DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation have had a long-standing partnership with the latter bringing the former's vision to "life". In recent years, this collaboration has been a fruitful endeavor for both companies. In the last five years, they have released such titles as Batman: The Killing Joke, Death of Superman, and Batman: Hush. They have become some of the successful animated direct to video films and they have a large (and perhaps, somewhat fanatical) fan base. In the last week, they have released yet another film called Injustice. Based on the video game, which was then turned into a comic book, has now become an entertaining feature film.
When Joker (Kevin Pollak; A Few Good Men) and Harley Quinn (Gillian Jacobs; Community) kill Jimmy Olson (Zach Callison; The Goldbergs) and kidnap Lois Lane (Laura Bailey; The Last of Us: Part II), Superman (Justin Hartley; This is Us) vows to do anything he can to get her back, especially since she is carrying their child. When he finds Joker and Harley, he is sprayed with a substance that makes him hallucinate. Thinking Lois is Doomsday, he is tricked by Joker into killing her. Distraught, he makes it his mission to rid the world of evil and to enforce his own brand of justice which fractures the Justice League into two opposing groups of superheroes.
In the last twenty-five years, there have been a number of actors who have lent their vocal talent to the catalog of DC comics superheroes. They have had to walk a fine line between staying true to the characters and the actors that have also portrayed the superheroes while infusing some of themselves into the role.
Hartley, who is no stranger to portraying a DC Comics superhero (he played the Green Arrow on the television show Smallville), comfortably slips into voicing Superman as he goes "dark" and vengeful in Injustice. His costars are also very good with honorable mention going to Jacobs as Harley Quinn. She probably has one of the most difficult characters to portray due to her many "layers", but she manages to infuse her voice with various tones to help her project what she is thinking and feeling. This is definitely an ensemble cast working together to create an overall feel and, to their credit, no one stands out in a bad way.
Unlike some of the previously animated DC comics, animators went with sharper edges, perhaps in an attempt to differentiate this alternate universe from the one we are used to. The costume designs also have little unique details helping to determine which Universe the characters are from. The color shadings and sharp lines almost give this movie an evilness and harshness that also helps it stand apart from previous released DC Comics animated features.
The Dolby Atmos audio is a treat. Explosions are multifaceted with layers of sound giving them depth. The dialogue is clear, if uninventive but it is serviceable in a movie where, let's face it, the fight scenes reign supreme. The extras don't add much new content to the release, which is disappointing. They include Adventures in Storytelling - Injustice: Crisis and Conflict, DC Universe Movies Flashback: Reign of Superman and The Death of Superman, and From the DC Vault: Injustice For All, Part 1 and Injustice For All, Part 2.
This set maybe a little less polished or interesting than some of the other titles in their catalog, but it is still a polished release in the way only DC Comics and Warner Bros. animation can produce.
Solid but not extraordinary, this set would still make a wonderful holiday present for the DC Comics/Warner Bros. Animation fan in your life.
Grade: B-
