DVD Review: Green Lantern: First Flight Staring the Voices of Anthony Meloni, Victor Garber and Michael Madsen

Hal Jordan is a cocky American test pilot that has never been afraid to push the envelope when putting new aviation through their paces. Although, Jordan is in for the ride of his life when an alien spacecraft crashes on Earth and a chance meeting with an extraterrestrial entity changes the test pilot's life in ways that he could never imagine.

'Green Lantern: First Flight' delves into the legend behind this superhero and takes it to a whole new level and actually captures the essence of the character splendidly. In this newest installment, we are taken to faraway worlds and on the beat as Jordan learns the ropes from veteran Green Lantern, Sinestro (voiced by Garber), who sees the potential in Jordan to become one of the Green Lantern's newest and best space cops ever to walk the intergalactic beat. But, while on his first assignment, the new Lantern learns of a great conspiracy that could doom the Corps as well as himself after he discovers that his mentor may have other plans other than training him to be one of the newest of the regime. Too late, although, when Jordan finds out of the conspiracy and Sinestro's treachery that he is framed for murder and must fight to clear his name after he loses his ring and position in a bust gone bad. But, the other thing that Jordan is unaware of is that the murder is actaully a cover-up for Sinestro to find the location of an new superweapon that may have the ability to bring down the entire Corps to its knees.

At first, I must admit that I was a little worried about how this film was going to add to the already fairly strong following to one of the greatest characters that DC has created over the years. Being somewhat of what most people would call a 'purist', I believe in keeping the essence and form of any character once it has already been created if you choose to make a film about it. Marvel has already been doing a great job with this lately in many of its adaptations such as 'X-Men', 'The Punisher', 'Ghost Rider', and the many others that have been released to the silver screen in the last several years. If DC Universe can keep its moxy with Warner Premiere going, there is a good chance that they will be able to stand against the oncoming tide that Marvel currently has with Lionsgate Studios and its continuing success with their animated franchises such as the Avengers, the Hulk, and Doctor Strange.

The voice acting was very solid, and Meloni gave a stellar performance as Jordan in the film. he made the character believeable, and I felt like the same little kid that had loved this space traveller all over again. Another pleasant surprise was Michael Madsen playing the alien Green Lantern, Killwong, Jordan's reluctant brother-in-arms who always seems to have an axe to grind with this new rookie. he did the role with the same flair and quite intensity that he is known for from past roles that he has done in his distinguished career.

A slight note, however, to parents: This film, although animated, may not be suitable for young children. The film includes a great many scenes where the battle sequences often have an extremely bloody end. There is also a great amount of course language in the film as well and I am sure that thes eexpletives are not something that you would like your five-year-old sone saying ion the playground to his friends and then ending up in the principal's office. This film is more geared towards the teen-aged and adult set, and it seems that more and more superhero films are taking that angle in today's film industry. Not since the controversial 'Batman: Mask of The Phantasm' was released by Warner Brothers Studios with its PG-13 rating in the nineties has there been another animated film where the blood and coarse language factor been entered until the release of this particular film. Just perhaps a small guideline that you may want to ask yourself when renting this feature.

Of all of the adaptations that have been brought to the small screen and placed in animated form, 'Green Lantern: First Flight'is a very impressive and surprising new vehicle that will have many of those who are fans wanting more in the future from the long-standing and enigmatic hero. My hope is that they will continue their success and produce other films in the future that will allow fans both old and new to rediscover the legend and the mythos surrounding the Green Lantern of the Earth Sector.

As the saying of the Corps goes: 'In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight, those who worship darkness feel my might, fear my power, green lantern's light!'