Escape to the Movies: Green Lantern: Extended Cut

[Trishbot]

Yes, yes, we know all about why the Green Lantern film failed. Miscast actors, bland storytelling, cliche writing, bad effects, poor pacing, blah blah blah. This episode was a little (or very) redundant from the last Green Lantern rant.

The highlight for me, though, was bringing up the Director's Cut of "Kingdom of Heaven". You should've dedicated an entire episode to THAT.

Seriously, I have NEVER seen a director's cut improve a film as much as that did. I saw the theatrical version... and HATED it. It was a boring, dull, lifeless movie full of unlikeable characters. But the director's cut fixes EVERYTHING. The characters are given motivation, the pacing and plot makes far more sense, the portrayal of Muslims and Christians is far more balanced and even-handed, entire major characters are re-inserted into the film, and they even restore a climactic FINAL FIGHT SCENE against one of the main antagonists that got cut from the film. The theatrical version I genuinely hate, like a 3 or 4 out of 10, while the director's extended cut is nigh perfect and jaw-dropping in how good it is, an easy 9 or full 10 out of 10.

So, um, that's my plug of the week. Check out Kingdom of Heaven's director's cut, folks.

 

[funksobeefy]

Hey just wanted to thank you Bob for telling us about the directors cut of Kingdom of Heaven. You brought it to our attention some time ago but I finally got around to thanking ya. Seriously, that movie was so good!

Also Green Lantern sucks. I didnt think about the "chosen" part you brought out in the end, interesting

 

[messy]

The ting that annoys me the most about the Green Lantern film is that the latest Green lantern comics (read: Geoff Johns taking over) have been fucking awesome. Like spine tingling, goosebump raising amazing.

Couldn't agree more. If they could do a green lantern movie correctly it could be the biggest thing since star wars. I thank god Mark Strong is playing Sinistro and hope for the best.

From what I've heard of the Green Lantern film is they didn't set it in space enough. His job is that he polices space, how could it not be set in space? Although apparently at the end of this film there is a scene where loads of different coloured rings shoot of into space, who knows we could get a war of light one of these days. I sorta hoping they try and do another Green Lantern film completed un-related to this one, perhaps using Jon (old spice guy, he wants to play a super hero), Guy of Kyle as the lead. Don't get me wrong I'm a Hal man to the end but Reynolds may have sullied it with his performance. Or even go golden age with Alan Scott

 

[LordXel]

Theres an extended cut? Oh God no, it really is the end of the world! It isn't really, but it should be. Wheres my zombie apocalypse?

Well my curiosity for how bad Green Lantern is has just increased. I might rent it, or at least wait a little longer for X-Men First Class to come out on DVD. That movie was a joy.

 

[Something Amyss]

True, but with bob if you don't agree with him, then you're a frat boy or some other insult that just a stereotype. It annoys me that people follow him so blindly (or any review for a matter of fact). Heck, just go see the movie yourself and see if you will enjoy it.

It just meh, when people can't let others just enjoy the movie or whatever they are into. They have to go insult their intelligence or taste in movies, just like how people here insult each other for having a prefer console.

Oh, I'm not out to defend Bob. More than half the time, I think his opinion are awful. Not just I disagree with him, but do so vehemently. But I find dismissiveness goes with the territory and I'm not that bothered by it anymore. Opinions are like assholes. They all stink.

I'm mostly just pointing out in this case, Bob's inline with the popular opinion.

 

[Darks63]

Well, that hope of a better director's cut just got snuffed out...

I wonder if The Rum Diary is any good?

It basically Fear and loathing in Las Vegas 2 if you didn't already know, Just set in Puerto Rico.

 

[Jodah]

The ting that annoys me the most about the Green Lantern film is that the latest Green lantern comics (read: Geoff Johns taking over) have been fucking awesome. Like spine tingling, goosebump raising amazing.

Yep. As a huge GL fan myself I was beyond pissed when I saw the movie. I wanted to stab things as I was walking out...

