If you compare this animated adaptation of Darwyn Cooke's recent comic book miniseries to the source material, well, you might be a little disappointed. But if you compare it to the last direct to DVD DC Comics feature, "Superman: Doomsday," then you will likely appreciate just how good this is in its own right.
There is just no way a 70-75-minute movie can have the richness and depth a multi-issue comic book can, and indeed, whole subplots and characters were eliminated in the process of bringing that great work to the screen. The first time I watched the movie, I had a small but nagging sense of "Is that IT?" I enjoyed it, but it seemed like something was missing, and what should have been a far more emotional climax didn't feel as EARNED as it should have been. However, on a second sort-of viewing (while mainly listening to a commentary track), I was more impressed by what this version was as opposed to what it was not.
The story is comic writer/artist Darwyn Cooke's love letter to the Silver Age, and if you appreciate that term, than this movie is for you. If you don't, well, I'll say we're talking late 50s/early 60s here, and Cooke's series reinterpreted the iconic characters of the DC universe to fit the era's sensibility. There's a great documentary on the disc that explains it all, but this isn't so much a Justice League story per se as a tale about superheroes and "ordinary" heroes alike coming together and overcoming internal conflicts to face an external threat.
Cooke's comic is a must-read, and the filmmakers did a good job of preserving a lot of the political and sociological ideas that made that story so cool. The character design, the details of things like costumes and set design, and the ideas at work all combine to provide a vivid evocation of the Cold War era. As a result, this movie works on several levels but never fails to provide entertainment and some good old-fashioned superhero action.
It's a lot of fun to see these versions of The Flash, Green Lantern, and the Martian Manhunter come into their own. The voice work, unlike in "Superman: Doomsday," is across-the-board excellent, with Neil Patrick Harris' Flash and Kyle McLachlan's Superman standing out. There is humor, emotion, and, oh, yes, some startling violence. Be forewarned, this isn't a kiddie-level cartoon. As the cover proudly proclaims, it's DC's first PG-13 animated feature, and it earns the rating from the beginning with an early jolting moment.
The 2-disc DVD set is filled out with some cool extras, including commentaries by the filmmakers and by Cooke. Adding value are 4 episodes of the excellent "Justice League" animated TV series. Best of all, though, is a 40-minute documentary on Disc 1 that ties together, with brilliant insight and clarity, the history of the Justice League and the so-called Silver Age (a time period in the comics industry which is loosely defined, often depending on who you're talking to) while putting it all into context of the changing times and history of this nation. To its credit, the featurette even discusses Marvel Comics while providing a well-rounded picture with many different voices. This well-produced extra is worth a look even for diehard comic fans who know the history of the hobby.
There is also a lengthy featurette on the villains of the DC Universe, and while it took 30 minutes for them to get to the New Frontier specifically, I still enjoyed it.
In short, if you loved the comic, you should enjoy this adaptation, even if it isn't the home run the source material is, and the extras make the DVD a great buy. Even non-readers who appreciate the adult sensibilities of recent DC Animated efforts like "Justice League" will like this 2-disc set.
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