Green Lantern: First Flight is here (Review Thread)

[cyberw4ste]

Hey everyone. I know it's not Batman related but I figured we all could use something other than B:AA demo drama which has plagued the forum lately. As some of you may know, Green Lantern: First Flight came out today. I got my hands on a copy so I figured I'd share with you all what I thought of it.

First, I'd like to state that I'm not a huge GL fan. I'm a fan to be sure, but I only started reading it a little after Green Lantern: Rebirth. But even so, as far as my limited history with the character is concerned, it stays true to Hal Jordan and Christopher Maloni does a great job as the voice of GL. It's directed by Lauren Montgomery, who was also the director of Wonder Woman and Superman/Doomsday and features some great voice talent including John Larroquette (Tomar Re), Kurtwood Smith (Kenjar Ro) and Victor Garber as Sinestro. This is of course a DCU animation so we already know the visuals are top notch. No surprise there. There's plenty of action in this title and the character animations all look awesome.

However that's about where the positives end and the fail begins. I mean, not to say it's a horrible movie. It's not. But there's something off about it. It's shallow. At the end of it I was kinda left feeling like I do after a one night stand or a Michael Bay film. I had fun while it lasted, but afterwards ultimately unfulfilled and empty, wishing it was something better than it was. The story is an overly simplified trip thru the origins of how Hal became a Green Lantern, and how Sinestro betrays the Corps. They didn't touch upon Sinestro's true corruption at all or even his home planet. So what was supposed to be a story about how far someone will go to protect what he loves and keep order and law and the parellels between him and the Guardians turns into a much truncated version which just makes him into a stereotypical power hungry villain. Joy. We haven't seen that before. It prevented me from enjoying the story much if at all and I just had to focus on the awesome action sequences. Which are many, and awesome.

If you read GL comics like I do, you may not like this one. But if you don't, I could see someone enjoying this. I think it really boils down to the ol' "If you haven't read the books, it's an okay movie" critique, which is cliché but unfortunately true. On a good note though, the second DVD has some good special features on it. "A First Look at Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" is exactly what it says. A first look at the awesome looking new Superman/Batman movie which will have many of the original cast coming back to voice their roles, namely Kevin Conroy (Woo!) as Batman, Tim Daly as Supes, and Clancy Brown as Luthor. Also there is "Blackest Night: Inside the DC Comics Event" previewing the current big Green Lantern event rounding out the War of Light trilogy Blackest Night (which, if you're not reading right now, you should be. Seriously.) and "From Graphic Novel to Original Animated Movie - Justice League: The New Frontier, Wonder Woman: The Amazon Princess, and Batman: Gotham Knight - An Anime Evolution" a documentry talking about 3 previous (and in my humble opinion much, much better) DCU animations.

Even still, if you're like me and must have every comic related animation on DVD, this is of course a must-have. For hardcore Green Lantern fans it's probably a give or take. It depends on personal taste. I personally was too hung up on the changes to Sinestro's character and how they try to fit so effing much into 77 minutes. For anyone else, rent it.

+Animation is solid and cool.
+Great voice-over work.
+Special features on the second DVD are pretty good.
+Did I mention awesome action sequences?
+Kilowog!

- "Hey, let's see what happens when we take Sinestro and make him into a shallow, black and white powermonger and fit Hal's origin and Sinestro's fall into 77 minutes!"
- The Green Lantern Corps seems very, very small in the movie.
- Boring, cliché story.
- The special features are probably the best part of the 2 disc set.

Movie: *****
DVD set: *****

[SuperAdam79]

Do they touch upon Hal's father at all? What about Carol Ferris?

[cyberw4ste]

It does briefly touch on his father, for like 30 seconds or so. Carol is in the movie, but once again, very briefly. Hal gets the ring really early on and from there, it's all off planet. Compared to the usual long origins, this one is pretty rushed. Which like I said, is what most of the movie feels like.

[thebatman226]

The origins werent explained very well and the story was a lil weak.
But the action sequences were sick though.
I really didnt mind it.

