Green Lantern: First Flight Review

(I am not a comic otaku, but I will reflect on the connections and links to the original material as much as possible. This is to appease any comic book fans who feel I’m ignoring the original canon or how it makes them feel. Can’t make any promises I’ll agree with you, though)

We saw Hal Jordan’s backstory in more detail in Justice League: The New Frontier, extended over the entire film. This time around, we get more into details of the aftermath of his bestowal of the role of Green Lantern, confronting his nemesis Sinestro and becoming a highly respected member of the Green Lantern Corps and a trusted friend of the Guardians. Without further ado, onto synopsis.

We begin with Hal Jordan flying a jet into the blue sky, in actuality doing a simulation and nearly failing while flirting with his employer, Carol Ferris. The scene shifts to a ship crashing in the desert and a mysterious figure in green and black using a ring to summon someone. As we return to Hal’s simulation, we discover that Hal was the one summoned, ripped from the building by a green light that transports him to the injured alien. He tries to help him, but the alien communicates that the ring has chosen him to be the new Green Lantern, one of the protectors of the universe. He mentions that his superiors, the Guardians, will send for him. The ship then explodes and Hal is left alone to contemplate his destiny. He then returns to the base as if nothing happened, hiding his identity as the Green Lantern who brings the ship back with a mask. Hal then tells Carol he has to go for about a week, seeing new sights (no doubt practicing with the ring a bit), cutting the conversation short as he sees three green beams shooting down to earth. He is attacked by one of them, and discovers they are other Green Lanterns who are looking for one Abin Sur, whom Hal succeeded. Since his body was destroyed in the subsequent explosion after Hal got the ring, Sinestro, the leader of the quartet of Lanterns notes that the Guardians still have to decide whether he’s worthy of the ring. The group then takes Hal to the planet Oa. The Guardians explain that the title of Green Lantern involves a responsibility to an entire sector of the universe, one of 3600, not to mention the power that the ring each is given holds. The Guardians are skeptical due to their distrust of humans and their abuse of power, not to mention the many “atrocities” they have committed. But one of them notes that the ring chose him, so he must be worthy in his own way. Sinestro offers to take Hal under his wing to confront an issue in his sector. The Guardians accept and Sinestro puts Hal through a quick session to gain the information from the Central Battery. Sinestro notes that he likes humans and their contempt for authority, noting that the Guardians are less than impressive as the leaders of the Corps. Travelling to Cadmando to find the person who killed Abin Sur, a squid man named Cuch. We’re first exposed to Sinestro’s methods of coercion and cruelty through interrogating the bouncer and later through the owner of the bar where they investigate for Cuch’s whereabouts. Hal defies Sinestro’s orders to not interfere, suggesting he is too cruel, but they are interrupted by Cuch storming in the bar. Sinestro chases Cuch, losing him in the sewers. Hal is knocked into the sewers through the bar and manages to catch Cuch on his own. Sinestro is frustrated that Hal was being too soft in defying him. He insists that he needs to rule through fear in the chaotic and unpredictable galaxy. His goal is to bring ultimate order to the galaxy by eliminating all the crime and evil in the world, even if he must use less than pleasant means to achieve that end. Other Lanterns appear and Sinestro calms, taking Cuch to the nearest substation for interrogation. Boodikka talks to Hal about Sinestro’s position, seeking out Kanjar Ro, who is in possession of information on the only known weakness to the Green Lanterns, the Yellow Element. She tells the story of the Guardians building the Green Battery and their sealing away of the Yellow Element for fear it would be abused. Kanjar Ro found the Yellow Element and Abin Sur went undercover to find it. He was discovered by Cuch and managed to escape and was then found by Hal when he crashed on Earth. Boodikka is impressed that Hal took down Cuch by himself. Sinestro calls a meeting, revealing he has acquired information from Cuch about Kanjar Ro’s whereabouts and that the group will finally discover him and take him down for good. The Guardians inquire about Sinestro’s methods and accuse him of warping the Green Lantern idea of justice. Sinestro agrees to let the Guardians interrogate him when he is captured. The Green Lanterns arrive at the station, Hal made to watch around the outer perimeter while the others split up. It is revealed that Sinestro is working with Kanjar Ro and needs him in order to discover where the Yellow Element is, being developed into some sort of weapon. Hal is ordered to change to a new location, but in transit, he discovers Kanjar Ro’s men and proceeds to stop them, Kanjar Ro escaping. He creates a disturbance to get the Lanterns off his back, managing to escape, but the Lanterns trailing him with Sinestro’s insistence that the masses can be ignored as a sacrifice to stop the evildoers. In the warp tunnel, some of them die, but Hal gets on the ship, sneaking in. He confronts Kanjar Ro, who knocks him out from behind, Sinestro killing Kanjar Ro and making Hal a scapegoat to cover his tracks. Hal is summarily court marshaled (even with Sinestro’s attempt to defend his actions as self defense) and gives up his ring, while Sinestro revives Kanjar Ro’s corpse to discover the location of the Yellow Element at Qward. Hal, Boodikka and Kilowog, through Hal’s intuition, discover that Sinestro is a traitor in the middle of his act of necromancy. Boodikka reveals she has been working with Sinestro from the beginning. But with Kilowog’s help and a little ingenuity with the unstable yellow element staff Kanjar Ro holds, Hal stops Boodikka, albeit accidentally killing her in the process. Sinestro acquires the Yellow Element and changes to his new yellow and black outfit, proceeding to Oa to wage war on the Guardians. He summarily defeats countless Green Lanterns, returning to Oa and proving the Guardians’ trust in him as mistaken. He continues to wreak havoc on Oa, and even manages to power down the Green Battery, almost killing the Green Lanterns. But Hal manages to power it back on, absorbing a vast amount of its power. He manages to destroy the Yellow Battery by pulling two planets together on it (along with hitting it with a giant golf club and baseball bat) and after a tough battle defeats Sinestro, leaving him all but powerless as Kilowog breaks his hand and his ring in the process. Hal Jordan is then reinstated as a Green Lantern and the film ends with his reciting the Green Lantern pledge and then returning to Earth.

