinestro he says 'you are under arrest' with a smile'). What makes people think that Reynolds cannot do these more serious moments? He has shown that he can handle drama quite well (Smokin' Aces definitely, The Amityville Horror and even The Proposal had some noteworthy moments of dramatic acting), and I believe that he will bring this same talent to Green Lantern. He is such a talented guy he can pull of the confident, funny yet determined Hal Jordan that we know and love.  
     
    Hopefully we have seen that Reynolds should be a great Green Lantern, and even if that point is still debatable (and I am open to thoughtful discussion) hopefully we have at least seen a better way to approach the question than just 'yeah, he will suck'.
    Avatar image for dh69
    DH69

    4324

    Forum Posts

    102

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 0

    #1  Edited By DH69

    i got no problem with reynolds playing green lantern (HE WAS OURS FIRST AMERICA!!!) but the movie itself just looks terrible. usually trailers make the movie look twice as good as the movie itself, and if this movie follows that guideline, the movie is gonna suck...

    Avatar image for caesarsghost
    caesarsghost

    578

    Forum Posts

    4113

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 14

    User Lists: 1

    #2  Edited By caesarsghost
    @DH69 said:
    "i got no problem with reynolds playing green lantern (HE WAS OURS FIRST AMERICA!!!) but the movie itself just looks terrible. usually trailers make the movie look twice as good as the movie itself, and if this movie follows that guideline, the movie is gonna suck... "

    yes- as you could probably tell I have no problem with Reynolds as Hal. As far as the rest of the film goes (since you do not have a problem with the casting or the acting then I assume you take issue with the more formal elements of the film- how it looks, the narrative content etc...) that is the topic for another blog. Which I might write soon.  
     
    Thanks for the response, though! Always glad to talk about this stuff.  
     
    Just out of curiosity- what from the trailer makes the film 'look' terrible for you?
    Avatar image for theblueangel93
    TheBlueAngel93

    21064

    Forum Posts

    16240

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: -1

    #3  Edited By TheBlueAngel93
    Begins to clap.
    Avatar image for dh69
    DH69

    4324

    Forum Posts

    102

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 1

    User Lists: 0

    #4  Edited By DH69
    @caesarsghost said:
    "@DH69 said:
    "i got no problem with reynolds playing green lantern (HE WAS OURS FIRST AMERICA!!!) but the movie itself just looks terrible. usually trailers make the movie look twice as good as the movie itself, and if this movie follows that guideline, the movie is gonna suck... "
    yes- as you could probably tell I have no problem with Reynolds as Hal. As far as the rest of the film goes (since you do not have a problem with the casting or the acting then I assume you take issue with the more formal elements of the film- how it looks, the narrative content etc...) that is the topic for another blog. Which I might write soon.   Thanks for the response, though! Always glad to talk about this stuff.   Just out of curiosity- what from the trailer makes the film 'look' terrible for you? "

    honestly it looks like a cheezy movie from the mid 90's, the cg looks terrible it looks completely fake and not in a forgivable way (hopefully they improve it b4 the movies release.) costume designs are fine, but Hector hammond looks completely ridiculous, and finally most of the sets shown in the trailer just scream BAD. 
     
    green lantern was one of the films i was most looking forward to his year along with thor, but unfortunatly both have had dissapointing trailers, which makes me worry about the final product
    Avatar image for caesarsghost
    caesarsghost

    578

    Forum Posts

    4113

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 14

    User Lists: 1

    #5  Edited By caesarsghost
    @War Killer said:

    "Begins to clap."


    bows low and smiles
    Avatar image for caesarsghost
    caesarsghost

    578

    Forum Posts

    4113

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 14

    User Lists: 1

    #6  Edited By caesarsghost
    @DH69 said:
    "@caesarsghost said:
    "@DH69 said:
    "i got no problem with reynolds playing green lantern (HE WAS OURS FIRST AMERICA!!!) but the movie itself just looks terrible. usually trailers make the movie look twice as good as the movie itself, and if this movie follows that guideline, the movie is gonna suck... "
    yes- as you could probably tell I have no problem with Reynolds as Hal. As far as the rest of the film goes (since you do not have a problem with the casting or the acting then I assume you take issue with the more formal elements of the film- how it looks, the narrative content etc...) that is the topic for another blog. Which I might write soon.   Thanks for the response, though! Always glad to talk about this stuff.   Just out of curiosity- what from the trailer makes the film 'look' terrible for you? "
    honestly it looks like a cheezy movie from the mid 90's, the cg looks terrible it looks completely fake and not in a forgivable way (hopefully they improve it b4 the movies release.) costume designs are fine, but Hector hammond looks completely ridiculous, and finally most of the sets shown in the trailer just scream BAD.  green lantern was one of the films i was most looking forward to his year along with thor, but unfortunatly both have had dissapointing trailers, which makes me worry about the final product "

    the CG- yes, you are entitled to a little bit of worry there. There are moments when it seems a little less polished (backing that up with some evidence- the scene where he swoops down to kick I believe it is Hector looks a bit choppy- the CG effects are not completely 'blended in' with the live action photography- i.e. they look as though they are right out of a computer and lack that chemical  photorealistic/perceptual realism that we come to expect). However, I would not give up hope just yet. I worked for years in the film industry, and I can say with confidence that a film never stops being worked on, right up until practically the day it is released. With a budget of many millions we can rest assured that it will look pretty good.  
     
