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Green Lantern: Emerald Knights
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: June 7th, 2011

Synopsis: With stories by acclaimed writers including Geoff Johns, Alan Burnett and Dave Gibbons, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights explores the rich mythology of the Green Lantern universe through six interlocking chapters. While awaiting a battle with Krona, an ancient enemy of the Guardians of the Universe, Earth’s Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Kilowog, Sinestro and other members of the Green Lantern Corps recount their greatest adventures to new recruit Arisia – everything from tales of the first Lantern to the ominous events that led to the Corps’ Blackest Night! The power-packed voice cast includes Nathan Fillion, Jason Isaacs, Elisabeth Moss, Henry Rollins and Arnold Vosloo.



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Green Lantern: Emerald Knights Feature Review
By James Harvey

To get it out of the way, I have a feeling that life-long Green Lantern fans will love this movie. This movie just drips in the mythology of the excellent comic series and brings it to life quite vividly, improving over the previous Green Lantern: First Flight animated movie. What makes this movie fly so high is how it strikes that perfect balance for both the new viewer and the long-time fan. Green Lantern: Emerald Knights is a great primer for those new to the emerald lore, whether you're coming off the new live-action Green Lantern big screen summer blockbuster, or just want to see what all the fuss is about. The anthology approach really opens this film up to newcomers. And to the die-hards? Those who have followed Hal Jordan's adventures for years? Well, you're going to love how they bring it all to animated glory. No doubt about it.

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights consists of five stories connected by a sixth, forming what's actually a very cohesive story covering a nice selection of the Green Lantern Corp mythos. Tales range from the adventure of the very first Lantern to the surprising rookie days of a fan-favorite character, and each short tells a full story. No one really gets short-changed here. It seems that the production crew learned from their mistakes on 2008's Batman: Gotham Knight and, as a result, have produced a mighty fine movie. What you get is, for the most, great action fueled by some very memorable characters. Some shine brighter than others, sure, but you can't argue with the final results.

Among the six included stories, the highlights (for me) are definitely "Abin Sur," "Kilowog" and "The First Lantern." I found these three tales to be the most entertaining, the most engaging, and just well-done across the board, with "Abin Sur" probably my overall favorite. "Abin Sur" seems to be the most fleshed out tale among all the included shorts. "Abin Sur" moves at a brisk pace, but never comes up short. Sur is teased by a captured fugitive that the Corps darkest days are ahead, and that he will die in the line of duty. Naturally, Sur rebuffs this. This all leads to a great moment at the end where we get to see a vision of what is to come and, boy, what a great moment. This is the one fans will likely latch onto the most, and rightfully so. The vision that Abin sees? Absolutely amazing.

"Kilowog" is a great little short that throws new light on this great character and, while nothing really new is explored, is a fun yarn of a tale that offers nice character development. The short explores the relationship between Kilowog and his drill sergeant, providing enough background so when Kilowog has to inevitably stand up on his own, it's not groan-inducing. The script work is solid enough, the voice acting perfect; selling the pathos and helps make the predictable conclusion fresh. Very enjoyable.

"The First Lantern" serves its purpose to spell out the backstory of the Guardians and how the Corps got started, but by no means does this just rehash the same tired dialogue. Allowing the viewer to see this crucial inaugural tale adds to its relevence to the mythos. We get to see the first lantern in action and, admittedly, it's pretty cool. By no means is this ground-breaking, but it does firmly set-up what someone new to the franchise should know in an enjoyable fashion. A great introduction to the Corp made possible by a pretty enjoyable tale.

After that we get the very brief "Mogo Doesn't Socialize," "Laira," and the overarching story "Emerald Knights." "Mogo" is a good tale that likely works best if you don't know the twist at the end (which, actually, the majority of viewers watching it likely will), and "Emerald Knights" is an action-packed yarn that brings everything together. "Knights" connects the other five tales together, and it features some pretty great action beats during the lcimactic battle. Thankfully the story, while nothing revolutionary, is also strong enough to keep it all together. Plus, it manages to have a few thrills of its own and should keep the viewer glued between each new Corp tale.

If I had to pick the weakest story, and by no means am I stating the story is bad, it'd have to go with "Laira." It's a predictable little yarn that focuses more on the fisticuffs over the family drama (despite said drama fueling said fisticuffs). It moves along well enough but doesn't really leave any impression, and the somewhat weak animation hinders some really excellently choreographed fight scenes. Viewers will definitely notice some tactics used here are remarkably similar to the Wonder Woman & Barda/Female Furies battle in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. It just didn't grab me like the others, but it is a fine little story.

Voice acting is solid across the board. Nathan Fillion brings a warmth to Hal Jordan that makes him an immediately likable character who is easy to listen to. And you'll hear Fillion's narration for the majority of the movie, as he narrates a good chunk of the film. While I do miss Victor Garber's excellent Sinestro from Green Lantern: First Flight, Jason Issacs is a great replacement who brings a hint of danger to Sinestro's voice. Additionally, Henry Rollins brings a surprising dose of humanity to Kilowog and Elizabeth Moss is very likable as newbie Arisia. Also of note is the spectacular score work by Christopher Drake, a regular contributor to the DC Universe Animated Original Movie line. Once again, he does an excellent job with the score work, bringing in a powerful score that boosts the onscreen action. Once again, just simply solid work.

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights is definitely something I would consider a success, both in terms of an anthology and just a regular movie. All of the short stories work as both separate adventures and within the context of the movie itself, the stories providing nice background to some of the Lanterns we may see only in passing during the battle with Krona. Where Batman: Gotham Knight failed by not having a coherent enough bridge between all of the stories (despite those shorts forming a loose narrative), Green Lantern: Emerald Knights makes up for that in spades. Green Lantern: Emerald Knights blurs the lines between the six stories, resulting a stronger anthology film and, in general, what feels like a strong full-length flick. The consistent look to the character designs, etc., also serves the film quite well. The movie feels refined with no excessive baggage. Every moment seems to have a purpose, and every tale serving the larger story.

And, on another note, given the expansive lore of the Green Lantern Corp, I really like that this movie could open the door for more Green Lantern anthologies down the line. There's so many stories to be told, and I hope this is only the beginning.

Is it the best installment of the DC Universe Animated Original Movie line? Nope, but it's far from the worst. In fact, I'd place this above Green Lantern: First Flight without hesitation, and maybe a few others, too . All the stories are enjoyable, even if some are weaker than others, but the quality is never low. All of the tales are worth a watch, no question, and fans will undoubtedly choose their own favorites. The shorts range from average to strong, all managing to both stand alone nicely and work as part of a larger unit. Green Lantern: Emerald Knights features great acting, strong writing, and the huge action set-pieces that we've all come to expect from an animated DC Comics movie. All in all, it's a grand adventure that fans - whether you're a novice to the lore or a life-long fan - will get plenty out of. It strikes that perfect balance that truly makes the film open up to all audiences. Green Lantern: Emerald Knights is a worthy addition to any fan's collection.

Click here to read the Green Lantern: Emerald Knights Blu-ray Review


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