‘Lanterns’ is lackluster, lame and unpromising

By Amelia Morris

“Lanterns” brings the green-ringed hero back to center stage after years of silence in a gritty whodunnit series that begins as a small-town mystery but becomes an intergalactic threat. 

Green Lanterns are an intergalactic team of policemen that protect worlds from threats. They are chosen for their intense will power and fearlessness. If a person is worthy, a green ring will choose them.This series in particular follows veteran Hal Jordan and newcomer John Stewart as they attempt to uncover a mystery in small town Nebraska.

The mystery begins small but results in intergalactic proportions. As the duo begin to uncover the mystery, they learn more about each other and their intentions. Their relationship winds up being less than a partnership, butting heads often.

The pair try their best to work together while also attempting to maintain their individual goals. John is eager to become Earth’s next Green Lantern but tries to hide it out of respect for Hal. On the other hand Hal is prideful and enjoys the power the ring gives him. This causes a plethora of conflict between the two. 

“Lanterns” spans over 30 years of history. The audience watches as Hal receives the ring and eventually becomes a mentor for John. To do so, each episode jumps between the past and present in 10 year increments. 

Fans will remember the 2011 movie “Green Lantern” starring Ryan Reynolds that was a massive flop. It may not have been the brightest day for the character and many will confidently say it was its darkest night. For years following, Green Lantern was treated as a taboo character. Now, Green Lantern is finally getting a new start in the universe.

The writers could have slapped any name on this show and the audience never would have thought of DC or Green Lantern. Despite a handful of scenes with Hal in the suit, the show could be any old crime drama. The series doesn’t exhibit Green Lantern and his abilities to the full. After years of waiting, audiences expect more.

Fans of Green Lantern want so badly for the hero to finally have success with a series or movie. Unfortunately, this rendition of “Lanterns” is not quite there.

The first four episodes have revealed a dark tone. Green Lantern is normally a bright and funny personality, this show does not express that in the slightest. Everything is very serious and it makes the audience feel on edge for the characters. 

The setting and costuming are fine. It was not particularly mind-blowing but it gets the job done. In the midst of dark sequences, the CGI looks pretty excellent in the series. Green Lantern’s powers from the ring allow him to make anything he can imagine. While what they create with the ring is very limited, it visually looks great.

It is clear that the creators were going for more of a grounded earth-based story. However, this is not what fans of Green Lantern expect when they think of the character. They want to see space and the different planets the Lanterns protect, not some cornfield in Nebraska. 

While John Stewart’s origin story was interesting, it suffered because of its placement in the series. The story should have been reordered somehow to make it easier for the audience to follow instead of the jumbled mess it became. Contrary to many filmmakers’ beliefs these days, sometimes a linear timeline is better. 

Between the jumbled timeline and the pace, the story overall dragged. These first four episodes were not impressive. They have focused on setting up the mystery and characters but the show has not gone anywhere. The writers have let four hours of content roll by without doing more than setting up the plot. Frankly, the audience is bored.

I am looking forward to seeing if they manage to turn this show around for the better. Otherwise, this is another flop for Green Lantern fans.

“Lanterns” is currently streaming on HBO Max, new episodes streaming every Sunday at 9pm.

Amelia Morris is a sophomore journalism major and writer for Cedars A&E. She loves her dogs, music, reading and exploring nature.

Photos courtesy of HBO Max, Warner Brothers and DC Studios.