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Christopher Meloni, Victor Garber, Tricia Helfer, Michael Madsen, John Larroquette ... see more see more... , Kurtwood Smith , Larry Drake , William Schallert , Malachi Throne , Olivia d'Abo , Richard Green , Juliet Landau , David L. Lander , Richard McGonagle , Rob Paulsen , Kath Soucie , Jim Wise , Bruce Timm ,

The creators of Superman: Doomsday, Batman: Gotham Knight, and Wonder Woman re-team to tell the origins of the Green Lantern in this animated DC Comics feature. When Hal Jordan (voice of Christopher M... read more read more...eloni) is recruited to join the Green Lantern corps, he is placed under the direct supervision of senior Lantern Sinestro. But the Green Lantern corps has come under attack by a powerful foe. When Hal discovers that Sinestro is actually part of a vast conspiracy that aims to dismantle the entire organization, he must use his newfound powers to restore order and combat the treason that threatens to tarnish the Green Lantern legacy. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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70% liked it

3,024 ratings

Critics

50% liked it

6 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 17 min.

Directed by: Lauren Montgomery

Release Date: July 28, 2009

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DVD Release Date: July 28, 2009

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Flixster Reviews (567)


  • fb535316333
    August 1, 2011
    fb535316333
    I had the "joy" of seeing the live-action GL movie before FF and I have to say, this is an overall improvement for sure. Which only goes to show that DC can't do live-action to save their lives without getting lucky. (Nolan on Batman)

    Anyway, First Flight works like a galactic, ... read morebuddy-cop movie with high SciFi concepts. Overall? Solid animation and an engaging story, with a DBZ-like finale to boot! I just wish more time was spent developing/exploring Hal's character what with this being an origin movie. In fact, it might as well be named "Sinestro's fall"
  • fb100000145236770
    May 15, 2011
    fb100000145236770
    What's better than cartoons on a lazy weekend morning? Been seeing previews for "Green Lantern" which comes out in June, and I'm on the fence about it. I don't know much about the character, and the movie looks pretty cheesy, so I figured I'd give this a watch and see how I lik... read moreed it. It's not bad, very different from other super hero characters/movies, but has the same values(always good against evil). This is basically an origin story(as I'm sure the movie will be too), with some good twists and turns. It's on the cheesy side, but overall better than I thought beforehand. I'll warn parents(hey, I'm gonna be one soon) this has some cussing in it, not really for little kids(think it's rated PG-13). The animation is good, and the story is decent enough. Based off this cartoon, I'm more inclined to want to see the movie when it comes out, figure if my expectations remain pretty low I can't be too disappointed.
  • March 5, 2011
    Good movie. I can now understand alot better where Green Lantern came from and I'm ready to see the new film coming up with Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern.

    Christopher Meloni (TV's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) leads the cast as the voice of Hal Jordan aka Green Lantern. Th... read moree cast includes Emmy Award nominee Victor Garber (Milk, Titanic), Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica) and Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Species). Produced by animation legend Bruce Timm, Green Lantern: First Flight is directed by Lauren Montgomery (Wonder Woman, Superman Doomsday) and scripted by four-time Emmy Award-winning writer Alan Burnett (The Batman). Green Lantern: First Flight finds test pilot Hal Jordan (Christopher Meloni) recruited to join the Green Lantern Corps after the death of his predecessor Abin Sur and placed under the supervision of respected senior officer Sinestro (Victor Garber). The newly recruited officer of sector 2814 soon discovers his mentor is actually the central figure in a secret conspiracy that threatens the philosophies, traditions and hierarchy of the entire Green Lantern Corps. Hal must quickly hone his newfound powers and combat the treasonous Lanterns within the ranks to maintain order in the universe. According to director Montgomery, the film will not focus on Jordan's origin story as that was previously covered in the Justice League: The New Frontier film: "...we really didn't want to spend a whole lot of time telling that same story over again. So in Green Lantern: First Flight, the origin story is over and done before the opening credits.
  • January 23, 2010
    Green Lantern: First Flight was astoundingly great for a straight-to-video release. The animation was excellent even if the recognizable (but great all the same) voices (I kept waiting for the Law and Order chimes whenever Christopher Meloni was done speaking) seemed to take a li... read morettle bit away. The story was pretty straightforward but the grittiness and not too kid-friendliness of it made up for this. It wasn't too long and it wasn't too short. I had an absolute blast watching it and actually caught myself yelling at the TV at a few points. Definitely worthwhile and highly recommended. A second watch after reading some of the current Green Lantern comics left me wanting a little more, but as an introductory origin story, great job.
  • January 16, 2010
    dc is trying to keep up with marvel in putting out solid animated films, and this is an example proving that dc is doing it better. marvel is winning the overall live action battle, but as far as an animated strait to dvd movie this is much better than expected. solid story tel... read moreling and great action, the film would have been better with a bit of character development, but overall its very good.
  • January 16, 2010
    Cool as movie for DC fanatics... Very enjoyable and the anticipation for the real movie has heightened very much. Green Lantern would kill superman any day and you would agree if you see this flick so check it out.
  • September 6, 2009
    Wonderful origin story in animation film of the DC Comics superhero, Green Lantern about Hal Jordan, a test pilot who came across a dying alien with a green ring in his finger which he entrusted to Jordan. From then on, he's the Green Lantern, but not the only one: he's met on Ea... read morerth by Sinestro and a few other Green Lantern folk, who take him along into space to meet the council that guides the Lanterns in their adventures.
    The animation is great, mixing traditional hand-drawn animation with computer-generated imagery (CGI). Good action, and great voice-over work by the actors.
  • August 6, 2009
    Hal Jordan: Come on! Get green!