The characters are all portrayed well and conform mostly to the backstory of the Green Lantern canon. Many Green Lanterns don’t even get a name drop and are killed off, but I suppose lack of identity is part of a military group as the Green Lantern Corps. The main characters would be Hal Jordan, Sinestro and Kilowog, though Boodikka could be considered important as well, though mostly in relation to Sinestro. Hal develops as a character, full of wisecracks and a somewhat laidback personality at his introduction. But when it comes to a conflict, he takes action and gets the job done, in the many creative ways he does this throughout the film, surprising even senior members. His interactions with the other Lanterns also speak to his honorable personality, accepting consequences, but also staying true to his beliefs in fighting for what’s right. Sinestro is introduced as he is in Green Lantern, a senior member and trusted by the Guardians, but harboring jealousy and fear of the failure of his ideal, resorting to ill means to achieve his end of complete order in the universe under his power. His conflicts with Jordan are balanced somewhat by his initial respect for him, but his overcoming by the Yellow element’s power serves as his eventual downfall. Boodikka is presented as sympathetic to Hal’s plight in the beginning (even thought of as a love interest by me), but in the later part of the film betrays him and her role is served, being killed off, since she is otherwise unimportant to the rest of the plot, though her potential disagreement with Sinestro or her being overwhelmed and destroyed by the Yellow Element would’ve been points of interest. Kilowog is a fun portrayal, similar to his Justice League series counterpart, but rougher looking, less accessible to children, the film overall being more for teens. He’s very strict and as sergeant at arms is expected to be very devoted to the Corps, which he shows through both words and actions. His resistance to Hal is eventually overwhelmed by both Hal’s rescuing him at one point and his courageous attitude to the mission of fighting evil. He even saves Hal from Boodikka as she tries to kill him and later as he nearly falls to his death after defeating Sinestro, not to mention smashes Sinestro’s hand as well, reflecting on his persistent importance to the plot, even as a secondary character to Hal and Sinestro’s conflict. The Guardians would’ve been more important, but their power was admittedly more evident in the past. Now they’re just short little blue dwarves that can use telepathy, telekinesis and the like.

