Green Lantern parents guide

Green Lantern Parent Guide

"The Green Lantern" includes positive character development and strong messages about the worth of humanity and the importance of facing personal fears.

Overall B

Even though Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) is a cocky test pilot, he finds himself feeling less than confident when he is chosen by an alien race to join the ranks of the Green Lanterns -- an intergalactic squadron that uses the power of a green ring to keep peace in the universe.

Release date June 17, 2011

Violence C-
Sexual Content B-
Profanity C
Substance Use C+

Why is Green Lantern rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Green Lantern PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.

Run Time: 114 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

In some of his more recent roles, Ryan Reynolds plays a mercenary mutant in X-Men Origins-Wolverine, a hen-pecked personal assistant in The Proposal and an American contractor taken captive in Iraq in Buried. Now donning a skin-hugging bodysuit, the muscled actor takes on the character of comic book protagonist The Green Lantern—not to be confused with the superhero wannabe in The Green Hornet.

Before getting his life-altering powers, Hal Jordan (Reynolds) is a cocky, impulsive, womanizing test pilot who chokes back his fears by performing outrageously reckless stunts. (One of which results in the crash of an expensive F-35 fighter jet.) And he’s not much more sensible on the ground. Not only does he live by the adage of "love ‘em and leave ‘em", the playboy is also the perfect poster boy for driver distraction when he tries to wrap a birthday gift while racing to work.

In the eyes of the universal powers that be (Mark Strong), Hal looks to be the least likely candidate to join the intergalactic alliance of the Green Lanterns, a group dedicated to protecting and policing the cosmos. Yet chosen he is, by a dying alien (Temuera Morrison) who crash lands on a rocky shoreline near Hal’s home.

Initially Hal proves to be fairly smug about his new abilities. After all, what could be headier for a pilot than to fly through the stratosphere without the encumbrance of a plane’s limitations? Yet he trivializes the importance of his powers and approaches his new duties with a kind of nonchalant, "aw shucks" I’m a superhero attitude. (This outlook leads to some of the film’s better comedic moments.) However, when the responsibilities of his role are revealed, he feels his old anxieties about living up to expectations beginning to surface.

Like all film adaptations, The Green Lantern will leave some purists complaining about altered storylines and the inclusion of extra characters. But for general audiences, the screenplay describing this superhero’s origin falls pretty much in line with the string of other such action figures we’ve seen over the past few years. Taking up most of its time with introductions and establishing motivations, the movie sets itself up for a sequel—with a hint of what is to happen at the end of the credits.

Unfortunately along the way, the script includes frequent depictions of violence between humans and aliens, including one scene in which a character sadistically takes the opportunity to incinerate his father. In another sequence, three men attack and viciously beat a character. All combined, the mayhem may prove too intense for the under 13 set.

Still for older teens looking for sci-fi action without too much unnecessary sexual content and language, The Green Lantern includes positive character development and strong messages about the worth of humanity and the importance of facing personal fears. Not bad from a guy who runs around in green tights.

Directed by Martin Campbell . Starring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard. Running time: 114 minutes. Theatrical release June 17, 2011. Updated

Green Lantern
Rating & Content Info

Why is Green Lantern rated PG-13? Green Lantern is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.

Violence: Frequent scenes of action violence include explosions, weapon use and combat between characters. Three men viciously attack and beat a man. A man intentionally incinerates his father. A woman is thrown against a glass pane. A plane crashes and explodes, killing the pilot. A helicopter nearly crashes into a crowd of partygoers. A character suffers pain and some injury during training. A man ejects from his plane just before it hits the ground and explodes. A character nearly causes an accident while driving irresponsibly.

Sexual Content: A man’s propensity for sleeping with many women is discussed on several occasions. A couple kisses passionately. A man is seen in bed with a woman. A female character wears low cut clothing on several occasions. Some brief sexual innuendo is included in the dialogue.

Language: The script contains nearly two-dozen mild and moderate profanities, as well as one sexual hand gesture given in a comedic context.

Alcohol / Drug Use: A nervous man guzzles a glass of liquor at a party. Alcohol is served at social events. A couple goes for drinks. Characters are injected with tranquilizers.

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Green Lantern Parents' Guide

Fear can be induced by many external factors while willpower seems to be internally motivated. Can other people affect a person’s individual will? Why does Hal believe people must admit they are afraid before they can face their fear?

How do the characters develop during this story? Is Hal Jordan a better role model by the end of the movie? Is he a better superhero? How does he compare with better-known figures such as Superman and Wonder Woman?

What does this film say about the worth of humanity? How do the expectations or life legacy of fathers affect their offspring in this story?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Green Lantern movie is October 14, 2011. Here are some details…

Green Lantern releases on home video on October 14, 2011. Bonus extras include:

- Deleted Scenes

- Maximum Movie Mode with PIP

- The Universe According to Green Lantern

- Ryan Reynolds Becomes Green Lantern

- “Justice League #1” Digital Comic

- Preview of Green Lantern: The Animated Series

- Access code for Sinestro Corp Batman Skin on the Warner Bros. Interactive video game

- Batman: Arkham City

- BD-Live 2011

Related home video titles:

Visitors from other galaxies have shown their extraordinary abilities in movies such as Race to Witch Mountain, Superman, and I Am Number Four. Though it is aimed at a younger audience, Monsters, Inc. also depicts characters that collect energy from the fears of others. A ring proves to be a powerful force in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.