DVD Reviews
Green Lantern: First Flight (Two-Disc Edition) – DVD Review - CLIPS ADDED!
By Patrick Luce Jul 30, 2009, 16:12 GMT
When Hal Jordan first becomes a Green Lantern, he is put under the supervision of senior Lantern, Sinestro, only to discover that his so-called mentor is part of a secret conspiracy that threatens the entire Green Lantern Corps. ...more
DC Comics’ Green Lantern rocks in his direct-to-DVD animated film Green Lantern: First Flight. The film tells the origin story of Green Lantern Hal Jordan (one of the comic’s most popular Lanterns), and keeps all of the action out in space – where the Green Lantern hero seems best at home.
The film is the fifth entry in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies - which tend to have the PG-13 rating. Building on what worked for Wonder Woman, Superman: Doomsday, and Batman: Gotham Knight, Green Lantern: First Flight features solid animation; a great voice cast; lots of characters; a plot that appeals to grown-up fans as well as kids; and leaves you waiting for the next chapter in the Green Lantern story.
The voice-cast includes Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Victor Garber (Milk, Titanic), Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica) and Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs). The film was produced by animation icon Bruce Timm, and was directed by Lauren Montgomery (Wonder Woman, Superman: Doomsday). It features a script by Alan Burnett (The Batman).
Green Lantern: First Flight is your basic origin story, but does an excellent job setting up not just Hal Jordan (Meloni), but all of the characters that make up the Green Lantern Corps (the heroes responsible for keeping the universe safe), Oa and The Guardians, and Jordan’s biggest nemesis Sinestro (Garber).
The film flies at a pretty fast pace with a dying Green Lantern crashing on Earth and sending the power ring to find his replacement. The ring goes to test-pilot Hal Jordan who is quickly whisked off to Oa for the Guardians to decide whether he should inherit the ring and be the next Green Lantern for the Earth section of the universe.
Several of the Green Lanterns, such as my personal favorite Kilowog (perfectly voiced by Michael Madsen), are slow to warm up to Jordan, but the Guardians decide to let Green Lantern Sinestro train him.
It doesn’t take long for Jordan and Sinestro to clash over Sinestro’s style of delivering harsh justice, and for Sinestro’s true motives to be revealed. This leads to a massive battle between a villain Sinestro (now powered by the powerful Yellow Lantern), and the rest of the Green Lantern Corps. The big fight rocks the screen with lots of action, and helps set the film apart from some of the other direct to DVD animated films that have been released – especially by Marvel Comics which still seems to struggle with its Ultimate Avengers titles and the latest Hulk Vs. release.
The talented voice-cast also helps the movie work. I had my doubts about Meloni fitting with the Hal Jordan character, but the actor uses his Law & Order: Special Victims Unit cop voice to good use with Jordan. His voice manages to carry all of the confidence and cockiness that has made the character an icon in the DC Universe – even clashing with heavyweight Batman several times.
Garber also works great as the voice of Sinestro. His voice has all the smooth charm of a hero too good to believe at the beginning and a villain who thinks he is doing what is truly right at the end. He has an air of superiority throughout the entire film, and helps make it clear that Sinestro believes he is above all the other Lanterns.
The Two-Disc DVD also comes loaded with special features that will be a real treat to fans of the comic. They include a look at what is happening in the Green Lantern comic; a sneak peek at the next release Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (which I can’t wait to see); a behind the scenes look at the movie; and bonus cartoons.
If you are already a fan of Green Lantern, this is film you must pick up and watch. It is also a great starting place for fans not too familiar with the hero. The movie features a talented voice-cast, great animation and a story that will keep you entertained. It also does an excellent job setting up future stories that will hopefully follow and build on what was started with this film.
Green Lantern: First Flight is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
Clips Added:
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Older Talkback
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Hardcore Green Lantern fanJul 31st, 2009 - 04:19:51
Well, I liked it.
Not 'OMG' like it, but it was very good actionwise. There was plenty of storyline developing the concept behind the corps and the abilities and limits of the power rings. They dove into getting the ring on his finger right away, which was nice. I would have liked to have him do something on earth, save an ocean liner full of people or something, before getting sucked off into space for training. Let people know they have a Green Lantern protecting them.
Canonicity-wise I am somewhat disapointed that this origin story is different from the rebooted origin that was printed in the comics last year, little things were changed that didn't need to be, such as the name of the alien that killed Abin Sur, and his entire motivations (which come back to haunt the GL corps in a different storyline). Big things were changed too, the rise of sinestro's yellow power ring was rewritten without necessity. I know it made for a great big threat to deal with immediately (the giant tennis ball of death was something they could have saved for a later movie) but having Sinestro willingly give up the ring? Originally he was expelled from the corps for his actions and his swearing revenge, blaming Jordan along with the Guardians, sets up a rivalry between the two characters that fuels conflict after conflict for years to come. Sinestro seeking perfect order through fear and the way he felt betrayed by Jordan's part in his expulsion, that whole part of the story always screamed 'I am your villan, your worst nightmare, and you made me this way', just like the Joker in the first Batman movie. Classic Revenge Motivation.
I can understand why they made the plot changes that they did, they wanted a one-off movie with a great big fighting ending, but I'm disapointed that this movie didn't keep more to the original storyline. It just seems to say 'we'll make a good Green Lantern movie instead of making a great one with room to make more'.
The last thing I'm disapointed about is the costume change. I know it's a bit petty but they took away the white gloves. I think the new style looks nice, dangerous in fact, but it seems too Kyle Rayner. To me altering it shows a lack of respect for the character's history and muddles the ability of the 'mundane' crowd in recognizing him. I want people off the street to see Green Lantern in the comics, the movies, and in costumes and always be able to recognize him and not say, 'Oh, that that Green Lantern? I thought he had black and green gloves?'. You don't majorly change Superman, Batman, The Flash, or Wonder Woman's outfit, why change Green Lantern? Just seems to me the tactic of some lameass person at the studio joanesing for a producer credit by making them alter something because he's holding part of the purse strings.
Hardcore Green Lantern Fan gives it a B+
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