A primary theme is the conflict between Sinestro and Hal on the methods to achieve order in the universe. Hal progressively questions Sinestro’s methods and eventually figures him out. Sinestro’s persistent desire for power motivated him to deceive everyone around him and betray anyone that was not useful to him, Kanjar Ro serving as a good example. Not to mention he cares little even about Boodikka’s death, showing his callousness even more. Hal is able to win over Kilowog as an ally even though initially he distrusts him, not only because he’s not trained, but that he is a human, which apparently many aliens distrust for one reason or another. The Guardians’ problematic way of managing a universe wide protection force is shown to be problematic at least by Sinestro’s logic, though Hal proves that even an individual Green Lantern is meant to fight to the last breath, even when the situation seems hopeless, only cementing our appreciation of Hal Jordan as a character over and against Sinestro.

The film does a good job of introducing a newcomer to Green Lantern history and setting up one of the greatest rivalries in Green Lantern canon as well. While there are differences from the comics, such as Boodikka not being allied with Sinestro and Kanjar Ro not being the source of Sinestro’s association with the Yellow Element. Kanjar Ro was originally more a villain of Hawkman and Hawkgirl, only indirectly conflicting with the Green Lantern Corps. But all this aside, I would agree with another short review I stumbled across that suggests it could serve as the beginning of a new series. Like Wonder Woman, it gives the character’s backstory and sets up a consistent villain and opponent as well as offering potential for new villains, though admittedly Sinestro’s plight is deeper than Ares’ in Wonder Woman, losing his Yellow Battery. My rating would be another 5 out of 5, with a 70-80% recommendation due to unfamiliarity that many would no doubt feel with Hal Jordan as the Green Lantern to those used to John Stewart. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha.

Justice League: The New Fronter Review

(While I am not a comic otaku, I will strive to reflect on the links this film has to whatever comic it attempts to adapt. This is to pay respect to Linkara, a true comic otaku; he’s not dead btw)

This will be the second Justice League film I’ve reviewed and may be the last titled as such. This one resonates much more with fans of the old DC comics, mostly because it’s called the Justice Society initially. Many would be confused about that state of affairs, not to mention the whole issue with the 50s themes reflected in the context of the film. Anyway, onto synopsis.

