I finally got around to watching my Green Lantern: First Flight blu-ray this week. I have heard conflicting opinions concerning this movie. Some people were summarily unimpressed while other people thought this was a fun movie. Unlike my comic book reviews, I will endeavor to make this review as spoiler free as possible.
Green Lantern: First Flight blu-ray was a nicely produced movie. Overall, the animation was well done. This movie has the traditional Timmverse look to it. Some of the slower dramatic scenes were not that impressive. However, the action scenes were fantastic and quite eye catching.
Particularly impressive was the climactic final battle scene between Hal and Sinestro. I loved how their punches looked like fireworks in the sky as the other Lanterns watched from the ground. The only aspect of the final battle that I found a bit silly was how easily the Guardians were jobbed out to Sinestro.
And speaking of action, Green Lantern: First Flight has plenty of quality action scenes. Unfortunately, the viewer has to slog their way through a slow start to this movie before things finally begin to heat up. As the movie progresses the action scenes start flowing at a better rate. But, to be sure, this movie takes a while before it truly grabs the viewer’s attention.
Green Lantern: First Flight is PG-13 and that means that there is limited bloodshed in the fight scenes. There is also killing in this movie. And one death in particular is a bit on the brutal side. Throw on top of that a fair amount of cursing as well.
All in all, Green Lantern: First Flight is not for the kiddies. While not completely adult by any stretch, this movie was certainly made more for a more mature audience. This is not a Saturday morning cartoon.
In the end, Green Lantern: First Flight is truly more about Sinestro than Hal Jordan. This was something that I was not expecting when I purchased this blu-ray. Sinestro is the true star of this movie and most of the focus of this film is on Sinestro’s fall from grace. Hal is more of a side character for portions of this movie.
Now, once the viewer accepts the fact that this movie is centered more on Sinestro than Hal, there are plenty of aspects to this story to enjoy. The fact is a good story requires a strong villain much more than a strong hero. This movie did a fine job establishing Sinestro as the best Green Lantern ever who believed in achieving his job by any means necessary. That included instilling a healthy amount of fear among the criminal underworld.
The inevitable schism between Sinestro and Hal concerning Sinestro’s extreme police tactics was well played. Sinestro’s subsequent heel turn blossomed in an enjoyably organic fashion.
The voice acting was well done. However, I was particularly impressed with the voice acting of Christopher Meloni as Hal Jordan, Victor Garber as Sinestro and Michael Madsen as Kilowog. These voice actors did a wonderful job bringing these three characters to life.
Having said that, the voice acting for the Guardians did not work for me at all. The Guardians possessed grandfatherly voices that sounded a bit on the goofy side. This was simply not how I ever imagined the serious and unemotional Guardians to sound like. The Guardians’ voices actually took me out of the movie.
Green Lantern: First Flight did a great job of being appealing to both long-time Green Lantern fans as well as viewers completely unfamiliar with the Green Lantern Corps. This was no easy task. The movie sports plenty of characters from the DCU like Kanjar Ro, for example, that long time readers will enjoy picking out during the movie. However, an encyclopedic knowledge of the DCU is not necessary to enjoy this movie.
All the pertinent characters are properly introduced. All the necessary information concerning the Green Lantern Corps is delivered in a nice fashion so that newbies will have no problem at all following this story. Green Lantern: First Flight is a great movie for newbies to get introduced to the Green Lantern mythos. This movie is an enjoyable appetizer before the main course arrives in the form of the live action Green Lantern movie.
Green Lantern: First Flight has plenty of extras. There are several “Behind the Story” vignettes. The first one is an interview with Geoff Johns concerning his decision to return Hal Jordan to the DCU.
There is a second one entitled “I am the Ring” which is an interesting discussion concerning the mythological influences and the symbolism within in the Green Lantern mythos.
There is a third one entitled “Sinestro” that features a nice discussion concerning the type of literary figure that Sinestro plays within the Green Lantern mythos.
Then there is a fourth one entitled “Guardians” that delves into the Green Lantern mythos and the history of the Green Lantern. The discussion includes interviews with Neal Adams, Dan DiDio, Geoff Johns, Peter Tomasi and Paul Levitz.
There is also a Blackest Night Preview. This extra is the one that I found the least exciting. There is also a Duck Dodgers Green Loontern episode.
The extras that will probably appeal to most viewers are the bonus episodes that come with Green Lantern: First Flight. The blu-ray has Bruce Timm’s top JLU episodes starring the GL Corps. There are a total of five episodes of the Justice League Unlimited starring various Green Lanterns, including John Stewart and Kyle Rayner, that are included in the extras.
There are also previews for Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, New Frontier, Wonder Woman: Amazon Princess and Batman: Gotham Knights.
The big question is if Green Lantern: First Flight blu-ray is worth your hard earned money. I would say that if you are a hardcore Green Lantern fan then this blu-ray is a must buy. The movie will entertain most loyal Green Lantern fans. And the extras with the bonus episodes as well as the various interviews are more than enough to make this blu-ray a must have for loyal Green Lantern fans.
However, for everyone else, I would recommend passing on purchasing Green Lantern: Fist Flight. Instead, I would recommend renting Green Lantern: First Flight. This movie plus the extras make this a good rental.