[Drazar]

Personally i loved everything about Green Lantern First flight. The animation and voice work was absolutely gorgeous, not to mention the whole movie is filled with delicious REACTION faces that make me giggle like a girl. ^_^

Sinestro was very cool in this movie, tho they apparently wanted to show him being the bad guy pretty fast, i really loved how he treated that crack whore-alien and how he questioned her, something like a un-moral Batman would do haha. :)

The action was really great, so was the music and whatnot, but the ending battle with Sinestro destroying the GL HQ with a giant lantern, and then Hal Jordan turning into a Gary Sue to fight off Sinestro may have been abit too over the top, but atleast it wasn't Wonder Woman vs. Power Ranger Ares, and you gotta admit the way Hal Jordan used his imagination with the weaponry was hilariously awesome.

I give the movie a solid 9/10, i really loved this movie, and heres a great GIF to demonstrate Hal's Awesomeness:
http://i32.tinypic.com/2dw6ozm.gif

PS. The live action movie should borrow the Green Lantern outfit design from these movies, sure they could add the white gloves tho if they feel the need for it tho. =)

[The Hylden]

lol, a fold-up chair, a' la Wrestlemaina. That's just choice, right there :D

[cyberw4ste]

I agree with some of your points Drazar, like I said the action was very well done and Hal's ring powers were very cool. But I didn't like Sinestro at all. They dumbed him down way too much for my tastes.

PS. The live action movie should borrow the Green Lantern outfit design from these movies, sure they could add the white gloves tho if they feel the need for it tho. =)

Agreed.

[SuperAdam79]

It does briefly touch on his father, for like 30 seconds or so. Carol is in the movie, but once again, very briefly. Hal gets the ring really early on and from there, it's all off planet. Compared to the usual long origins, this one is pretty rushed. Which like I said, is what most of the movie feels like.

That sucks. But I kinda see where they are coming from, they did Hal's origin different but well in the New frontier. But I really wanted to see his proper origin in this. Oh well, here's to hoping Ryan reynolds doesn't mess up the live-action. I'm not sold on him. Green Lantern is my 2nd fav character next to Batman. What they did to Sinestro sounds bad too. His origin is great, especially that his beef with Jordan is so personal. It's got that Training Day element to it, which I still believe was ripped off of GL! :p

[cyberw4ste]

I like Ryan Reynolds. He was great as Deadpool (Up until the abysmal end, that is. Worst comic to movie character adaptation ever.) I think he's a good choice. Maybe not the best but... Wait, wasn't he cast as the Flash? Or am I just behind on my comic movie casting news?

[SuperAdam79]

I'm still buying it. I'm supporting the animated flicks, they are very good. I'm holding out hope for a Hush, Long Halloween, or Kingdom Come movie. Hopefully they will do a really good Batman story. I think Gotham Knight was just OK. I would've preferred one cohesive narrative, it seemed very disjointed to me. It reminds me of someone putting too much seasoning in a good meal. They put in too many different ideas.

[SuperAdam79]

I like Ryan Reynolds. He was great as Deadpool (Up until the abysmal end, that is. Worst comic to movie character adaptation ever.) I think he's a good choice. Maybe not the best but... Wait, wasn't he cast as the Flash? Or am I just behind on my comic movie casting news?

He was in the running for Flash before. But he just got the Green Lantern role. Wolverine did indeed suck.

[cyberw4ste]

Gotham Knight is one of my favorites. I loved the format. It was cool to see different artists do Batman differently. It reminded me of Batman: Black and White.

[SuperAdam79]

Gotham Knight is one of my favorites. I loved the format. It was cool to see different artists do Batman differently. It reminded me of Batman: Black and White.

Some of it was cool. Some of it seemed off the mark to me. I guess I just had higher expectations for it. i was expecting something more connected to Nolan's movies as it was touted to be when first announced. I wish they would do a movie of the Joker novel by Brian Azzarello and lee Bermejo. That would rock!!

