Lanterns Review

 

Lanterns Review

So I saw Lanterns, and here is my review...I will be honest after three episodes of the show. I see why a majority of Green Lantern fans don't like this. I mean, I get why they will hate some of the changes to the source material. Like in the recent episode of Lanterns, they changed John Stewart's origin, and I didn't like it because the writer even said he didn't have a proper origin. I'm looking at her like, what are you talking about? Go on the DC Wiki to find his origin; like, honestly, it's making everyone forgive Ryan Reynolds' Green Lantern film. 

Now, as for this show, I like the cast, but let's face it: they don't understand Hal and John. Even Grant Morrison has said that he doesn't like how Hal Jordan is written, and as much as I do like Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, I don't like how they write Hal in this. As well, the same with Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, but after seeing the change in his origin, I don't like how they've written the character. 

Now, in the comics, he became a Green Lantern after he fought a rogue Man-Hunter, and the Guardians of OA did have their eyes set on him becoming a Green Lantern since he was young, and they sent that Man-Hunter to Earth to make him one. After he was chosen, he defeated the Man-Hunter, but the Guardians of OA never told him. Those Guardians are very shady. Now, of course, in his origin, he was a Marine, and he even disobeyed orders and saved a group of innocent people. Like, why couldn't they adapt this comic-accurate origin? And, to be honest, I feel like John’s parents were bad; it's like with Superman’s parents. What is this trope of making parents bad?

Honestly, John's father was supposed to be chosen, but he was afraid, and the ring chose Hal because he wasn’t. Like, don't the writers know Abin Sur's ring chose Hal as its new bearer and only him? So John's mom was determined to make John a lantern because she talked to a Guardian of Oa, and she wasn’t happy about it. To be honest, I do not like how John Stewart’s origin was written in the show; it comes off as abuse by his parents, shooting apples with a gun on top of his parents’ heads and even testing it on his own parents. Like, that’s messed up; they want to make him the perfect soldier. Honestly, they really couldn't stick to the comic book origin. As well hated that one scene were they left him alone in the middle of a dark street. 

Now there are different origins for the character; like in the pre-52, John's parents were Civil Rights activists, and he was chosen as Hal's backup in case he should die, but honestly, they should have done more research on these characters because one of the writers didn't seem like they did enough research. Like, I would have preferred the mainstream origin with some elements from the animated series. Well, this was written by the guy who made Watchmen; honestly, they should have gone with someone who loves the Green Lantern series.

Now let me explain something: the whole point of someone becoming a Green Lantern is that they are chosen because their willpower is strong and they overcome fear. As well, the Guardians of OA don't care what a person looks like; if they have those qualities, they are chosen for it. That's the point of Green Lantern Lore. The Guardians chose Hal and John because they both have experience fear but they overcame with Will power. 

I mean, other Lantern Corps have different ways of choosing their Lanterns, but that's a different story.

Now I know we are only three episodes into the series, but it still hasn't done a good job of adapting Green Lantern. Hell, I think they should have made a movie about Green Lantern for the DCU. Also, I really don't like the showrunner of this show; he's the one who made the Watchmen show. 

As for Hal, well, let's face it: they might be adapting the Parallax storyline, but I would prefer they made Hal a strong mentor for John because I don't get why they always do this trope of taking great heroes and making them into losers. 

Still, I'll watch the show, but I'm bothered by this show, and who's making it? I would be surprised if they make John more like the animated series version in Man of Tomorrow, but still, come on, they could have done better. So yeah, I'm not big on what this show has been doing, and I'm not big on John Stewart's new origin and how Hal Jordan is written in the show. I'll still watch it, and who knows, it may surprise us, but for now I'm a little annoyed with this show.