A problem that hounds superhero films based on comics is the necessary condensation of the backstory. If you're not already a devoted fan of the strip, the film is often a challenge to comprehension. More often than not, no prior knowledge makes a full appreciation of it as unlikely as Representative Weiner of New York returning to congress. This is one of those.

One of the distinctions that the legend of the Green Lantern has among its brethren in sci-fi fantasy is that it starts before there was an Earth. Somehow, in a way that can't be explained by any physical law we know of, there was a group of beings (who look an awful lot like modern man) who derived power from a glowing green essence known as Willpower. With that power they formed an intergalactic agency they named the Green Lantern Corps.

There's already enough illogic in this concept to test the loyalties of the most committed comic strip reader, but for the sake of the movie, let's move on.

Each of the 3,600 Green Lanterns, wearing a personal ring of power, are responsible for protecting one sector of the universe, earth now being number 2814. Enemy number one is the being of Fear, named Parallax (voiced by Clancy Brown). The Lantern protecting earth sector is Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison, "Tracker"), the strongest of the Corps who had imprisoned Parallax in the Lost Sector (666). But this nightmare escaped and grew stronger by eliminating two planets, killing four Green Lanterns and mortally wounding the heroic Abin Sur.

This brave Lantern manages to fly down to earth, where his last act is to command his ring to find a worthy replacement in order to assure the continued protection of the planet. Enter test pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds, "The Proposal") whom we have grown familiar with in a prologue that showed him to be a somewhat reckless flyboy with the wrong stuff.

In a dogfight trial of two against two to prove the superiority of a new jet plane over the one which has been the standard of aeronautical excellence, Hal's childhood sweetie Carol Ferris (Blake Lively, "The Town"), (also the vice president of Ferris Aircraft which developed the prototype) flies the second plane as backup.

Jordan's actions in the sky result in sacrificing (virtually) his wingman Carol in a deception tactic that defeats the "enemy" crafts but causes the destruction of his own plane (actually), raising the ire of his superiors, Carol's father Carl and president of the company (Jay O. Sanders). U.S. Senator Robert Hammond (Tim Robbins, "War of the Worlds") whose committee has been out on a limb supporting the new concept fighter is livid. The ace has proven he's a dangerous screw-up to his superiors. As for Carol, she's burning in irritation at his sacrificing her and her prototype in a dumb display of gross negligence, rotten judgement and selfishness.

It's enough to give any girl pause about the main man in her life. Unfortunately, her second suitor, whimpish scientist Dr. Hector Hammond (moustashiod Peter Sarsgaard, "An Education"), the senator's son, doesn't quite measure up as a serious contender for the role of boyfriend. He doesn't see it that way and he's mortified by her preference for his old pal and competitor Hal Jordan.

So why is such a loose cannon as Hal Jordan chosen by Abin Sur's magic ring? Its ability to detect the most fearless man on earth is presumed infallible. Could it have made a mistake in selecting the first human for Lanternship? When Hal is in possession of the ring, wondering what it does and how it works, he's taken by Green Lantern Sinestro (Mark Strong, "Sherlock Holmes") to the Corps' home base of Oa for training by Lanterns Tomar-Re and Kilowog before his introduction to the High Council. By the end of this meeting of their newest member, the supernatural beings are in great doubt about the ring's selection. So is the selectee.

Hal's so in doubt about his capacity to overcome fear in order to assume the responsibilities of his charge -- even after getting a taste of the powers the ring gives him -- that he tries to quit. But, he hangs on just long enough to prevent great harm to befall Carol, the senator and many others. It gives him a taste of the good he can do for mankind. This transformation comes as the evil force begins to show its hand by injecting a piece of Parallax's DNA inside Hector, giving the spurned scientist great and extremely malicious powers that rival the earth's new Green Lantern.

But director Martin Campbell and screenwriter Greg Berlanti's interpretation gropes for a foothold on the rocks of logic and suffers from the sheer awkwardness of physically actualizing a masked mortal granted all the power he can imagine. It's dangerous moviemaking territory that often looks silly, and Reynolds, a superbly resourcful actor, earnestly struggles to maintain coherence and dignity for his character within the somewhat wobbly fantasy.

What has been invented for the CGI designs and effects would be impressive if this weren't already a cinematic world of mind-boggling digital work that makes what you see here kinda standard. Effects range from quite good (the majestic circular council on Oa) to okay (the dark and crawly Parallax that brings to mind Harry Potter's Lord Voldemort) to poor (Senistro's facial pallor) to moments that are uncomfortably imitative (the hand-blast of power done to death in "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"), laughably grotesque or plain squirrelly.

Own it today! (Click on the link below for this and other versions) The Extended Cut in Blu-ray, DVD + Digital Combo Pack SPECIAL FEATURES: - 3D Theatrical Feature Film - 2D Theatrical Feature & Extended Cut Films - Maximum Movie Mode with PiP - Ryan Reynolds Becomes Green Lantern - Universe According to Green Lantern - WBA Green Lantern Animated Series Promotion - Digital Enhanced new Justice League book #1 - Deleted Scenes

As for reasons to go see this, there's the constant injection of Blake Lively in highly impactful close ups to keep the ol' male heartrate up. If there were a category above ten in the common scale of feminine beauty, she'd own it. This makes the romantic component of the story work really well. There's never any make-believe about why she'd be the object of desire. This babe's animal appeal projects through the screen. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to penetrate the Green Lantern's costume.

Which brings up the ending, which I won't relate here except to say that it just about sucks the essential humanity out of our transformed, dedicated central figure for the sake of promoting a fantasy and a franchise. It leaves an adult on a rather passionless dry note but may ring the right bell for the teenage fanboy.

                                      ~~  Jules Brenner