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Martin Campbell & Ryan Reynolds on 'Green Lantern' Story & Tone

by Ethan Anderton
April 27, 2011
Source: Hero Complex

Though the first trailer certainly was cause for concern with obviously unfinished special effects, and a tone that was all over the map, more recent footage has renewed my faith in Green Lantern. Now some new words from Martin Campbell and Ryan Reynolds about the direction of this cosmic comic book adaptation clear things up a bit. In speaking with Hero Complex, Campbell talks about the worries behind the tone of the film, which obviously has comedy mixed with some epic action. The filmmaker also talks about what really convinced him that Green Lantern was a project he needed to direct and we need to see.

When it comes down to Campbell's desire to do the project, he simply says, "This was a chance to do some things I've never done before. I wandered through the art department, and that's what sold me, seeing this universe that's created and the scale of it all." What makes this superhero story so unique too is the need to venture into outer space. Here's what Campbell had to say about that aspect of the story and the kind of journey we can expect Hal Jordan (Reynolds) to endure:

"The interesting part of all this is to take a hero and take an adventure and then go out there. That's something you haven't really seen. We have a story that is very human and very much about human emotions, but what's within that story takes us off-world and into some alien settings that are extraordinary. They're taking the 'Green Lantern' canon from the comics and they're extending it out into this new medium. Our goal is to make the first superhero who really goes on a ‘Star Wars‘ kind of epic journey, and this mythology goes back a lot further than 'Star Wars.'"

So we know the story is epic, but what about the bits of comedy scattered throughout that first trailer that really made this look like another Fantastic Four failure. How is Campbell balancing these two opposing elements of comedy and an epic sci-fi journey. Well, Reynolds actually commented on that issue:

“Tone was the biggest concern going in and then it almost became a contagion, and it became the concern of everyone and with me just harping on it. And now I feel that it's the most exciting discovery as we kept going. No, it's not dark like Christopher Nolan's Batman movies, but it isn't very light like you saw some of the [1980s] Superman movies get. The character is somewhere in the middle. He's a classic male. Han Solo, who was witty but not really funny, was one of the touchstones. It's about courage versus fearlessness and the power of willpower and the need for sacrifice and service. This is not a comedy film but like Han Solo or an Indiana Jones, there are moments where you smile and the hero can trades lines with anybody."

Honestly, it sounds like the first trailer just needed a better cut to get across this blend of humor and action they're going for in the film. And once again, that second round of footage from WonderCon and the most recent extended TV spot absolutely had me floored to see Green Lantern again. Since DC Comics only has Batman as their successful hero franchise right now, and they're hoping for a Justice League film in 2013, I really hope Green Lantern helps them catch up to Marvel on the cinematic side of things. How about you?

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