Green Lantern

Teaser poster

***Green Lantern*** is a science fiction action-adventure superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name. Directed by Stephen Sommers, the film is the third installment in the DC Cinematic Universe. Aldis Hodge stars in the lead role as John Stewart/Green Lantern, alongside Jamie Chung, Christopher Judge, Morgan Freeman, and Olga Kurylenko. The film, which combines elements of space opera and police procedural genres, follows John Stewart, a former United States Marine, as he is chosen become a member of an intergalactic police force while stumbling upon a plot to destroy them orchestrated by the evil Red Lantern Corps.

The film began development in 2007 with Corey Reynolds initially attached to the project as lead actor and screenwriter. Reynolds finished a script and the film had an intended 2010 release date but Warner Bros. regrettably abandoned his concept. When WB decided to feature the John Stewart version of the character in their shared universe film, Reynolds was dismayed at treatment and refused to return. Writer Elijah Davs, a fan of the character, finished the film's script in July 2011 and convinced Sommers to sign on as director the following month. Principal photography began in June 2012 at NewGround Studios in Los Angeles, with additional filming in Detroit and the Czech Republic. The film's visual effects were handled by Digital Domain.

A highly anticipated film, *Green Lantern* was released on November 22, 2013 to rave reviews from critics who praised the performances (particularly Hodge), cinematography, action scenes, and impressive visual effects, with many calling it a return to form for Sommers. It has been recognized as one of the franchise's darkest films. The film was a box office success, grossing over $723 million in revenue, making it the seventh highest-grossing film of 2013. It was followed by two sequels: *Lantern Corps*. (2017) , *Justice League: Age of Apokolips* (2026), and *Justice League: Apokolips War* (2027) as well as television spin-off Martian Manhunter (2018).

## Plot

The film opens with John Stewart receiving a Medal of Honor for service in the Marine Corps. Discharged, he returns to his hometown Detroit where he is happily greeted his old basketball coach Troy Washington. Troy takes John out for drinks to celebrate and the two reminisce but John is still visibly haunted by his tour of duty, admitting that without the Corps, he feels has no purpose. After the two drink, Troy takes John home, telling he can stay there as long as he needs. Later that night, John awakens from a nightmare and witnesses a glowing light fall from the sky, instinctively going outside to investigate. He finds a Green Lantern ring in the backyard which collides with him and binds itself to his finger. Frightened, John panics until he realizes the ring can communicate with him telepathically and erroneously questions himself, prompting the ring to whisk him away to the planet Oa. Landing there, John meets the Guardians of the Universe who inform him they've been watching him for a long time, also revealing the ring's previous wearers, both Hal Jordan and Guy Gardener, are dead. He is informed that he was chosen to be the new Green Lantern of Earth. Confused and hesitant to undertake such a task, John tells the Guardian they've made a mistake and demands to be sent back to Earth but cannot get the ring off. The Guardians reply that they do not make mistakes and assigned the Korugarian officer Katma Tui. Katma comforts John as he adjusts to the fact he is in space before echoing the Guardians' words, remarking that not just anyone can wear the ring. She shows John how to construct his armor before telling him about the oath. Reflecting on his feelings and his time in the service, John agrees to take the oath, solidifying role as a Lantern.

Six months later, John, now an adept Lantern, accompanies Katma and the Bilovaxian officer Kilowog to the planet Cairn to apprehend a Criq arms dealer named Orx. The trio track Orx to a sleazy inn frequented by outlaws and criminals. Kilowig splits off to investigate a shady character while John and Katma continue on, finding Orx in the middle of a sale. Both Orx and the buyers engage John and Katma, resulting in a fight that almost destroys the inn. As Orx gets the drop on John, Kilowig emerges and cripples him, saving John. Katma discovers Orx was selling laser rifles that use radiated Kryptonite which could pose a threat to several systems. Kilowig agrees to destroy the weapons, allowing John and Katma a chance to be alone. In the last six months during John's training, he and Katma grew close, falling in love and entering a relationship. The two agree to venture to the planet Thoron to watch the sunset. En route to Thoron, Katma expresses her desire to see Earth, remarking that in all her years as a Lantern, she's never been so John promises to take her. Back on Earth, Troy places missing posters up around Detroit for John, unable to give his search for his surrogate son. Arriving on Thoron, John and Katma enjoy the planet's culture and weather, taking a well deserved break from policing the galaxy. The two watch the sunset and have sex before going sleep, however, John is still plagued by nightmares from his service. Katma awakens him and he reveals to her that he often dreams of the first time he killed a man which prompts her to reveal that being Sinestro's former student did not make things easy for her within the Corps. She tells John that Guardians chose correctly, adding that he isn't a killer and he replies that she isn't Sinestro. In the morning, Katma and John receives assignment on different sides of the galaxy which them to promise to meet back on Thoron when they are done.