We are told a story by an entity that has lived in the center of the earth (somehow) and evolved beyond human comprehension. As it observed humans evolve into more destructive and terrible beings (in its own view), it concludes that humans must be destroyed. The person illustrating the book as it is being communicated to them proceeds to shoot themselves with a revolver. Even the introductory sequence of credits tells a bit of backstory, where the government has begun to regard the masked superheroes as enemies of the state or communist spies. This only further supports the setting of this particular film in the aftermath of the World wars and the Korean War as well. Technically this isn’t a backstory as much as a reference to the original comic this connects to, The New Frontier. Hourman, a somewhat unknown hero in DC is killed and the Justice League starts separating a bit. The next scene introduces one Hal Jordan and Ace Morgan, pilots flying over North Korea and being told by Lois Lane on the radio that a ceasefire has been declared. Unfortunately Hal is shot down, managing to survive, but being attacked by a Korean soldier. He is forced in the heat of the moment to kill the soldier, even after trying to tell him the war was over. Elsewhere, a scientist has had a heart attack from unknowingly teleporting the Martian Manhunter to Earth. J’onn J’onzz then hides the body and takes over his role for a time. We shift to Superman meeting Wonder Woman who has “liberated” a group of Indo-Chinese (?) women, who subsequently killed the men who had enslaved them for sexual purposes. Superman and Wonder Woman argue about the principles they’re fighting for and if this is really helping with superheroes performing vigilante justice. With Batman a fugitive, the Justice Society disbanded and a member dead (Hourman), Superman is concerned that Wonder Woman might be taking her beliefs too far and violating the loyalty oaths they signed. Meanwhile, the Martian Manhunter has integrated into society more and watches TV as any other person would in the evening. Superman talks with Lois about Wonder Woman and Batman’s unwillingness to sacrifice their beliefs for friends, Lois responding that Superman and the others need to stand for what America really is and lead the people. The scene shifts to Vegas where Hal Jordan and Ace are gambling and apparently wasting their time before Ace reveals a surprise for Hal. Meanwhile cartoon Don Knotts (not really) is flirting with what is revealed to be The Flash’s (Barry Allen version) girlfriend (or fiancée), Iris. The nightclub she’s at gets attacked by Captain Cold, whom Flash thwarts after getting the cryogenic bombs that he set around the city. But Captain Cold is taken over by a mysterious presence sounding much like the entity called the Center in the beginning. Flash stops him by having messed with his freeze gun and causing it to temporarily snow in Vegas (thanks to Captain Cold’s bombs). Hal Jordan drives with Ace to a secret military facility where he is told that he is being offered a job to be a test pilot, just like he wanted before he had the incident in Korea. The Martian Manhunter goes out on another mission, taking on the guise of a television detective. Hal meets the daughter of his boss, reflecting that he came out better after his incident in Korea, recovering in a VA hospital, and that he’s ready to start his job in earnest. J’onn and his friend run into Batman stopping a cult trying to sacrifice a child and J’onn is paralyzed by the fire that starts (part of his Martian heritage). Batman stops the cultists and they separate, recognizing that there’s a pattern involving the entity referenced as the Center, even in the cult. Hal continues his training under General Flagg, who reveals to Carol (Hal’s obvious romantic interest) that Hal is training for something very important, though we don’t know what he means quite yet. One guy involved with the testing shows the Center’s influence on people, making them behave erratically and delusional. We shift to Carol driving Hal to a secret base where they reveal that he has been trained to be a pilot to Mars. King Farraday, special agent for the government, is involved in the project, paranoid of what might be on Mars and what has already come to earth. The Martian Manhunter and Batman talk about the cult’s spread and its connection to the Center, Batman willing to trust J’onn but noting that he knows his weakness, just as he knows Superman’s. In Central City (or close to it) Gorilla Grodd rampages and Flash stops him, though it is revealed the ape is a robot decoy. The government tries to kidnap Barry and he manages to narrowly escape. J’onn talks to a scientist in the government who tells him more about the Center’s plans to eliminate all human life as well as the top secret Mars mission the government is keeping tabs on. King Farraday speaks with J’onn, denying the Mars mission, J’onn discovering that the Mars mission is real by touching Farraday’s hand. Flash runs in on the news report and tells the world he is “retiring” from being a superhero because the government is too paranoid of people like him. J’onn leaves to meet Batman, give him the info he has on the Center and the cults, as well as tell him his intention to return to Mars, because he can’t trust humans. Batman wishes him well as he leaves just as quickly as he came. Hal Jordan and Rick Flagg are preparing to launch, while J’onn attempts to get on the ship. He is stopped by Farraday and J’onn manages to get the two clear of the rocket as it launches, knocked unconscious by the effort. The rocket launches successfully, but then suffers complications and begins to crash. Hal is told by Colonel Flagg that there are weapons onboard, in case the Martians turned out to be hostile. Rick nearly presses the self destruct button, but Hal knocks him out, trying to pilot the ship back safely to the ground. Eventually Flagg recovers consciousness, knocking Hal out of the ship. Hal is saved by Superman, while Flagg detonates the ship, killing himself. Meanwhile, Hal is returned home, and the Martian is imprisoned, Superman pointing out the hypocrisy of the government keeping the Martian in prison as opposed to Superman, though they’re both so powerful and both aliens. Wonder Woman duels with a fellow Amazon, who eventually lets her know that she might be taken from her position. But then a giant unknown entity appears at the island and the Amazons prepare to fight it. Hal Jordan is suddenly taken away by a mysterious green aura that transports him to one Abin Sur, a Green Lantern who gives his ring to Hal, knowing that he will do the right thing. Batman and Superman converse about the Center. They then hear a radio broadcast about a giant pterodactyl attacking Cape Canaveral. Superman stops the creature and then helps Wonder Woman after she crash lands in her invisible jet, covered in blood and revealing that a bigger threat is coming to the U.S. Meanwhile Farraday and the Martian speak while playing chess, the Martian concluding that it is best that he stay here and help the Earth in advancing justice so that people won’t have to suffer needlessly. Lois continues to report on the oncoming threat, Flash and Hal both heading for the Cape to stop the enemy. Hal is confronted by Carol about his cowardice and hypocrisy in fighting, responding that he is willing to fight to protect what is right, even if he didn’t kill people in war before. And they kiss in the most romantic spot ever, behind a jet engine. Flash and other heroes meet up with the army, who is trying to stop them from helping, eventually concluding with Superman’s mediation that they need to work together to stop this enemy instead of fighting amongst themselves. Superman goes to recon on the object while the others regroup. Superman fights against the Dinosaur Island form of the Center, but is taken down, the others mourning him while still thinking of a plan. Ray Palmer, otherwise known as the Atom, is recruited for his shrinking device, which turns everything it shrinks into an unstable form of matter. The idea is for the Flash to run around the thing as fast as possible and shrink it to destroy it. Hal Jordan and Ace Morgan volunteer to fly inside the thing to bomb it as well. The attack begins in earnest, planes bombing on the outside initially to distract it so the Flash can begin his task. Martian Manhunter is attacked psychically and saved by Farraday, though in the battle, Farraday is eaten by a dinosaur, though Farraday takes two grenades in with him, blowing its head off. Inside the Center, Hal and Ace are assaulted by acid trip illusions and then ugly red stuff that threatens to kill them. Hal finally understands the power of the ring and saves Ace and flies out. Flash meanwhile manages to run the shrink device around the Center and destroy it. But the explosion threatens to destroy a large chunk of earth. Green Lantern then takes on the task, throwing the giant exploding island into space, saving earth. Superman is revealed to have been saved by Aquaman, who will eventually become a member of the new Justice League. The film concludes with JFK’s speech called “The New Frontier”, various events taking place as the new horizon is presented to the viewer.

