GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT REVIEW

[Blake Petit]

Review by: Blake M. Petit Blake@comixtreme.com
Quick Rating: Great
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Earthman Hal Jordan is chosen for duty in the Green Lantern Corps – but does the real threat come from within?

Director: Lauren Montgomery
Screenwriter: Alan Burnett
Cast: Christopher Meloni, Victor Garber, Tricia Helfer, Michael Madsen, John Larroquette, Kurtwood Smith, Olivia D’Abo
Music: David Shephard
Voice Director: Andrea Romano
Producer: Bruce Timm
Studio: Warner Premiere

Continuing the DC Universe Animated line of direct-to-DVD movies, Green Lantern: First Flight is a highly entertaining re-telling of the origin of the most high-profile character to use that name, Hal Jordan. When an alien spacecraft crashes in the desert, Hal is abducted and given his incredibly powerful ring. Before Hal even has time to get used to his new weapon, another group of aliens take him away to the planet Oa, where the Guardians of the Universe are divided over whether to allow a human into the Green Lantern Corps. Only one Lantern is willing to speak up for Hal – Sinestro, who asks to take on Hal as his own apprentice.

While not strictly adhering to any single comic book version of the story, the movie picks up on the Sinestro/Hal teacher/mentor relationship established in Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn II and later revamped in Green Lantern: Secret Origins. The relationship between Hal and Sinestro forms the spine of the movie. We watch as Hal goes from viewing Sinestro as the only person he can trust to being a true threat in his own right. There’s a lot of great development here, tons of bits and pieces of Green Lantern mythology, and a really strong ending that would lend itself wonderfully to sequels, including interpretations of recent rocking Green Lantern comic book stories, hint hint.

The voice cast in this movie is very strong. Christopher Meloni is a bit gruffer than I usually imagine Hal Jordan’s voice, but he pulls it off well, and Victor Garber’s Sinestro is perfect. We also get a lot of great character actors taking the parts of other GLs – Tricia Helfer as Boodika, John Larroquette as Tomar-Re, and Michael Madsen as a fantastic Kilowog. Kurtwood Smith as Kanjar Ro and Olivia D’Abo in what amounts to a cameo as Carol Ferris round out the cast nicely. Andrea Romano, who has done a lot of work on this line, works with her voice actors well, and Lauren Montgomery’s direction has really improved since Superman/Doomsday.

Aside from a really good movie, the two-disc DVD set is a really good package as well. We get plenty of special features, including a preview of the upcoming Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, the mythology of Green Lantern, a look at Blackest Night, two GL-focused Justice League cartoons, and even the “Green Loontern” episode of Duck Dodgers in the 24th and a Half Century – the one in which Daffy got Hal Jordan’s dry cleaning by mistake and briefly becomes the world’s worst Green Lantern. I love how much extra stuff gets loaded onto these DVDs, and I hope that’s a trend that continues.

This may be the best time in history to be a Green Lantern fan – great comics, a great animated movie, and the promise of a live-action film that may just work.

Rating:


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[Ben Lehnsherr]

Haven't gotten ahold of this yet. Best Buy was sold out in Blu-Ray on Wednesday. Definitely looking forward to it, though.

[Pile]

I didn't like it very much. Wonder Woman was clearly better in my opinion.

5.5/10