Modern Hollywood produced stories seldom have any redeeming qualities or enough content to call substance with very few exceptions of course (e.g. The Sheep Detectives, Project Hail Mary). Most of them can't or won't tell a straightforward stories without resorting to flashbacks that give the characters in the play some kind of professed "depth". Lanterns from what I've read in this site (given that I bailed out immediately after episode 1 expecting exactly this) seems to be another show enamored with it's own cynic worldview, to which I credit it's writers. After watching the first episode of Lanterns and a many other show in the same genre, I came to the conclusion in which I have abandoned all DCU content and superhero media in it's totality since I can't seem to find anything good, useful or true in it. This is a critique based on my experience and in no way, shape or form should it be attributed to anyone else but myself and those who might agree with me.
There are definitely some horribly-written moments: Stewart’s mom lecturing the Guardian about race (honestly, everything about how John’s background is established); Hal’s childhood; the idiotic idea that Hal Jordan somehow shot himself straight-on above the eye; etc.
Still, John Stewart has been a Civil Rights stand-in since the character was first created. Making him a MARSOC sniper before becoming an architect makes him both more and less of a Mary Sue (more as far as being a cookie-cutter character rather than a relatable person but less as it combines with his inane upbringing so that his deserving of the ring is a bit more believable) - but that didn’t start with “Lanterns,” either.
“Lanterns” simply makes the character entirely uninspiring. They definitely play to his combat experience much more than to Jordan’s, but he doesn’t come off like any Marine Sgt. Maj. I’ve ever dealt with. Still, the racist chip-on-his-shoulder is definitely in accord with the character’s creation.
So far, the racial dynamic has been relegated to an (overstated) aspect of John’s development rather than a real vehicle in the main story. The main story has its own issues, and I fully expect to be disappointed and see John Stewart replace Nathan Fillion’s character as Earth’s Green Lantern by the series finale.
Hopefully, they surprise me and don’t do that. Then again, I respect Nathan Fillion too much to see his career marred by more involvement in any cinematic universe driven by James Gunn. Ever since Guardians of the Galaxy, he’s simply been trying to recreate that success - lecturing about the current political thing while having some CGI animal carry the film. Expect the carnivorous plant to have some deus ex machina moment.
I had some relatively high hopes for Lanterns at first, relieved to that it was missing Gunn's trademark goofiness only because he was occupied making Superman. Reintroducing the cringe Guy Gardner reminds me it is still on Gunn's watch. Gardner was if course a douche in Superman because no way would they have a second worthy white male superhero.
I haven't watched anything from Gunn's DCU since he took over. It all looks like crap. I never thought they could put me off of superhero content, but I won't be seeing Doomsday either, and I haven't seen Brand New Day. I actually have a near visceral negative feeling inside now when I think of watching any of this current slop.
Snyder looks better and better, particularly when you firget The dons Justice League takeover and only consider the Snyder cut.
Yes a few fight scenes too long, but it had gravitas. Being grittier than much of the MCU was fine.
Funny how people trash superhero movies as childish comoc books, yet then complain when a treatment comes along that is actually more adult and serious.
"has been dismantled piece by piece to make his Black successor look better by comparison"
Bingo.
The racial stuff grated even more cause the US military since about Eisenhower was one of the most colorblind meritocratic institutions in society, before AA and DEI first really started their corrosion in the 90s under Clinton. Yet we are told how racist that period was. BS.
Finally, what the quote above describes is exactly how most TV shows lazily write "strong female characters". Where not hopelessly overpowered Mary Sue's, the standard technique is to surround them with male characters who are stupid, weak, renal, etc, to make them look better by comparison. And thats among the *good* guys.
Wife and daughter watching this, me walking by - is there a contractual obligation for the dialogue to feature at least one form of “fuck” every 2 minutes?
