| Green Lantern: Emerald Knights | |
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 Cover of the U.S. Blu-ray | |
| Directed by |
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| Written by | |
| Based on | |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Edited by | Margaret Hou |
| Music by | Christopher Drake |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Warner Home Video |
Release date |
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Running time | 84 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights[1][2] is a 2011 Americananimatedsuperhero film that tells various stories featuring members ofGreen Lantern Corps, includingAbin Sur,Laira,Kilowog, andMogo.[3][4] It was released on June 7, 2011.[5] While not a direct sequel toFirst Flight, the film uses the same character designs.
It is the eleventh film released under theDC Universe Animated Original Movies banner. It is also the second DC Animated Movie followingBatman: Gotham Knight to feature ananthology format, though unlike the latter, it features a single, uniform animation and visual style and anoverall linking story. Animation was outsourced toStudio 4°C, JM Animation andStudio Pierrot. The film received mixed-to-positive reviews with many critics praising the animation, voice acting, and action sequences, but criticizing the story and characterization.
Two of the stories ("Mogo Doesn't Socialize" and "Abin Sur") were based on comic stories written byAlan Moore, who has a standing policy of not allowing his name to be used in the credits when his stories are adapted to other media. Although it uses the same name, it has no relation with the 1998 comic bookEmerald Knights.
Despite the film featuring a standalone story,Nathan Fillion would later reprise the Green Lantern role in several DC films, particularly theDC Animated Movie Universe.
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The sun of theGreen Lantern Corps' homeworld,Oa, is becoming a gateway for an anti-matter entity calledKrona. In response, theGuardians of the Universe start evacuating Oa of all valuables, such as the Central Battery. While in line to charge their power rings before the Battery is removed, new recruitArisia Rrab admits she lacks faith in her abilities. Hearing this,Hal Jordan tells her the story of the first Green Lantern.
Avra, the Guardians' humblescribe, was chosen by one of the Corps' first four power rings despite not being a warrior. He,G'Hu,Wachet andBlu are tasked with stopping theDominators, but Blu is killed in battle. Nonetheless, Avra uses his imagination to create the first ring construct and lead his allies in destroying the Dominator fleet. Since then, shaping constructs from the power rings became the standard operating procedure. After his death, Avra's ring is passed down through the years, eventually coming intoAbin Sur and Jordan's possession.
At present, Jordan and Arisia meetKilowog, the Green Lantern Corps' head drill sergeant. Jordan tells her not to fear Kilowog and recounts the story of Kilowog's own trainer.
Sergeant Deegan trained the rookie Kilowog, among others, by removing their power rings and putting them into deadly situations. An angry Kilowog accused Deegan of not valuing his trainees' lives before they and the recruits were called to defend a nearby planet from theKhunds. Deegan abandoned Kilowog to lead the other recruits, ordering them to protect the refugees while he fought the invaders. Once Kilowog caught up, Deegan had been mortally wounded. Before he died, the latter revealed he was doing what was best for the rookies and passed hisauthority to Kilowog, who completed the mission.
Jordan and Arisia arrive at a border patrol at the sun to await Krona's return, where they hear a prophecy fromLaira, whereupon Jordan shares Laira's story.
For her first solo mission, Laira was sent back to her homeworld, Jayd, to address war crimes committed by her people. After learning they were ordered by her father, who was driven into rage and jealousy after her ring chose her instead of him, she defeated him in combat, after which he admitted she had truly become an adult before committingritual suicide to maintain his honor. He died in Laira's arms, claiming that she was Jayd's true protector, not him.
Back at the border patrol, every Lantern extant is called to await Krona's return, with the apparent exception ofMogo. When Arisia asks who Mogo is, Jordan explains.
The warmongerBolphunga sought to fight and kill the universe's most powerful warriors. After his latest opponent tells him he will never defeat Mogo, Bolphunga traveled to a mysterious planet in search of him. He spent weeks tracking a plethora of powerful energy signatures, but his search proved fruitless and he planted explosives to flush out Mogo. However, Bolphunga soon discovered Mogo is the planet itself as the latter extinguished the bombs and captured him before he could escape.
At Oa's sun, Jordan and Arisia are attacked by Krona's Shadow Demons and rescued bySinestro, who speaks of the prophecy that Oa will be destroyed and relates a story of Abin.
While capturingAtrocitus, Abin and Sinestro discussed Atrocitus' prophecies, with Sinestro insisting that he does not believe in destiny. Abin took Atrocitus to the prison planet Ysmault, where Atrocitus spoke of Abin's imminent death, Sinestro's betrayal, and the formation of a fear-based Lantern Corps. Refusing to believe his friend would do so, Abin imprisoned Atrocitus.
As Krona emerges, the Corps fight his shadow demons, but suffer heavy casualties. While regrouping, Arisia devises a plan to kill Krona with an equal or greater amount of matter to counter his anti-matter. The Corps fall back to Oa and push it towards the sun. The Shadow Demons kill more of their number until Mogo arrives, killing Krona and destroying Oa. In the aftermath, Mogo agrees to become the Green Lantern Corps' temporary base until they build a new Oa while Arisia receives an entry in the Book of Oa for her ingenuity.
The film has received a mostly mixed to positive reception. Joey Esposito ofIGN praised the film's visuals, voice acting, and action sequences, but criticized its thin plot and characterization. Esposito felt that it was difficult to connect emotionally with the characters, and asserted thatEmerald Knights was best watched by established fans of the Green Lantern comics series.[8] In a review forDVD Talk, Jamie Rich also praised the animation and action sequences, while panning the film's storyline. Rich also recommended the film to "true Lantern fans" in particular.[9] On the other hand, Alan Kistler ofNewsarama called it "a solid feature [that] should be enjoyed by any Green Lantern fan, as well as anyone who knows nothing about the comic and wants to learn."[10] Joseph Szadkowski ofThe Washington Times praised the design decisions made in the making of the film and, specifically, called the fight between Laira and her father one of the best animated hand-to-hand combat sequences that he had ever seen.[11]
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights earned $3,468,925 from domestic home video DVD sales and $2,228,971 from domestic Blu-ray sales, bringing its total domestic home video earnings to $5,697,896.[12]
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