Justice
League Vs. The Fatal Five 4K
(2019/DC Comics/Warner 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray w/Blu-ray)/Robot
Ninja (1989/Tempe Digital
Blu-ray w/DVD)/The Vault
(*)/Vengeance: A Love
Story (*both
2017/MVD/FilmRise Blu-ray)/We
Die Young (2019/Lionsgate
Blu-ray w/DVD)
4K
Ultra HD Picture: A- Picture: B+/B & B-/B/B+/B+ & B-
Sound: A- & B+/B & B-/B/B/B+ & B- Extras: B/B/C-/C-/B
Films: B-/C+/C+/C/C
Here's
a group of releases that intersect animation, live action, fantasy
and martial arts all over the place...
DC
Comics and Warner Bros. have come out with yet another animated
Justice League film, this time it's Justice
League vs The Fatal Five
(2019). Captured in a style similar to the original Batman:
The Animated Series
from the 1990s and the work of Bruce Timm, this new animated film is
a fun adventure that brings back some veteran DC voice talent,
including fan favorites Kevin Conroy as Batman, Susan Eisenberg as
Wonder Woman, and George Newbern as Superman. This film will attempt
to fill the void of live action Justice League entries, since this
film as live action would cost an upwards of $200 Million to produce!
Justice
League vs The Fatal Five
features the voice talent of Susan Eisenberg (as Wonder Woman),
George Newbern (as Superman), Elyes Gabel, Diane Guerrero, and Peter
Jessop. The film is directed by Sam Liu and the animation is, of
course, by Warner Bros. Animation respectively.
The
Justice League face off against a new threat, the time traveling
misfits The Fatal Five; this time with a new female Green Lantern
named Jessica Cruz. As the Fatal Five attack Metropolis, the team
bands together in an attempt to stop them before the they destroy
space and time! In addition to the new Green Lantern, the film also
features Star Boy and Miss Martian, who are new to the DC animated
film-verse.
The
animated film is presented in 2160p HEVC/H.265, HDR (10; Ultra HD
Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on a 4K UHD disc and a
widescreen version of 1.78:1 and English DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1
lossless mix. The animation is clean throughout and there's a bit
more texture and detail than in the (also included) Blu-ray edition.
The score to the film is pretty generic and nothing to write home
about, but not distracting.
Also
included is a 1080p high definition Blu-ray edition with similar
widescreen and audio tracks, and a slightly more compressed image
than the 4K UHD obviously. Being that the animation here isn't too
complex, the similarities between the two are more minimal than
usual. A digital copy is also included.
Special
Features include...
The
Battling
the Invisible Menace
featurette explores the nuanced hero as many characters must deal
with the everyday feelings of anxiety, depression, and other
incapacitating emotions that we all must battle and overcome.
Justice
League vs. Fatal Five: Unity of Hero
featurette looks at how the pantheon of DC heroes has never been more
diverse and inclusive, as writers and artists break boundaries and
smash stereotypes.
Audio
Commentary with Bruce Timm, Sam Liu, Jim Krieg and Eric Carrasco
share their thoughts and insights on Justice
League vs. The Fatal Five.
A
Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe Movie, Batman:
Hush,
An advance look at the next animated film in the popular DC Universe
Movies collection.
Sneak
Peek Revisited: A Preview of Justice
League Dark,
John Constantine leads a group of misfit characters that use magic
to vanquish their opponents. This is the dark version of The Justice
League taking on the malevolent forces that go beyond our plane of
existence.
Sneak
Peek Revisited: A Preview of Justice
League vs. Teen Titans,
A glimpse into the characters known as the Teen Titans.
From
the DC Vault: Justice
League Unlimited,
"Far
From Home"
and
from the DC Vault: Legion
of Superheroes,
"Man
of Tomorrow"
J.R.
Bookwalter, the indie director behind '80s zombie romp The Dead Next
Door (which got a special edition release last year and is reviewed
elsewhere on this site), fuses both the superhero and ninja genres
with Robot
Ninja
(1989). A 'do it all himself' filmmaker much like Robert Rodriguez,
Bookwalter wrote, edited, produced, scored, and directed the film!
Which is no easy feat mind you.
While
it has some fun moments and interesting ideas, Robot
Ninja
is Troma-level low budget thrills that cult movie fans will certainly
enjoy, but a majority of critics won't be raving about. Hilariously
dated and over the top, the film also serves as a '80s time capsule
piece. Robot Ninja is a perfect film to put on for a few cheap
laughs on a Friday night with friends.
Robot
Ninja
stars Michael Todd, Bogdan Pecic, Maria Markovic, Floyd Ewing Jr.,
Bill Morrison, James L. Edwards, and cameo appearances by Burt Ward
(Robin from the original Batman
live action television series in the 1960s.)
A
comic book artist named Leonard Miller (Todd) witnesses a horrible
rape crime and becomes the vigilante Robot Ninja, which is inspired
by his own famous character. However, Leonard gets a bit too
involved, and soon becomes a murderous madman, hell bent on tracking
down the bad guys of the crime he witnessed at any cost necessary.
As Leonard's sense of reality becomes blurred, he also starts taking
drugs, making him even more unhinged! Bad guys beware!
This
Ultimate Edition is two discs and presents the 79-minute film in
1080p high definition with a 1.33:1 full frame aspect ratio and a
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix. A 2K master from the
original film elements, the overall restoration is pretty nice with
smooth colors, and an image far superior to previous releases
considering it was likely last seen during the VHS era.