    A fast paced animated origin tale of the Green Lantern. What it lacks in character development, it makes up for in its space opera style action/adventure tone.

    Test pilot Hal Jordan, voiced by Christopher Meloni, is suddenly recruited by a dying ... read moremember of the Green Lantern Corps., and becomes a new member himself. He is soon thereafter taken to an alien ship, the Green Lantern Corps.' HQ, where he is given the details of what he is now a part of. As a member of the Green Lantern Corps. Hal Jordan now possesses a ring that has as much power as he has imagination, as long as he charges it in a big green battery supply, full of power.

    The plot then turns into a sort of intergalactic Training Day, as Hal is taken by Sinestro, voiced by Victor Garber, to learn the ropes of being Green Lantern, only to find that Sinestro may have some evil plans up his sleeve. Needless to say, some bad guys are revealed, a force that can counter the Green Lanterns becomes a big priority to stop, and Hal must prove himself worthy of holding onto his ring.

    The beginning of this movie literally skips past having the lead hero awkwardly realize his powers. He gets the ring and that's pretty much that. If you can get past this lack of hero development, you can really enjoy the more exciting pace that the movie puts you through. While not as violent as Wonder Woman, this DC animation entry has plenty of action that keeps things movie, as well as a lot of fun with the hero.

    I am always kind of skeptical about the portrayal of the Green Lantern. A character who has a ring that can do anything he wants can be tricky, but somehow this movie managed to keep me very entertained with Jordan's imagination of how to dispatch his foes. It has this humorous awesome quality that made me happy. I can only hope the live action film can make this work as well.

    I was also a fan of how the animation blended its drawn aspects with the computer graphics. It wasn't a sticking out or blending in sort of way, it just felt very fitting and kept the film settled in a fine visual sense.

    Decent voice work as well, despite some more pronounced actors sticking out.

    Overall a well made feature, with plenty of nods, big and small, to the Green Lantern world for fans of the character.

    Ganthet: You can't condemn an entire species.
    Ranakar: You said it yourself, Ganthet. It's a wonder they've lasted this long. Maybe you'd like me to list their atrocities. Maybe our human can help us. Maybe he has a few of his own.
    Hal Jordan: Listen, buddy, I didn't ask for this ring. You want it back, because I've had just enough of this crap.
    Ranakar: Well, it appears we can add impertinence to their many qualities.
  • August 2, 2009
    Thankfully explaining away Hal Jordan's receiving of the ring within the first ten minutes or so, the film shoots off into the stars for a colorful, if not very original, story of one man's drive to prove himself amongst a very alien backdrop. Alas, the villain is predictable, a... read mores is the lack of concern about him until the very end. Still good fun for fans.
  • July 25, 2009
    Another triumphant output from DC in their animated range. Green Lantern's origins are displayed here in a rather quick fashion, but this allows for the action to come much sooner. Essentially, this results in a film perfect for both newcomers and dedicated fans. The vocal talent... read more is fantastic, with Michael Madsen and Victor Garber really bringing their characters to life. It's also a great teaser for the live-action film due out in 2 years. Green Lantern mixes the best of superhero/comic stories with the best in good old sci-fi, which is why he's one of the best heroes. This is an excellent tribute to a wonderful character, whom will hopefully start receiving more coverage.

Critic Reviews


Ryan Cracknell
August 15, 2009
Ryan Cracknell, Movie Views

More interested in the villain than the hero, First Flight is a bland look at one of the sides of the DC universe that's normally much more interesting. Full Review

Peter Canavese
August 12, 2009
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews

A literally colorful action-adventure plot...[but] fails to replicate the success of February's Wonder Woman at making its leading character not just kick-ass but fascinating. [Blu-ray] Full Review

Mike McGranaghan
July 29, 2009
Mike McGranaghan, Aisle Seat

Superhero tales are best when they strive for some complexity; this one has an engrossing plot and some solid character development that grown-ups can appreciate. Full Review

James O'Ehley
July 22, 2009
James O'Ehley, Sci-Fi Movie Page

File under disappointing, but not outright bad . . . Full Review

John J. Puccio
July 19, 2009
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

The story's action and adventure move along at the pace you'd expect from a direct-to-video animation. Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.
July 17, 2009
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed

Well acted, a slick story and excellent animation make this a home DVD release worth checking out... Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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