Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on September 2011

A test pilot (Ryan Reynolds) is inducted into an intergalactic corps of benign aliens and granted super powers to help in the battle against a powerful and malevolent megalomaniac. More a fantasy space opera, really, than a superhero yarn. A 3 on the superhero scale (Spiderman 2 = 10, Daredevil = 1), this silly, self-serious, surprise-free and fairly forgettable DC comic-book movie does, however, contain some pretty sensational special effects, if that’s what floats your boat. And though it’s an “origins” movie, it sticks so closely to the butts-in-seats $uperhero formula that it feels like a sequel.