[cyberw4ste]

I haven't read it. Personally if they could make any Batman story into an animated movie, I'd wish for War Games, Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns or Hush. An animated mini-series of No Man's Land would be brilliant, too.

[SuperAdam79]

I would take any of those!! I just want a story pulled from the books!! I think Hush would be the best though. I really hope they do another Batman or a Flash animated movie next. War Games or No-man's land would be cool because they incorporate a lot of the other characters in Batman's world.

[Drazar]

I agree with some of your points Drazar, like I said the action was very well done and Hal's ring powers were very cool. But I didn't like Sinestro at all. They dumbed him down way too much for my tastes.

What was wrong with Sinestro? He was menacing, calculating, idealistic and had loads of willpwer.

PS. My only Green Lantern knowledge comes from Geoff Johns take on Green Lantern so i'm just wondering what a bigger fan to Green Lantern thinks. :)

[cyberw4ste]

Well the thing about Sinestro is that he was first and formost a bringer of law and order to his sector. He was the best of the best in the corps and his sector was the very example of what every Green Lantern should strive for. But he did it the wrong way. He ruled, isntead of protected, and through fear, not example. Though question his methods, his cause was still arguably noble. He never had true aspirations to power, just peace. Enforced peace with an iron fist, but peace none the less. It wasn't until Hal Gordan came along and saw his mentor, someone he looked up to, as a tyrant, and he and the guardians turned on him.

Sinestro's fall was when Hal and the corps condemned him to the anti-matter universe. He ended up on Qward and discovered the yellow energy and the reason for the yellow impurity. Fear was something Sinestro new all to well how to use, and so he returned with his new yellow power ring seeking revenge on those who condemned him, namely one of the very few beings in the universe who he ever considered a friend, Hal Gordan.

Sinestro's tale is one of feelings of betrayal and revenge, with a twisted sense of right and a want to change the Green Lantern Corps for the better thru fear. His problems were borne out of his own doing but none the less, he's a deep, meaningful villain with many shades of grey. The Sinestro portrayed in First Flight was little more that a cookie cutter cliché that threw all of the history of his out of the window.

If you can't be bothered to read the long version, the short of it is: Instead of the meaningful villainy of someone like Mr. Freeze, we got Dr. Doom.

[DropkickDisco]

Well the thing about Sinestro is that he was first and formost a bringer of law and order to his sector. He was the best of the best in the corps and his sector was the very example of what every Green Lantern should strive for. But he did it the wrong way. He ruled, isntead of protected, and through fear, not example. Though question his methods, his cause was still arguably noble. He never had true aspirations to power, just peace. Enforced peace with an iron fist, but peace none the less. It wasn't until Hal Gordan came along and saw his mentor, someone he looked up to, as a tyrant, and he and the guardians turned on him.

Sinestro's fall was when Hal and the corps condemned him to the anti-matter universe. He ended up on Qward and discovered the yellow energy and the reason for the yellow impurity. Fear was something Sinestro new all to well how to use, and so he returned with his new yellow power ring seeking revenge on those who condemned him, namely one of the very few beings in the universe who he ever considered a friend, Hal Gordan.

Sinestro's tale is one of feelings of betrayal and revenge, with a twisted sense of right and a want to change the Green Lantern Corps for the better thru fear. His problems were borne out of his own doing but none the less, he's a deep, meaningful villain with many shades of grey. The Sinestro portrayed in First Flight was little more that a cookie cutter cliché that threw all of the history of his out of the window.

If you can't be bothered to read the long version, the short of it is: Instead of the meaningful villainy of someone like Mr. Freeze, we got Dr. Doom.

I just saw the film, and I didn't see what was wrong. He did want "order", but he thought the Guardians were too weak and ineffectual. From how he interrogated others on his missions with Hal, we saw that he felt an iron fist was necessary, and it was said several times that he was the most effective member of the Corps, hence why he was able to fool the Guardians in the film: they trusted his judgment and didn't think he would betray them.

And they hint at their friendship when he offers Hal a chance to stand by his side.

