Rating: PG-13
Cast: Jason O'Mara (Batman/ Bruce Wayne), Alan Tudyk (Superman/ Clark Kent), Michelle Monaghan (Wonder Woman/ Diana Prince), Justin Kirk (Green Lantern/ Hal Jordan), Christopher Gorham (The Flash/ Barry Allen), Shemar Moore (Cyborg/ Victory Stone), Sean Astin (Shazam/ Billy Batson), Dee Bradley Baker (Parademons), Melique Berger (Sarah Charles), Steven Blum (Darkseid), Kimberly Brooks (Darla), Rocky Caroll (Silas Stone), Ioan Gruffudd (Thomas Morrow), Georgie Kidder (Freddy Freeman), John Mariano (Ice cream vendor), Richard McGonagle (The President of the United States), Matthew Mercer (Guard), Georger Newbern (Steve Trevor), Andrea Romano (Green Lantern's Ring), Roger Rose (Pinstriped Loudmouth), Gary Sturgis (Teammate # 2), Bruce Thomas (Desaad), Hynden Walch (Hannah Grace)
Genre: Animated, Superheroes, Action, Fantasy
Director: Jay Olivia
Producer: James Tucker
Production Companies: DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation
Running Time: 74 minutes
Available On: Netflix, DVD, iTunes
"You bruise, but you don't kill... do you Clark?"
Before I start geeking out, let me first say that the cinematic works of DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation have been on the ball lately. The New 52 and/or DC Rebirth iterations of our favorite heroes, villains, and even some civilians are impressive and visually beautiful. It's quite the step up from the days of the original Justice League and Justice League: Unlimited cartoons, which are still perfect in my mind. In fact, I still enjoy the shows when I have time on Netflix.
With that out of the way, let me go a bit further and say... Holy mother of God this movie is the epitome of perfection. I won't spoil it, but I will say that this movie retells the creation of the Justice League, and does one hell of a job doing it. It covers the situation of Shazam, the creation/ rebirth of Cyborg, introduces Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, The Flash and Wonder Woman's uneasy shift from regal princess of war to Foreign Diplomat. What I love about the movie, other than...well, everything, is the way they bring the characters to life.
Batman is an extension of the darkness, and the darkness an extension of him. He's the sole protector of Gotham, and many (including Green Lantern) think him to be mythical, or even a vampire, given the way he vanishes without a trace into the night. Not only does he break bones, and crack skulls, but he's an intellectual first, which he shows when we encounter him. Green Lantern is an intergalactic policeman, charged with protecting his sector of the galaxy (which is Earth, by the way), from any threats, both human and nonhuman, and his ring is powered by his will. He's loud, mouthy, and talks a lot.
Superman is an alien from the long dead Krypton that has tasked himself with protecting Metropolis. His power is incredible and can do almost anything. Wonder Woman is the demigoddess of war, the daughter of Hippolyta and Zeus. She loves the roar of battle, the rage of war. The Flash is the fastest man alive, who struggles with the murder of his mother as well as his own powers.
Shazam is an orphaned kid, who has been taken in by a foster family. He was gifted with mystic powers by an entity known as The Wizard. Shazam's powers are almost on the same level as superman. Cyborg is half-man and half-machine. His physical prowess as an athlete combined with the technological aspects of his new body make him a force to be reckoned with.
Simply put, the movie is magical, and I easily recommend it to anyone; both nerdy and not-so-nerdy. It's an animated masterpiece, and I love to watch it. In fact, by the time this is posted, I will have finished reading it for the...fifth time.