 

[messy]

The ting that annoys me the most about the Green Lantern film is that the latest Green lantern comics (read: Geoff Johns taking over) have been fucking awesome. Like spine tingling, goosebump raising amazing.

Yep. As a huge GL fan myself I was beyond pissed when I saw the movie. I wanted to stab things as I was walking out...

The only problem with doing a film based on say, Blackest Night is you the need the back story. Sinestro corp wars might work, because you could just set up lantern vs lantern at the start as some epic on going war. Abin-Sur is injured in the war, crash lands on earth and then hands the ring to a human to carry on the fight.

Captcha: Lord TsselFac, he could be the villian

 

[EgonCom]

the big obnoxious Macho is the hero and the nerdy guy is the villain? I mean, that's pretty stupid but it's in a way also kinda original...

Say WHAT? That's a basic plot for every "I wana be new superman" comic book/movie/story/whatever about a super hero.

It's so unoriginal it even became a frame of reference for a parodies (for example http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1001526/).

What I really don't get it, is why Bob waisted his and our time for even making today's episode.

I mean if the movie was bad then 90% of a time "extended" version will still be bad.
If it wasn't then he might have something to talk about.

 

[hermes]

Spoiler

Am I the only one who went into this review thinking "oh man, here we go."? I question the necessity of driving this point home multiple times.

No, you are not the only one. I was also disappointed to see Bob go back to a movie he certainly hated for reasons that are mostly personal.

We get that Green Lantern was bad, no one was expecting the "Extended Edition" to be better. We don't need 2 weeks to drive the point home... That would be understandable if it was actually different, but if its the same, why bother? Its not like there was no new releases this week or movies he hasn't covered (3 Musketeers opened this week, Ides of March is only 2 weeks old and I heard Footloose was actually rather decent)

And, not to piss off all those comic book fans, but wasn't "being chosen by higher powers" the whole point of being green lanterns? Its not like they take job applications...

 

[Boba Frag]

Ah, Bob, seriously, stop torturing yourself...

No, I wasn't happy with a lot of things in GL either, and the 'You have to be chosen' thing is very much at odds with the comics (ie, the Ring chooses the worthy candidate based on their merits and willpower potential) but at the same time, I don't think it's doing you any favours to CONTINUALLY harp on about it.

The film wasn't great, but was no Batman and Robin. Ugh. Typing that heap's name makes me feel unwell.

I take it that you're not satisfied that people haven't signed up to your opinion that it's the biggest piece of shit in the universe.
It's, at best, a sad misfire that was not completely worthy of the source material.
A disappointment, not a case of violation of the medium.

Anyway, I'm off to play the sexist Arkham City because God knows criminals, thugs, murderers, rapists and general scumbags NEVER use the word ***** in real life.
And we are totally supposed to be viewing those characters as role models.

Not Batman.
Yeah, I saw Harley got thrown around. It's also Harley. And in the context, it was totally justifiable (she beats Batman around the head with a baseball bat in the same scen fer chrissakes).

*sexistly grapples into the night*

 

[Kenbo Slice]

I know I'm in the minority here but I thought Green Lantern was a pretty sweet movie. It did change stuff from the comics yeah, but the movie itself wasn't bad.

 

[emeraldrafael]

HUnh, not often you see Bob being so openly petty.

I get that Paranormal wasnt shown to him, but picking on up the dvd release of a movie he didnt like and got so emotionally invested in even though as a film reviewer/critic youre supposed to not have that kinda bias just so you can blast it some more doesnt exactly scream professionalism.

Hell, just seeing this, Im surprised he didnt do this with each of the transformers DVDs, or the twilight DVDs.

I mean, he had a film festival movie (the might macs) and a heavily advertised movie (the three musketeers) to pick from.

...

