Green Lantern: Emerald Knights
Wed, June 8, 2011 
With the theatrical release of the live action Green Lantern just over a week away Warner Bros is holding fans off with their latest animated release Green Lantern: Emerald Knights.
Unlike it's live action counter part and the previously released animated film Green Lantern: First Flight, Emerald Knights doesn't exactly star the first human lantern Hal Jordan, he does however serve as narrator through out. Similar to Batman: Gotham Knight the film consists of several short stories about the Green Lantern Corps told by Jordan and his mentor Sinestro. Also like Gotham Knight each individual tale is directed and written by different groups, thankfully though the continuity in the animation stays consistent throughout.
The plot kicks off with Hal Jordan taking new Lantern recruit Arisia under his wing as Oa is about to come under attack by a scorned former lantern. While preparing for the battle Hal shares stories of his fellow Lanterns and how they came to join the ranks of the Green Lantern Corps.
In the first story we learn how the guardians of Oa came to the decision to create the Green Lantern rings and how they decided who would should be bestowed with the honor of wearing them. There were originally four Lanterns chosen, and it wasn't until after their first victorious battle that they or the guardians realized the true potential for the rings. They formed the Green Lantern corps and trained future recruits in order to defend there own sectors using the will powered ring constructs they imagined while in a conflict.
Each story there after serves purpose in introducing the core members of the corps and solidifying their position. The most interesting being Laira's origins. She was forced to face off against her own family which ruled the home planet she'd come from. They'd become a hostile force in her sector and she was forced to overcome unimaginable odds in order to keep the peace. The next best would be Sinestro giving the new recruit the run down on Abin Sur the lantern who's ring chose Hal Jordan after his demise. In Sinestro's story we get a quick glimpse at the evil Yellow Lantern Sinestro and his corps. What worked well was the continuity between Emerald Knights and First Flight, and also setting the animated films up for another sequel.
What worked best were the entertaining segments and the continuity in animation. The only down fall was the animation didn't seem as crisp as some of the previous releases. The plot wasn't the most intricate or even the best of the animated films, but Emerald Knights is still definitely worth checking out. I wouldn't consider myself an avid fan of the character or mythos and I thought it was a lot of fun.
The special features on the blu ray were actually some of the coolest I've seen yet. There's a sneak peak at the making of Batman Year One in there as well, which looks pretty damn awesome itself.
Reader Comments (4)
"What worked well was the continuity between Emerald Knights and First Flight"
What?
What continuity, what time-line? These two movies cannot exist next to one another for a number of obvious reasons.
Which film is set first? First Flight or the plot of Emerald Knigths?
I thought this came after First Flight. More or less that Hal was the same Green Lantern, but just that it took place further into his career and he was there just to tell the stories.
Yes. That would have been logical. Hal Jordan was a senior Lantern and had a novice to whom he told the stories.
Except Sinestro was still a respected Green Lantern in the 2nd film, and Boodikka is still alive.
It didn't make any sense. And although I enjoyed Emerald Knights, that aspect of it, i.e. the non-continuity, did almost spoil it.
Wow was I stunned to not catch that. In that case a direct sequel to First Flight would have made much more sense.
I wonder if GL: TAS will follow the continuity of either release or start from scratch again.