    The sets- well, I will have to take a closer look at them. They looked okay to me at first glance, but I dont want to voice an opinion on them without looking at them again to make sure I know what I am talking about.  
    Avatar image for redryan
    RedRyan

    137

    Forum Posts

    771

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 10

    User Lists: 3

    #7  Edited By RedRyan
    @caesarsghost:
    Reynolds is a good choice for Hal Jordan but I still think the film will flop. The reasons I think are more to do with approach to their own creative properties rather than the people playing them. Marvel have been really successful recently at translating their characters to film because they stopped thinking you had to mainstream the product to such an extent that it no longer appealed to comic book fans or the general movie watching public. Marvel believe in their characters now in a way that DC or at least Warner Brothers don't and instead of presenting Hal Jordan as a character people can become invested in they seem to have retreated into trying emulate the Superman movies of the seventies and eighties. I think people will be uninterested in the lead character and just a little confused about what a Green Lantern is meant to be. I really hope I'm wrong as I'm sure lots of other projects depend on this being a success but hopes aren't high. 
    Avatar image for loki9876
    Loki9876

    3366

    Forum Posts

    196

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 5

    #8  Edited By Loki9876

    I don't know wats wrong with the thor trailer it looked very cool in my opinion but about green lantern I think ryan could be a good hal but i don't kniow the actor good i only saw him in x-men origins wolverine and blade trinity.And i think you can't say mutch from the trailer I would wait before I judge a movie (by the way I don't think Hector looks horrible.)

    Avatar image for sydpart2
    Sydpart2

    1168

    Forum Posts

    319

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    #9  Edited By Sydpart2

    I would disagree with the premise that Hal isn't funny post parallax. Hell I was just reading an issue of Blackest Night and he referred to all the lanterns and himself as the rainbow warriors. I think Ryan will do well and I think the films gonna be pretty good. And I kinda like him more than most actors in Super hero movies since he has actually read comics and takes a vested interest in the role. To many movies it feels like the actor is just trying to get the pay check...

    Avatar image for caesarsghost
    caesarsghost

    578

    Forum Posts

    4113

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 14

    User Lists: 1

    #10  Edited By caesarsghost
    @Sydpart2 said:
    "I would disagree with the premise that Hal isn't funny post parallax. Hell I was just reading an issue of Blackest Night and he referred to all the lanterns and himself as the rainbow warriors. I think Ryan will do well and I think the films gonna be pretty good. And I kinda like him more than most actors in Super hero movies since he has actually read comics and takes a vested interest in the role. To many movies it feels like the actor is just trying to get the pay check... "

    I know, right! I mentioned it in the blog- but I actually find the post-Parallax Hal quite hilarious. Rainbow Warriors... awesome... 
     
    And I completely agree with the 'vested interest; angle. I was reading his interview in E.W. and he mentioned that his house was littered with comics. That is the guy I want playing Hal!
    Avatar image for caesarsghost
    caesarsghost

    578

    Forum Posts

    4113

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 14

    User Lists: 1

    #11  Edited By caesarsghost
    @Loki9876 said:
    "I don't know wats wrong with the thor trailer it looked very cool in my opinion but about green lantern I think ryan could be a good hal but i don't kniow the actor good i only saw him in x-men origins wolverine and blade trinity.And i think you can't say mutch from the trailer I would wait before I judge a movie (by the way I don't think Hector looks horrible.) "

    I dont think he looks horrible either- he looks almost exactly as he does in the comics- which is clearly referencing classic 1950s sci-fi villains in an homage/yet creepy way. And they have a FANTASTIC actor playing him, he will do well.
    Avatar image for silkcuts
    Silkcuts

    6039

    Forum Posts

    93073

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 730

    User Lists: 13

    #12  Edited By Silkcuts

    i personally think reynolds is a horrible choice... he can only play one character, which is Van Wilder 

    Avatar image for caesarsghost
    caesarsghost

    578

    Forum Posts

    4113

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 14

    User Lists: 1

    #13  Edited By caesarsghost
    @Silkcuts said:
    "i personally think reynolds is a horrible choice... he can only play one character, which is Van Wilder  "

    ha! Van Wilder... awesome.  
     
    We'll just have to see my friend.
    Avatar image for video_martian
    Video_Martian

    5650

    Forum Posts

    2349

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 0

    #14  Edited By Video_Martian

    Sorry dude, but Reynolds is gonna SUCK BIG TIME as Hal, lol =P

    Avatar image for caesarsghost
    caesarsghost

    578

    Forum Posts

    4113

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 14

    User Lists: 1

    #15  Edited By caesarsghost
    @mr.obvious said:
    "

    Sorry dude, but Reynolds is gonna SUCK BIG TIME as Hal, lol =P

    "

    Dude! Did you even read the blog? The point was to move the debate beyond just 'he will suck big time.' You have to give me valid reasons, man! Reasons!
    Avatar image for biteme_fanboy
    BiteMe-Fanboy

    8951

    Forum Posts

    454

    Wiki Points

    0

    Followers

    Reviews: 0

    User Lists: 5

    #16  Edited By BiteMe-Fanboy

    -spreads arms out- I KNOW RIGHT!?

    This edit will also create new pages on Comic Vine for:

    Beware, you are proposing to add brand new pages to the wiki along with your edits. Make sure this is what you intended. This will likely increase the time it takes for your changes to go live.

    Comment and Save

    Until you earn 1000 points all your submissions need to be vetted by other Comic Vine users. This process takes no more than a few hours and we'll send you an email once approved.