Then again, I... well, I was able to enjoy watching the green lantern, so I'll always have a differing opinion than bob on the matter, which is something I accept. I dont know, I just think this is bob continuing his little ***** fit about the green lantern. still, was pretty humorous, which is about all I can ask of these.

 

[MovieBob]

seriously? Another "review" on Green Lantern. He can't use the excuse that a movie like Paranormal Activity 3 wasn't screened for critics because it was (movies that have a 75% on rottentomatoes are guaranteed to be screened). Pure laziness on Bob's end, pure laziness!

I should probably clarify this:

Some reviews that post to RT - especially early ones for lower-tier releases - see the films not at press screenings but at "preview screenings" that they gain access to by various means. In the case of "PA3," it wasn't (to the best of my knowledge) shown to most members of the professional press save for SOME invitations to early showings the day before it opened for critics in the big NY/LA markets. As I don't live/work in either of those areas, the only opportunity I would've had to see it would've been at midnight show the night before it opened, which would simply not have afforded enough time to write a review, record and edit sound, find/create visuals, edit the elements together and all the other aspects of production required to deliver and up-to-standards episode of this series. This is also the case with "The Three Musketeers," though in THAT case the reason you saw early reviews was because it actually opened in parts of Europe before it's U.S. debut.

 

[Draconalis]

I went and saw Three Musketeers today. Despite a few transition problems and a couple pacing issues... it wasn't "bad".

Not "great", but maybe "almost good"

On the other hand, I saw the trailer for "The Darkest Hour" in theaters and am intrigued.

 

[Wuvlycuddles]

BUT WAIT!

You can have your very own Sinestro Corps Batman skin for Arkham City if you buy the Green Lantern blu ray!


..... still not worth the money or embarrassment of buying it though

Also the skin is kinda poo....

Spoiler

 

[Not-here-anymore]

The ting that annoys me the most about the Green Lantern film is that the latest Green lantern comics (read: Geoff Johns taking over) have been fucking awesome. Like spine tingling, goosebump raising amazing.

Thank you for distracting me from how terrible the film was by making me start re-reading all that. Let's start from Sinestro Corps War, and laugh at how badly it doesn't tie into the film.

Yes, that sounds like 'waa! It's not the same as the comics so I don't like it!' It's not. Well, not entirely. Since Parallax was introduced as a character/entity, it has underpinned pretty much every major event in the GL continuity. Hell, it's had a huge effect on the DC universe as a whole. Without it, pretty much anything you could do in a sequel to Green Lantern (which I hear rumours of from time to time) would be pretty much nonsensical. Sure, you could give Sinestro a yellow fear ring without a big-ass avatar of said emotion to back him up, but it removes the drama slightly. One guy/smaller corps with fear power as opposed to a practical god with said power. No contest. Also, having fear be something the guardians can access...
Look, there's a lot wrong with this film from a comparative storyline angle, and a lot of ways in which it destroys its own potential sequels before they start.

That's separate to the shitty CGI, worse characterisation, total failure to deliver on promised epicness, and the fact that the first half of the film wasn't actually that bad.

I don't understand how people can think Green Lantern was so horrible, yet praise movies like Capatin America and Thor.

They were all equally ridiculous stupid dumb fun. Nothing great by any means, but nothing to make people (like Bob) sound so insulted.

Captain America (and to some degree Thor) were actually fun to watch! Green Lantern... Eugh. Next to nothing actually happens in it. Everything that does happen is over in seconds and obscured by so much sentient space dust that you can't see it. The pacing and action are just badly done. It goes from being big dumb fun action film (see: Transformers 3, Drive Angry) to slow dumb boring nothing film.
And insults one of my favourite franchises. I'll admit there's a little fanboy rage in there.

 

[chif-ii]

Was it necessary to make another episode about how much Green Lantern the movie sucks? You've got, like, two columns here.

Let's pray the Avenger's isn't as bad.

 

[Draconalis]

Opinions are like assholes. They all stink.

Mine doesn't. I clean it very well and spray it with perfume.