There are obvious differences of character depiction, some that were identical in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. Hal Jordan is the Green Lantern again, Martian Manhunter takes on his classical appearance (unlike the more alien appearance he takes in virtually every other version) and Wonder Woman wears a skirt, unlike her more liberated modern counterpart, it seems. Batman is still decidedly dark, but in the concluding scene, he reminds me of the one from the Adam West serials. Superman is a balance of his 50s version and more modern versions, though still the Boy Scout as many would call him. King Farraday’s role is similar, a government liaison, though not as he was in Justice League Unlimited, this version initially skeptical of superheroes and Martians especially. But he at least is redeemed, unlike Rick Flagg Sr., whose son praises him in the ending scenes even though he doesn’t realize his dad was willing to kill himself and cover up the government’s dangerous plan instead of trying to save people and fess up as Hal was doing. That whole issue could comprise a theme, but I’ll keep them brief.

There are three main themes, two of them about character development. The other is the overarching idea that the Justice League is formed by a group of otherwise differing people, ranging from Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and the Flash to Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern as the newcomers, coming together to protect a populace that may initially be afraid of them, but also realizes that they have their best interests at heart as fellow Americans and fellow humans (and one Martian). Hal Jordan’s development from a wisecracking pilot to a changed man after his experiences in Korea are reflected as he begins to question the military’s actions and then confronts his new role as the Green Lantern in the end. Martian Manhunter is more complex, initially coming by accident and causing a scientist’s death, progressively seeing the evils of humanity and nearly leaving, but even with Farraday threatening and imprisoning him, he chooses in the end to protect Earth as his new home. We’ll see a more extended look at Green Lantern in a future film review, btw.

In conclusion, I would recommend this film to any classic fans as well as younger fans of Justice League Unlimited. The history in here is something that can motivate young minds to inquire into the past and the resonance with the nostalgic days will be appreciated by older fans. The plot does shift around a lot, so you have to keep lots of characters straight, but the overarching theme of conquering the Center serves as a guiding point for the converging subplots. The final rating is 5 out of 5 with about a 70-80% recommendation due to the potential confusion that may assault a new viewer with the differing exposures they may have had to the Justice League as well as other unfamiliar figures, such as Rick Flagg and Hourman, much less well known to many fans of DC. Until next time, Namaste and Aloha.