Green Lantern: First Flight (2009) Blu-ray Review
Reviewed by Chris McEneany, 2nd August 2009
It may be enjoyable, and it is certainly colourful and action-packed, but Alan Burnett’s take on Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern: First Flight is still a backward step for DC’s Animated stable. Even for a comic-book narrative, this is juvenile stuff, despite the inclusion of the odd swear word. The plotting is ridiculously simple, possibly to the point of being insulting. The characterisation is threadbare. Green Lantern offers up virtually unlimited scope for stories, yet this is purely derivative hokum that may be green and yellow, but is inescapably black and white in terms of concept.
DC supply a transfer of a very high standard, however. The AV is great – mind-caressing visuals and a sturdy, occasionally bass-heavy audio track. The extras, apart from the Bruce Timm approved episodes of JLA and Duck Dodgers are a pathetic sham – padded-out waffle that tells us exactly nothing that isn’t already outright obvious. A let-down in these terms, I’m afraid. Where was the commentary, eh?
However, I am an ardent fan of these superheroes and champion each and every release that they get, whether it be their original comic-books, their live-action film adaptations or their animated counterparts – and it is great that some of the lesser-regarded characters are getting their chance to shine. And, in this case, the shine of Green is very welcome, even if the end result is a touch disappointing.
Great animation, but a poor story. Still, this is enjoyable escapism for kids of all ages.
