Green Lantern: First Flight

Animé and Toons
Green Lantern: First Flight
By Philip Schweier
July 30, 2009 - 11:22

Studios: Warner Brothers Animation
$19.99 US
Starring: Christopher Meloni, Victor Garber
Directed by: Lauren Montgomery
Running Time: 77 minutes
Release Date: July 28, 2009

You could call Green Lantern: First Flight the origin of the Silver Age Green Lantern, Hal Jordan. But in my opinion, you'd be wrong. As is so often the case, it is the villain who keeps things interesting. So as much as it is the story of Jordan's induction into the Green Lantern Corps, it also every bit the story of Sinestro's fall from grace.

The film picks up at the very beginning of the chain of events and does not let up. There is no character set-up to explain why Jordan is a test pilot, or how he came to be employed at Ferris Aircraft. Such details are superfluous and unimportant compared to the more cosmic scope of the tale. So even before opening credits roll, we're treated to the basic lore of Green Lantern.

Victor Garber

After that, things get interesting. Jordan is assigned to Sinestro for training, the story soars along as part police procedural tale and part conspiracy thriller, with a lot of Star Wars thrown in. There are many surprises and twists, but all lead to a sensible and logical conclusion as grand in scale as the galactic stage in which it played out.

Christopher Meloni potrays Hal Jordan, but it is Victor Garber who shines as Sinestro. He is authoritative, driven and cunning in so many ways, making him an extremely interesting character, moreso than the subdued performance of Meloni.

Not your daddy's Kanjar Ro

Because of the cosmic scope of the film, there are a number of alien races called for, all of which demonstrate a spark of originality and imagination. Familiar characters such as Killowog, Kangar Ro and the Weaponers of Qward have been redesigned, yet still retain a degree of familiarity, building on and enhancing their original appearances.

The creators of the film resisted the urge to throw in a lot of sub-references to the Green Lantern mythos. There is no cheeky homage to Alan Scott, Guy Gardner or John Stewart. Those are stories to be told at a later time. And while I did miss the ubiquitous ring-generated boxing glove, a metal folding chair was an enjoyable substitute.

Extras on the DVD include extensive interviews with Green Lantern writer Geoff Johns regarding Hal Jordan's return to the DC Universe A-list; the Duck Dodgers episode, "The Green Loontern;" two episodes of Justice League Unlimited featuring (briefly) Hal Jordan; and looks at other animated movies based on DC characters, including Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, due out the end of September.