[cyberw4ste]

Well yes, they did get some parts of it right. But his motivation for getting the yellow power was never explored. It seemed to me he wanted it just for the sake of destroying the corps and it was never really explained. At least not in a way I understood. It didn't make any sense to me. It was shallow and forced, and I felt like he was a villain just for the sake of being a villain.

[Drazar]

Well yes, they did get some parts of it right. But his motivation for getting the yellow power was never explored. It seemed to me he wanted it just for the sake of destroying the corps and it was never really explained. At least not in a way I understood. It didn't make any sense to me. It was shallow and forced, and I felt like he was a villain just for the sake of being a villain.

He wanted his own corps because the Guardians were too weak, you saw this when they were at the ghetto planet. He talked how the Guardians didn't do much and just let planets become all slums. He really wanted to rule the galaxy thru fear and in order to gain this, he had to defeat the Guardians and Green Lantern corp first.

[DropkickDisco]

Well yes, they did get some parts of it right. But his motivation for getting the yellow power was never explored. It seemed to me he wanted it just for the sake of destroying the corps and it was never really explained. At least not in a way I understood. It didn't make any sense to me. It was shallow and forced, and I felt like he was a villain just for the sake of being a villain.

Clearly he wanted to destroy the Corps. He even said the Yellow Power in his hands represented the beginning of a "new sunset", meaning he intended to form a new order that would operate under his command and his rules for order. You could tell that he had an advantage in the beginning of the battle because everyone was afraid, even the Guardians.

Just my two cents.

[Ensanguined Walls]

8.5/10.

It was certainly entertaining, but I wish it could have been slightly longer. It was specifically intended for Green Lantern fans, as well. I'd imagine a newcomer feeling highly confused, since they don't talk much about Hal Jordan's life before receiving the ring from the crash site. I would have liked to see more of him balancing his dual personalities, as well.

[cyberw4ste]

Yeah... they made him into a generic villain. The base idea of Sinestro was there. Just dumbed down for a 77 minute movie. I stand by what I said. They didn't do the character justice. I'm a fan of Sinestro, so I'm naturally going to be critical.

The best way I can really explain it is this: Batman and Robin. Bane. They took an awesome, complex character and warped it into a stupid version that would fit into a smaller time slot. What they did to Sinestro, while not as perverse as that example, is about how I viewed it. That's all I'm saying.

[VXR]

cool, ill have to check it out.

[Drazar]

Yeah... they made him into a generic villain. The base idea of Sinestro was there. Just dumbed down for a 77 minute movie. I stand by what I said. They didn't do the character justice. I'm a fan of Sinestro, so I'm naturally going to be critical.

The best way I can really explain it is this: Batman and Robin. Bane. They took an awesome, complex character and warped it into a stupid version that would fit into a smaller time slot. What they did to Sinestro, while not as perverse as that example, is about how I viewed it. That's all I'm saying.

Comparing Sinestro with Joel Schumar's Bane is pretty rough, what exactly was the ruining part for you? What got dumbed down really? Why didn't this movie give him justice? I'd like to know these to see your point of view on this matter. :]

[Batman The Trailer Hunter]

Interesting, i may rent this!

[thedarknight2016]

That sucks. But I kinda see where they are coming from, they did Hal's origin different but well in the New frontier. But I really wanted to see his proper origin in this. Oh well, here's to hoping Ryan reynolds doesn't mess up the live-action. I'm not sold on him. Green Lantern is my 2nd fav character next to Batman. What they did to Sinestro sounds bad too. His origin is great, especially that his beef with Jordan is so personal. It's got that Training Day element to it, which I still believe was ripped off of GL! :p

you saw that training day part of it too i thought i was the only one

[SuperAdam79]

you saw that training day part of it too i thought i was the only one

The first thing I thought when I saw training day was "Man, this is like Emerald Dawn!!'

[diddykonger]

on average the movie is 3/5, a lot of stuff was missing but overall the movie was satisfying. I just hope it won't be repeated in the live action film.