Modern Hollywood produced stories seldom have any redeeming qualities or enough content to call substance with very few exceptions of course (e.g. The Sheep Detectives, Project Hail Mary). Most of them can't or won't tell a straightforward stories without resorting to flashbacks that give the characters in the play some kind of professed "depth". Lanterns from what I've read in this site (given that I bailed out immediately after episode 1 expecting exactly this) seems to be another show enamored with it's own cynic worldview, to which I credit it's writers. After watching the first episode of Lanterns and a many other show in the same genre, I came to the conclusion in which I have abandoned all DCU content and superhero media in it's totality since I can't seem to find anything good, useful or true in it. This is a critique based on my experience and in no way, shape or form should it be attributed to anyone else but myself and those who might agree with me.
Who is watching this crap?!!
Me to review it :(
It makes sense for you to watch it, Jon. I can't believe that it's attracting any kind of real audience of comic book fans.
I’m giving it a chance.
There are definitely some horribly-written moments: Stewart’s mom lecturing the Guardian about race (honestly, everything about how John’s background is established); Hal’s childhood; the idiotic idea that Hal Jordan somehow shot himself straight-on above the eye; etc.
Still, John Stewart has been a Civil Rights stand-in since the character was first created. Making him a MARSOC sniper before becoming an architect makes him both more and less of a Mary Sue (more as far as being a cookie-cutter character rather than a relatable person but less as it combines with his inane upbringing so that his deserving of the ring is a bit more believable) - but that didn’t start with “Lanterns,” either.
“Lanterns” simply makes the character entirely uninspiring. They definitely play to his combat experience much more than to Jordan’s, but he doesn’t come off like any Marine Sgt. Maj. I’ve ever dealt with. Still, the racist chip-on-his-shoulder is definitely in accord with the character’s creation.
So far, the racial dynamic has been relegated to an (overstated) aspect of John’s development rather than a real vehicle in the main story. The main story has its own issues, and I fully expect to be disappointed and see John Stewart replace Nathan Fillion’s character as Earth’s Green Lantern by the series finale.
Hopefully, they surprise me and don’t do that. Then again, I respect Nathan Fillion too much to see his career marred by more involvement in any cinematic universe driven by James Gunn. Ever since Guardians of the Galaxy, he’s simply been trying to recreate that success - lecturing about the current political thing while having some CGI animal carry the film. Expect the carnivorous plant to have some deus ex machina moment.
I had some relatively high hopes for Lanterns at first, relieved to that it was missing Gunn's trademark goofiness only because he was occupied making Superman. Reintroducing the cringe Guy Gardner reminds me it is still on Gunn's watch. Gardner was if course a douche in Superman because no way would they have a second worthy white male superhero.
I haven't watched anything from Gunn's DCU since he took over. It all looks like crap. I never thought they could put me off of superhero content, but I won't be seeing Doomsday either, and I haven't seen Brand New Day. I actually have a near visceral negative feeling inside now when I think of watching any of this current slop.
Snyder looks better and better, particularly when you firget The dons Justice League takeover and only consider the Snyder cut.
Yes a few fight scenes too long, but it had gravitas. Being grittier than much of the MCU was fine.
Funny how people trash superhero movies as childish comoc books, yet then complain when a treatment comes along that is actually more adult and serious.
"has been dismantled piece by piece to make his Black successor look better by comparison"
Bingo.
The racial stuff grated even more cause the US military since about Eisenhower was one of the most colorblind meritocratic institutions in society, before AA and DEI first really started their corrosion in the 90s under Clinton. Yet we are told how racist that period was. BS.
Finally, what the quote above describes is exactly how most TV shows lazily write "strong female characters". Where not hopelessly overpowered Mary Sue's, the standard technique is to surround them with male characters who are stupid, weak, renal, etc, to make them look better by comparison. And thats among the *good* guys.
Damon Lindelof was just more interesting in making another ‘Watchmen’ type show, just painted over with Green Lantern. That’s all it is.
Wife and daughter watching this, me walking by - is there a contractual obligation for the dialogue to feature at least one form of “fuck” every 2 minutes?