.jpg)
HBO Max Lanterns Series: Are You Afraid? That This Could've Been Bad, But It's Amazing!
The first live-action series adaptation of the intergalactic space cop of Sector 2814, The Green Lantern, called Lanterns, is one hell of a ride from start to finish. After the spectacular dud starring Ryan Reynolds in 2011, The Green Lantern only surfaced through James Gunn's Superman 2025, with Guy Gardner representing the Green Lantern Corps.
Lanterns Series on HBO Max is a plot-centric DC superhero series that is hailed as a cross between True Detective and Slow Horses. I don't know about the comparisons, but this is a highly entertaining and fresh take on an existing character that is worth watching - even on the big screen. But it's a series, so you can do it from the comfort of your couch.
What's Lanterns About?
While Hal Jordan is training a fellow Green Lantern, Jon Stewart, he is called upon by his ring-saved consciousness to go to Rushville, Nebraska. When Hal gets there, followed by Stewart, there's a highly unusual mass shooting. What happens next intertwines and changes the fate of everyone in the town, including Hal and Jon.
The series arc sees Jordan and Stewart size each other up, understand the other's perspective on things, trade combat styles, and a whole lot more while dealing with a lot of aliens who are impossible to distinguish from humans.
James Gunn said Lanterns was "True Detective with power rings" when pitching it to the general public. While producer Greg Berlanti and co-writer Marc Guggenheim used the phrase to reject this form of storytelling, Gunn embraced it as the main pitch!
The Cast of Lanterns Series
Kelly Macdonald's accent is atrocious and is best summarized by Amy Poehler while hosting the 2015 Golden Globes. Every time she speaks in Episode 1, it sounds like she's biting down on some kind of mouth guard to stop her Scottish accent from popping up.
She plays Kerry, the town sheriff of Rushville, Nebraska - why don't they just write her accent into the plot? It's so much easier.
Purna Jagganathan looks amazing and self-assured and confident to suit her role as Zoe, the wife of a man of means in Rushville, Nebraska. Either they've given Purna a 'foxy girl' makeover or her acting is simply that good. But the simpler explanation is that it's both to a certain extent.
Kyle Chandler excels as the grizzled GL veteran. Hal has nothing to lose, given that he has already lost his parents, and it reflects in everything he does
Hal Jordan just rushing through the Green Lantern oath while recharging the ring is pretty funny and shows how disillusioned he is with the Guardians and the Green Lantern Corps in general. Jon Stewart does not miss a beat with regard to his partner's philosophy and watches with a poker face while keeping his own action plan front and center in his mind.
Jon Stewart keeps his poker face on all the time except when his life is in danger; that's when he drops those f-bombs with great precision and clarity. Aaron Pierre looks exactly like John Stewart from the Animated Series.
Hal Jordan's will-powered green constructs are highly detailed, which takes more time. Jon Stewart is on the same track as Jordan on a wholly different level, with high creativity and imagination along with obvious vast reserves of willpower. ( Both of these are relative to Guy Gardner's instant constructs )
The comparison between the two Lanterns reminds me of the IT employee in India in the first few days of joining compared to the seasoned veteran employee who's been there for years.
Jason Ritter, the son of the beloved actor, the late John Ritter, has a role in this as well.
Laura Linney plays one of the Elders, or the Blue Bosses, who can't quite know what it means to be human or live the human experience.
Action Sequences and Background Score
The background score is on point along with the rest of the sound design, which builds the suspense without being too over the top. The pacing is excellent, and the weekly release schedule really works for this series. The Lanterns theme is another level as well, with it depicting the legacy of the Green Lantern Corps as something stoic and probably even a bit sacred.
The tech scenes are pretty cool and look realistic enough. There are a few callbacks as well, such as the pocket dimension used in DC Peacemaker, in which Hal keeps his lantern.
All the alien tech used in the Lanterns is not only impressive, they are highly practical as well, from the creative use of lasers to butcher animals to using the same lasers to dispatch any undesirables, regardless of whether they are in a car or home. Such tech is probably available today already, such as anti-drone lasers and lasers for metal 3D printing.
None of the CGI and practical effects are gratuitous and are used judiciously as an essential part of the plot.
One of the most tense moments involves a comedic element where Hal is trying to sus out whether the person in front of him is an alien. At first, the person doesn't seem to know about Harry Potter; next, and most suspiciously, when asked about Barack Obama, he is calm and neutral, which is unusual considering that Nebraska is a Red State, mostly populated by Republicans.
At the end, Hal shouts in all seriousness:
"Harry Potter went to Hogwarts, you ignorant alien f4ck! "
Even though the person ( suspected alien ) talks about the real problems of the world in simple terms. The juxtaposition of how relevant the person's discussion is to the fate of the modern world, and how Hal treats Harry Potter like a sacred text, is absolutely hilarious!
Check out Spider-Man: Brand New Day Movie Review
The Lore of HBO Max Lanterns Series
The Guardians/Elders who founded the Green Lantern Corps are not in tune with human values and culture. This might be because they have only known them for the lifetime of one Green Lantern - Hal Jordan. This is also why John Stewart's dad failed the fear test, as there was a racial component that the Guardians overlooked.
The Guardians also referred to human upbringing as 'programming,' which is either an error in language transliteration, callous ignorance, or just that they haven't had enough time to learn human culture, as mentioned.
Oa's Gaurdians are not all-knowing and make mistakes themselves when trying to enforce their idea of good and evil in the universe. In fact, this entire series might be the result of one of the biggest mistakes of the Elders, which predates even the Green Lanterns.
The Green Lantern Ring in this series is forged anew by the Gaurdians for every new recruit, and the old ones are "decommissioned" - whatever that means.
You also get to see Sinestro being imprisoned in a space prison on an icy planet when Hal goes to visit him.
Should You Watch It? Yes!
DC's Lanterns is a WHOLE NEW take on the Green Lantern Corps in live action, and all the elements that make up this series work very well. The strongest part of the Lantern is the approach to storytelling, and everything else falls into place automatically.
