Green Lantern: Emerald Knights

• Directed by Christopher Berkeley, Lauren Montgomery, and Jay Oliva
• June 7, 2011

Voice Cast

• Hal Jordan/Green Lantern-Nathan Fillion
• Arisia Rrab-Elisabeth Moss
• Sinestro-Jason Isaacs
• Kilowog-Henry Rollins
• Laira-Kelly Hu
• Bolphunga-Roddy Piper
• Bolphunga’s Ship-Sunil Malhotra
• Abin Sur-Arnold Vosloo
• Kentor, Appa Ali Apsa-Tony Amendola
• Kloba Vud, Palaqua, Ranakar, G’Hu, Additional Voices-Steve Blum
• Ree’Yu, Ardakian Trawl, Boodikka-Grey DeLisle
• Ganthet-Michael “Not That One” Jackson
• Salaak-Peter Jessop
• Rubyn-David Kaufman
• Abin Sur’s Ring, Deegan’s Ring-Andrea Romano
• Wachet-Jane Singer
• Tomar-Re-James Arnold Taylor
• Atrocitus-Bruce Thomas
• Galius Zed-Bruce Timm
• Avra-Mitchell Whitfield
• Deegan-Wade Williams
• Blu-Gwendoline Yeo

As Oa braces for a battle with an ancient enemy, Hal Jordan prepares new recruit Arisia for the coming conflict by relating stories of past Green Lanterns.

One thing that jumped out at me was on the case it says, “From The Producers Of The Movie Green Lantern.” I don’t think that film was terrible but it’s certainly not on the same level as this. This is actually a very interesting and entertaining film that focuses on the Green Lantern Corps itself and not an individual character. 

This is an anthology film containing five shorts bookended by an overarching story of the fabled Oa being threatened by the ancient and deadly Krona. There are lessons to be found in each of these stories. Find your inner strength. Stand up for what’s right even if it is difficult. Don’t make assumptions or you’ll find yourself in trouble. It makes Green Lantern: Emerald Knights a little deeper than some of the other DCAU efforts. 

More often than not the animation of the DCAU kills it with their work and this is no different. It is fluid and dynamic and just gets the heart pumping. It’s art. You are pulled into this beautiful to watch story.

I wish the story had focused more on the past rather than present characters. In the mythos the Lantern Corps has existed for eons and we only get a look at the first four Lanterns in the opening story. The rest are current Lanterns. Let us delve into the mythos of them.

Also considering they were facing a massive threat and Hal Jordan was a mentor to new Lantern Arisia Rrab perhaps Hal should’ve related one of his own experiences to the new girl. It seems like a logical reaction for an individual to relate your own experience rather than the stories of everyone else but you. Especially if you’re a teacher.

Though the first short Green Lantern was good and heartfelt, my favorite was Mogo Doesn’t Socialize. Bolphunga the Unrelenting decides to make a name for himself by taking out a very powerful Green Lantern named Mogo. The reality of Mogo was hinted at far too bluntly for my tastes. Doesn’t mean it wasn’t rewarding but I think it would’ve had a little more impact if they held off on teasing it just an instance or two more in the story longer.

Still though, the storytelling here is strong and they do a good job of making this visually a space opera film. The era in which this iteration of the concept was born was a time of jetpacks and ray guns. Flash Gordon was what was popular, and this does a good job of capturing that feel.

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights has great animation and great stories. This is one of those things that fans of superhero action will enjoy and maybe people of something not so much may find worth in it as well. I say check it out.