Katma ventures off to stop a Garrian uprising on a planet far from the Thoron's planetary system, however, en route to her destination, she is attacked by an unseen force which sends her plummeting to a nearby planet. With her leg badly broken from the fall, she is set upon by the Red Lantern Atrocitus who attacks her, savagely beating her. In her weakened state, Katma releases her ring before she is seemingly killed. On the other side of the galaxy, John has just prevented a genocide and is departing the planet, headed for Thoron. While flying, Katma's ring finds him and John becomes distraught, racing to her last known location where he discovers her mangled body. He subsequently takes her body to Thoron where he lays her to rest. John then returns to Oa where he asks the Guardians of the Universe what they plan to do about Katma's murder but the Guardians remain phlegmatic about her death, regarding it as part of her duty, upsetting John as they dismiss him. However, Guardian Appa Ali Aspa tells John that he is grieving Katma as well but urges John to release her ring. John refuses to until finds her killer, resolving to scour the galaxy for the culprit. While leaving Oa, John is joined by Kilowog who also wants to find Katma's killer and the two set off to investigate the sector she died in. Arriving on the dead planet, John and Kilowig survey the scene where she died for clues with Kilowog wondering who would want to kill her. This causes John to remember that Katma revealed she was Sinestro's pupil and tells Kilowig that they need to find him. Kilowig informs John that Sinestro hasn't been seen since he betrayed the Corps, killing Hal Jordan and his successor. John then suggests they find his enemies. The two travel to the prison planet Takron-Galtos where John interrogates Orx, demanding to know if he had anything to do with Katma's death. The paralyzed Orx berates John, calling the Corps "intergalactic thugs" who impose their brand of justice on those who do not need it. In another planetary system, Atrocitus and several Red Lanterns prepare to mount an attack on Oa to destroy the Central Power Battery. On Oa, the Guardians discuss the state of the galaxy when Guardian Aspa senses impending danger, causing them to mobilize the Corps. John and Kilowog heed the call and race back to Oa. Arriving there, they engage the Red Lanterns and devastating battle occurs with Atrocitus brutally wounding Kilowig which enrages John. He then uses both his ring and Katma's to fend off the Red Lanterns before savagely incapacitating Atrocitus by severing his hand. John interrogates him about their attack on Oa and Katma's, causing Atrocitus to divulge that the Guardians often make mistakes in choosing their bearers and that they deserve to burn for it. Although Atrocitus refuses to give John any information, he does give him a clue by telling him, "Sinestro has many enemies". With the battle over and the Guardians safe, John checks in on Kilowog before departing to the planet where Hal Jordan died. There, he discovers the true mastermind behind the attack and the person who murdered Katma: Star Sapphire, Hal Jordan's former lover, now driven insane Zamaron sapphire in her abdomen. She reveals to John that she still loved Hal right up until the moment Sinestro murdered him, asking John why he joined the Corps as all it has brought him is pain. John tells her that she caused his pain when she murdered Katma, adding that there are more Sinestros out there and Lanterns exist to stop them. He posits that everyone makes mistakes but that doesn't mean they don't deserve a second chance. Sapphire proclaims that "all Lanterns must die" before lunging at John. After a tense but brief fight, John loses his ring but gains the upperhand by using Katma's, allowing him to remove the sapphire from her abdomen. This greatly weakens Sapphire as she collapses in John's arms, he desperately attempts to keep her alive. He tearfully remarks that her dying isn't justice and she replies it's love, implying John knew its removal would kill her.

On Oa, John watches as the crypt keeper Morro erects a statue for Katma in the Memorial Hall. He somberly bids farewell to Kilowog and Guardian Aspa who echoes his earlier words about no making mistakes. John returns to Earth, venturing to Troy's home where he is lovingly embraced by the old man. Taking a moment to watch the sunset, John finally releases Katma's ring, watching in awe as it ascends into the atmosphere.

In the post-credits scene, John is visited by a Martian named J'onn J'onzz, who warns him of an impending threat.

## Cast

* Aldis Hodge as John Stewart/Green Lantern
* Jamie Chung as Katma Tui
* Dennis Haysbert as the voice of Kilowog
* Olga Kurylenko as Star Sapphire
* Christoper Judge as Atrocitus
* Morgan Freeman as the voice of Appa Ali Aspa
* Charles S. Dutton as Troy Washington
* Frank Oz as the voice of Morro
* Eric Balfour as Orx
* Carl Lumbly as the voice of J'onn J'onzz *(cameo)*