Review of Green Lantern: First Flight (2009) by Paul O — 28 Jul 2009

Easily one of the best animated superhero films. The only one better would be Wonder Woman. Honestly, this and Wonder Woman are two of the best animated movies I've ever seen. I'm not sure they would fare well in theaters, but they are better than most movies I see period. But this perfectly captures the Hal Jordan/Sinestro story from the comics. There are slight changes...nothing to be angry about and definitely necessary to make this compact 75 minute film.

The animation, I have to say is WB's finest yet. It's almost a mix of Akira and Heavy Metal set in the spectacularly dense Green Lantern universe. If you've read the comics, you'll see tons of recognizable characters and the film stays true to them. It really is a great script used here. Brushing past the now semi-well-known origin and getting to the "real" introduction for Jordan was a great move. Deciding to get away from Earth and going the space detective against mentor route was what this character deserved and needed. I hope the live action takes notes.

The casting is absolutely perfect. There is not a better voice for Sinestro than Victor Garber. He has this quiet, political, and scary quality. It feels like he can burst at any moment and Sinestro is of course capable of the same thing. Always in control, but ready to blow at any moment. Christopher Meloni is great as Hal, too. He has a heroic voice that comes through even if Jordan really isn't given enough to say (Sinestro really is the main character of this movie). Another standout is Michael Madsen...who I would never imagine as Kilowog prior, but now I can't think of anyone else doing it. Honestly, just hire him for the real movie, too...he is perfect as this character.

The action here is great. I found myself actually reacting out loud at a couple of particular moments. We don't get any epic space battles...but the end fight between Jordan and Sinestro will surely not disappoint. It is amazingly directed with Lanterns and Oans watching from the planet below as green and yellow explosions ignite the sky above. The sound effects are frightenly huge here also.

Man...this was such a great moment for me as a Green Lantern diehard fan. This made me remember just why the GL universe is so special to me and has encouraged me and excited me to get back to the comics... Especially with the compete reinvention of the characters in the last 3 years and motherfucking zombie-fied superheroes in the Blackest Night series that just started.

As good as DC's cartoons and previous films were...this and Wonder Woman have escalated them to new heights that I doubt the live action WB movies will reach. And if the preview of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is any indication, they are just get started. I'm hoping the real Titans film is as good. Maybe Flash could be next?