There
are several different audio mixes on the disc including lossy Dolby
Digital 5.1 and lossy, original Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo mix. The
score by Bookwalter is synth and gives the film the '80s vibe that's
appropriate. A standard definition DVD with a full frame 1.33 X 1
aspect ratio and the lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 & 2.0 tracks is also
included as a bonus.
Special
Features include...
Audio
Commentary with writer/director J.R. Bookwalter, moderated by Matthew
Dilts-Williams of Phantom Pain Films!
Audio
Commentary with executive producer David DeCoteau & producer J.R.
Bookwalter!
Audio
Commentary with director J.R. Bookwalter, star James L. Edwards,
associate producer
Scott
P. Plummer, co-creator David Lange, and special makeup consultant
David P. Barton!
Rebuilding
the Robot:
J.R. Bookwalter on the Restoration. (21 mins.)
Thank
You Miss Barbeau:
Interview with Linnea Quigley. (5 mins.)
Contemplating
Coleslaw:
Interview with Scott Spiegel. (6 mins.)
Dr.
Goodknight's Neighborhood:
Location Tour with Benjamin Bookwalter. (5 mins.)
"The
Robot Ninja"
2013 Fan Film with introduction by director Johnny Dickie. (7 mins.)
Artwork
& Promotional Gallery (5 mins.)
Behind
The Scenes Gallery (6 mins.)
Production
Stills Gallery (4 mins.)
and
Tempe Digital Trailers.
The
film had a kickstarter campaign, where I'm sure they were given to
contributors.
Robot
Ninja
is a fun B-movie that isn't perfect, but was made with love. It's
nice to see that it is getting a second life on the Blu-ray format
after all of these years.
A
paranormal bank robbery movie, The
Vault
(2017), is just that. Directed by Dan Bush (The
Signal),
The
Vault
is an interestingly made film with James Franco being the most
recognizable face in the cast. The
Vault
reminds me a little bit of The
Strangers
series in some of its later acts as masked entities hunt down their
human prey, but overall the film isn't too bad and packs a few scares
as the demons force people to kill themselves.
Two
sisters are part of an elaborate bank robbery that seemingly goes to
plan at first, but when they discover that there is even more money
in a lower vault level, the payday seems to be too good to be true.
When they go down to the vault to investigate, what they find is
beyond anything that they expected... a group of demonic bank robbers
who are protecting a fortune that they refuse to part with.
The
film stars Taryn Manning, Francesca Eastwood, Scott Haze, Q'orianka
Kilcher, and Clifton Collins Jr.
The
Vault
is presented on Blu-ray in 1080p with a widescreen aspect ratio of
2.39:1 and audio tracks in both English 5.1 and English 2.0. The
film is shot digitally and looks up to standards with detail in the
image and an interestingly colored palette. The film never feels
cheap despite the fact that it was likely made for a few million.
The
only extra is a Trailer.
Vengeance:
A Love Story
(2017)
stars Nicolas Cage and that's about the best thing that it has going
for it. Another rape/revenge story to add to Hollywood's long list
of rape/revenge movies with one dimensional characters and plot
points that are painfully predictable. Directed by Johnny Martin (I
Am Wrath),
Vengeance:
A Love Story
is basically a less effective version of the Death Wish films, but
with Nicolas Cage in the lead.
The
film also stars Anna Hutchison, Deborah Kara Unger, Don Johnson,
Joshua Mikel, and Charlene Tilton.
Walking
her daughter home from a wild Fourth of July party one night, a woman
ends up gang raped in front of the child. The little girl identifies
the offenders, but their hot shot lawyer (Johnson) ends up getting
them free. Its up to a Police Officer (Cage) to go after the
perpetrators and form his own brand of justice, by killing them off.
Vengeance
is presented in 1080p high definition with a 1.78:1 widescreen aspect
ratio and a lossy 5.1 Dolby Digital English surround sound mix. The
film looks and sounds fine, though shot on a high budget, the pallet
is mostly realistic with nothing too over stylized.
The
only extra here too is a trailer.
Finally,
Jean-Claude Van Damme returns in the new gang-centric film, We
Die Young
(2019), which is written and directed by Lior Geller. Set on the
dirty streets of Washington DC, two young boys get mixed up with the
San Salvadorean gang. Just as they start to get in too deep, it's
soon up to a mute Van Damme (whose also suffering from PTSD) to save
these boys from this terrible life. It'll be an all out war though
before things get properly settled...
We
Die Young
also features Joseph Long, Joana Metrass, David Castaneda, Gary
Beadle, and Elijah Rodriguez.
The
film is presented in 1080p on Blu-ray disc with a widescreen aspect
ratio of 2.40:1 and an English DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless
mix, both of which are of a high quality for the format. The overall
look is stylized and colorful, yet grounded in realism. As expected,
the lot of the soundtrack is rap centric, to make the gang seem even
more threatening, I guess.
A
digital copy is also included.
Special
Features include...
Commentary
with Writer/Director Lior Geller and actors Elijah Rodriguez and
Nicholas Sean Johnny
Storyboard-to-Screen
Comparison
On
the set of We
Die Young
and
a Trailer for this and other Lionsgate releases.
As
far as gang movies are concerned, We
Die Young
is fine for it is, but nothing I'd necessarily watch more than once.
-
James
Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
