Justice
League Dark (2017/Limited Edition w/Constantine figure/DC
Comics/Warner Blu-ray w/DVD)
Picture:
B+/B- Sound: B+/B- Extras: B Film: B+
Comic
fans will forever be dueling over which is the stronger company,
Marvel or DC, but in all honesty both companies are equal. As far as
animated films are concerned, DC is beating Marvel by a long shot -
producing bold, often R-rated content that push the characters in
directions even the feature films can't due to the MPAA. In many
cases, these animated features also end up inspiring future DC
Universe films as was apparent with Suicide Squad and the
Batman: Assault on Arkham animated film which both had tons of
similarities. Hopefully this will be the same case with Justice
League Dark (2017), as it has been announced that plans are in
the works for a live action feature film adaptation of the property
and now having this fantastic animated film out there, one could easy
borrow many ideas and story points from this film and it would
translate very well to live action with the right cast and director.
For
those unfamiliar, Justice League Dark consists of Constantine
(voiced by Matt Ryan - who played the live action version of the
character in the short lived NBC series), Dead Man, Swamp Thing,
Etrigan the Demon, and talented magician Zatanna. All of these
powerful characters are also aided by Batman himself in this film,
but typically aren't in the comics. All of these heroes have
extraordinary gifts similar to that of the Justice League but have
much darker backstories that are geared towards a more adult
audience. If you're a fan of these characters, I would also suggest
checking out the comics and graphic novels, which are available under
the DC 'New 52' label.
When
an otherworldly spell is cast over normal citizens, forcing them to
see every person they come in contact with as a monstrous threat, the
crime rate starts to swell as many innocents are affected. To help
find an explanation, Batman seeks out the Justice League Dark - a
ragtag group of mystical misfits who all bring their particular set
of the skills to the table and help expose the supernatural threat
and take it down swiftly.
Presented
in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1,
the animated film looks fantastic on Blu-ray similar in style to the
Batman: The Animated Series (reviewed elsewhere on this site)
from the 1990s. While computer trickery was of course involved in
helping the film come to life, the filmmakers take liberty of making
the animation appear as if it was hand drawn as an overall style. As
for the Blu-ray audio, a DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless track
delivers the experience up to standard with a rousing score and a
nice balance between hard sound effects and dialogue.
A
standard definition DVD copy of the film is also included with an
anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and a lossy Dolby
Digital 5.1 track, which is standard for the format and a little
lackluster compared to the Blu-ray. A Digital UV copy of the film is
also included.
Special
Features...
Collectible
packaging with Constantine mini figure (Exclusive to this particular
packaged edition)
The
Story of Swamp Thing
Did
you Know?
-
Constantine Origin
-
Color of Magic
-
Black Orchid
-
Deadman Casting
2016
Comicon Panel
Sneak
Peak at Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
From
the DC Comics Vault: 2 Bonus Cartoons
Trailer
for DC's Wonder Woman feature film
and
as pictured with the review, this figure-containing box is also
available as a limited edition version of 6,000 copies with a
hardcover graphic novel version of the film.
A
must watch for DC Comics fans, this adult animated film is
interesting and shows a lot of promise for the Justice League Dark
brand in the future.
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
