Imagine the film Green Lantern wasn't released in 2011...

[Milk Tray Guy]

(Yes, I know some sincerely wish that)...

So, the DCEU launches and we get Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Suicide Squad - and their critical reactions. If instead of Wonder Woman the follow-up had been the Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern movie do you think it would have had a better reception than it did in 2011? Do you think people would be praising at least it's lighter tone and willingness to not take itself too seriously compared to MoS and BvS, saying that WB/DC had learnt something? Or do you think it would have received just as much of a hard time as it did back then?

Edit: Just to be clear, I'm not saying tone was a problem with GL, I just wonder if the tone would be particularly praised in light of MoS, BvS, and SS.

 

[Osiris-Rex]

I don't think tone was the problem. I think it was lack of a coherent story. So GL would have gotten the same criticism. Wonder Woman was every bit as grim as Batman v Superman and more grim than Suicide Squad. The gas attack for example. The mangled bodies of the soldiers. And Wonder Woman was taken seriously. Probably more so than either those in BvS or SS. But the story made sense for more people and the character had a clearer motivation. So that's why WW clicked with the audience.

 

[Flint Marko]

It still would have been panned.

 

[NealKenneth]

No, I think it would have been panned even worse that it was back then. The bar has been raised a few times since 2011 and our standards are higher.

 

[metaphysician]

Yeah, tone was not Green Lantern's problem. Crappy writing, terrible SFX, and a thorough unsympathetic hero were its problem.

 

[Loki882]

No if anything it would probably be even MORE poorly-received since we've gotten so many good to great CBM's since then. The lightheartedness wasn't the problem. The disjointed/unfocused/sloppy script, bad dialogue, dull and uninteresting characters (Sinestro excluded), lack of use/care for the mythology, and a very unsympathetic main protagonist, etc all were much more key to that movie's failure.

That isn't any less true in 2017 than it was in 2011.

 

[BatOnTheWing]

WB would have gotten crucified by the media and fans.
Like someone else had said, the bar has been significantly
raised since then. With Marvel doing exceptionally well and WB
coming off of lukewarm reception for BvS & Suicide Squad, I think
the Green Lantern film is what would have killed the DCEU, honestly.

 

[Boy Scout]

(Yes, I know some sincerely wish that)...

So, the DCEU launches and we get Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Suicide Squad - and their critical reactions. If instead of Wonder Woman the follow-up had been the Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern movie do you think it would have had a better reception than it did in 2011? Do you think people would be praising at least it's lighter tone and willingness to not take itself too seriously compared to MoS and BvS, saying that WB/DC had learnt something? Or do you think it would have received just as much of a hard time as it did back then?

The film would most likely be regarded even worse. It would look as if WB had gotten desperate and resorted to copying the MCU formula. I can't even imagine how far they'd go to convince the general public that they were going to right the ship.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Just to be clear, I'm not saying tone was a problem with GL, I just wonder if the tone would be particularly praised in light of MoS, BvS, and SS.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

OP, I imagine Green Lantern the movie doesn't exist every day.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

 

[BH/HHH]

I still maintain that Green Lantern isn't a bad film, don't get me wrong it's not good either but it's nowhere near as bad as made out. The biggest problem is it's just run of the mill, doesn't ever try to reach greatness. Ryan Reynolds was perfect casting for Hal Jordan as was Mark Syring for Sinestro. Tbh I don't think they got any casting wrong (maybe Lively could have been or done better). I think the film had the wrong director though, it need someone with a vision who could get the right performances. It also baffles me that they had a pretty good script early in but then butchered it.

It very much reminds me of a mediocre meal you'd eat, the ingredients are there but it's just not well prepared by the chef.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

I still maintain that Green Lantern isn't a bad film, don't get me wrong it's not good either but it's nowhere near as bad as made out.

That's actually how I feel about it too.

 

[Rorschach2012]

I'm a huge GL fan. This was just a bad movie

 

[-Arya-]

The movie doesn't exist.

 

[Batmannerism]

No, I think it would have been panned even worse that it was back then. The bar has been raised a few times since 2011 and our standards are higher.

Totally agree. Next to Civil War, Wonder Woman or Dr Strange the Green Lantern movie looks like dog poo, just imagine if they were out at the same time....shudder.

Also if GL came out this yearinstead of WW, then WB would be facing some serious financial questions !

 

[The Endless]

The most amazing thing about GL was how unimaginative and ugly it was. Considering the source material, it's a criminal waste or potential.

That's what happens when you seemingly just pick a well known director at random instead of getting someone with a distinct vision and whose previous work suits the material.

 

[kguillou]

Green Lantern was just boring, man. There's nothing redeemable or memorable or rewatchable about that movie. I've see people who hate BvS at least say they enjoyed watching the Batman warehouse sequence and Wonder Woman in the Doomsday fight. What can you say about Green Lantern? There's no standout action set piece, Hal's adversary for the majority of the film is a guy whose two feet shorter than him and a big head, we're on OA for a total of 10 minutes, Hal barely does anything imaginative or creative with his Lantern ring, Hal himself is not an endearing character, Blake Lively is doing her best Gweneth Paltrow impression, Paralax's design is easily one of the worst, lazy and just plain ugly designs of anything i've seen in a blockbuster film...there's just nothing in the movie that I would even care to rewatch or return to.

Mark Strong was the only thing the movie had going for it. The movie had no idea what it wanted to be and it shows onscreen that 20 screenwriters had their hand in the kitchen. So, no, it would not be better received, it would be worse if anything.

 

[DACrowe]

(Yes, I know some sincerely wish that)...

So, the DCEU launches and we get Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Suicide Squad - and their critical reactions. If instead of Wonder Woman the follow-up had been the Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern movie do you think it would have had a better reception than it did in 2011? Do you think people would be praising at least it's lighter tone and willingness to not take itself too seriously compared to MoS and BvS, saying that WB/DC had learnt something? Or do you think it would have received just as much of a hard time as it did back then?

Edit: Just to be clear, I'm not saying tone was a problem with GL, I just wonder if the tone would be particularly praised in light of MoS, BvS, and SS.

Is it the same exact movie as the 2011 one? Then it would still suck and folks would dislike it.

A key difference is Wonder Woman is great whereas so many MCU movies aren't even up to that standard. It is more like them in the sense that it is filled with optimism and humor, but Wonder Woman has many of its own qualities that are already being discussed everywhere.

Green Lantern was an Iron Man clone. A ripoff of what jumpstarted the MCU done in a boring, half-assed fashion. I imagine if there was no Green Lantern, Man of Steel or Batman v Superman would have looked quite different, because WB had not yet attempted to shamelessly ape the Marvel Studios formula. And like Fox after X-Men: Apocalypse, there appears to be an understanding that this was a step backwards. If Green Lantern did not have to teach the studio that lesson, something else would.