What the movie should have been...
The film starts out in an unnamed war in the Middle-East. Hal Jordan is a hot-headed rookie Air Force pilot on his first real mission flying. In a lapse of intelligence communication between agencies, Hal accidentally kills two children used as decoys by the enemy. Upon learning of this, Hal quits the Air Force and loses all hope in himself and in humanity.
Flash forward to the present. Hal Jordan is a man drinking himself into an early grave. Living in the shadow of his legendary deceased father isn't an easy thing. Hal is revealed to be working for Ferris Aircraft as a test pilot, like his father who died in a freak accident. Hal Jordan is the only man "stupid" enough to act as a human guinea pig for Ferris and appears to have a death wish. Carol Ferris, the daughter of the owner of Ferris, is an active member of the company and takes an interest in Jordan tempting fate. The two develop an understanding but never initially hit it off, Carol being the butt end of Jordan's jokes/quips.
On the anniversary of his father's death, Jordan test pilots a new multi-million dollar jet that could potentially break all air speed records. Jordan pushes the jet beyond its capabilities and crashes it, barely escaping alive, unlike his father. After the accident it's revealed that Hal Jordan had been drunk on the job. After a heated argument, Carol fires Jordan and urges him to get help for his alcoholism. Jordan replies that he would get help if he truly cared what
What the movie should have been...
happened to him and explains that he died a long time ago.
Hal Jordan, in desperate need of emotional relief, finds solace at the bottom of a bottle at a local bar. Hal gets into a bar fight and is kicked out after a brutal beating. Jordan wonders the outskirts of Coast City and witnesses what he believes to be an airplane crash. Rushing to the scene to help, Jordan finds a dying alien named Abin Sur. Abin Sur explains his situation and gives Hal his power ring, claiming that it chose him. Oblivious to what Abin Sur is saying, Jordan thinks he's hallucinating and reluctantly takes the ring and power battery. Abin Sur's ship suddenly goes critical and explodes, destroying all evidence of the alien contact. Hal Jordan miraculously survives after being shielded in green energy and is left with the ring and battery.
Jordan wakes up in his dingy apartment and assumes that he just had a bad night of drinking. Dirty dishes are everywhere and the mail is piled on tables, most are final notices. To his surprise, Jordan finds the power battery and ring from the previous night.
The movie progresses with Hal Jordan misusing his ring for personal gain (beating up the people he got into a fight with at the bar), not learning from his past mistakes.
The alien, simply known as Sinestro, who injured Abin Sur in a fight, is looking to collect his power ring. He searches for Hal Jordan, leaving bodies in his wake. Carol Ferris tracks Hal Jordan down in concern and wishes for him to re-think his life. Hal reveals his new power to Carol and the two have a "can you read my mind" flying scene ala Superman: The Movie. Sinestro suddenly appears and almost kills Hal and Carol. Sinestro explains how he used to be a Green Lantern, but has learned that fear will always conquer courage and willpower.
Not believing in himself and his destiny as a great Green Lantern from Abin Sur, Hal gives up the ring. Sinestro wreaks havoc on Coast City, almost destroying it in a fury of fear and rage (riots break out and people turn on one another). Hal has flashbacks of the collateral damage incident killing two children, his fathers death and decides that for the first time in his life, he must stand up against the fear that has crippled him in his life.
Hal Jordan is once again almost killed by Sinestro, but Hal Jordan tells Sinestro that the ring has no power of its own. The power of a green lantern comes from within and is a testament of the strength to persevere in the darkest of times. Hal Jordan recites the green lantern oath. The green lantern uniform burns through his normal clothes and he defeats Sinestro, who is overcome by his own fear. Hal Jordan tells Carol Ferris that he's taken her advice and has joined a cause bigger than himself. He flies into the sky in a blur of green light, Hal truly is fearless and has emerged as an Emerald Knight in the darkest of times.
