Taking Advantage of an Extensive Runtime and a Centralized Creative Vision, 'Zack Snyder’s Justice League' Delivers a Superior Experience

While I did enjoy the DCEU’s Justice League back in 2017, I also found it to be messy and uneven.  And when compared to the MCU’s first Avengers film, it objectively comes off as an inferior product.

Most of the fault for its failure is attributed to the production woes behind the scenes.  Zack Snyder, grieving the sudden death of his daughter, had to step down during post-production, and Warner Bros. brought in Joss Whedon to finish the film.  The final cut of the film released back then apparently turned out being more Whedon than Snyder.  Thus, the unsatisfactory performance of the film – which eventually came to be referred to as “Joss-tice League” – was mostly blamed on Whedon.

Soon afterward, rumors of the existence of a “Synder Cut” – a version of the film true to Zack Snyder’s original vision – spread around the Internet.  While there was skepticism, the legitimacy of the Snyder Cut only gained more traction when people that were involved with the production started suggesting that it exists.  Thus, fans began the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement.  After years of campaigning, fans got what they want as Warner Bros. finally decided in 2020 to let Snyder realize his vision of the film.  Warner Bros. had to shell out $70 million to cover the cost of finishing the visual effects and reshoots.

'Batman: Soul of the Dragon' Delightfully Brings Together Some of DC's Best Martial Artists in a 70's Martial Arts Caper

Batman: Soul of the Dragon is the second post-DCAMU film from the DCUAOM.  This isn’t set in the same universe as Superman: Man of Tomorrow as I originally thought.  I guess the DCUAOM won’t be doing a shared universe replacement for DCAMU anytime soon.

'Wonder Woman 1984' Is the Worst DCEU Film So Far

I first used the title above for my review of Birds of Prey.  But, as it happens, I found its DCEU successor to be worse than it.  Yep.  For me, Wonder Woman 1984 is the worst among the nine DCEU films so far.

Wonder Woman 1984 is set in, well, 1984 – several decades after the first movie.  As Princess Diana of Themyscira continually fulfills her heroic duties as Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she also maintains the civilian alter ego of Diana Prince, who works as an antiquities expert at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.  One day, an encounter with a mysterious, ancient artifact triggers a series of events that causes Diana to be somehow reunited with her late lover Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) and to clash with supervillains Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) and Cheetah (Kristen Wiig) for the fate of the world.

The New DCUAOM Era Kicks Off with 'Superman: Man of Tomorrow'

Superman: Man of Tomorrow is the first DCUAOM offering since the DCAMU came to a powerful, poignant close.  I’m not sure if this movie is a standalone or if it’s the first installment of the new DC animated movie universe.  But signs seem to point that it’s the latter.

As another Superman origin story, the movie takes a crack at telling a new version of the story of how Clark Kent eventually took on the identity of Superman.  In this incarnation, Batman has been operating for a while now (Batman actually didn’t appear in the movie, but he got name dropped, which would lead to this inference); J’onn J’onzz a.k.a. Martian Manhunter plays a big role in Clark’s formative arc toward becoming Superman; and Lobo, Lex Luthor, and Parasite are the adversaries that a rookie Superman have to contend while undergoing the learning curve of being a superhero.

'Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons: The Movie' Puts Deathstroke Into the Middle of a Dark but Cheesy Superhero Family Drama

Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons: The Movie is the very first DC animated movie headlined by Deathstroke.  However, it isn’t a production of DC Universe Animated Original Movies (DCUAOM).  Rather, it was originally meant to be a 12-episode web TV series over at CW Seed.  But like CW Seed’s previous DC animated project Constantine: City of Demons, it didn’t finish its run (in the case of Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons, it didn’t go further than the pilot; Constantine: City of Demons at least had a couple of episodes), but was instead turned into a direct-to-video animated movie.

DCAMU Films, Ranked

From 2013 to 2020, the DC Animated Movie Universe told the complete story of a DC universe – right from its literal beginning to its literal end.  The epic finale has been out for a while already, so I thought it would be now appropriate to share my ranking of the franchise’s 16 movies.

Here’s how I personally arrange them from worst to best…

CLICK HERE for my full review.

‘Justice League Dark: Apokolips War’ Brings the DCAMU to an Epic Close

It came as a shock to me when it was reported that the newest DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU) installment, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, was going to be its final one.  For seven years, the DCAMU has maintained an effective shared universe, and has been a quality source of adult-oriented DC animated content.  I don’t necessarily love all of its installments, but having followed it from day one, I’ve come to love the franchise in general.  Thus, it ending has kinda gotten me a bit emotional.

'Lego DC: Shazam! – Magic and Monsters' Does Some Things Better Than the DCEU's 'Shazam!'

As what was revealed in Lego DC: Batman – Family Matters, the next Lego DC movie revolves around Shazam.  Titled Lego DC: Shazam! – Magic and Monsters, it follows Shazam who has been making a splash as the new superhero in town.  When recruited by the Justice League to join the team, he’s thrilled at first, but then becomes reluctant when he learns that he needs to reveal to them that he’s really a 10-year-old boy named Billy Batson.  Meanwhile, the heroes must defeat the Monster Society of Evil – Mr. Mind, Doctor Sivana, Jeepers, Oom, and Dummy – who is secretly being manipulated by Black Adam to do his bidding.

'Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)' Is the Worst DCEU Film So Far

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) or just simply Birds of Prey – which is then later renamed to Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey in an attempt to encourage more ticket sales after a disappointing premiere week – is the eighth installment of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).  It’s a spin-off movie of 2016’s Suicide Squad that centers on its break out star Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and is set after the events of that movie.  On top of that, it also serves as an origin story for the DCEU’s version of the Birds of Prey, DC Comics’ iconic all-female superhero team.

The DCUAOM Botches Up 'Superman: Red Son'

After adapting what’s considered as the very first Elseworlds story Gotham by Gaslight, wherein Gotham is reimagined as a Victorian era setting and Batman is pitted against Jack the Ripper, the DCUAOM (DC Universe Animated Original Movies) then adapts an Elseworld story centered on Superman – Superman: Red Son.  I had been greatly looking forward to this animated film adaptation since the source material is my most favorite Elseworlds comic book ever.

'Lego DC: Batman – Family Matters' Somehow Went Under My Radar

I’ve grown really fond of the Lego DC Comics Super Heroes franchise ever since my first encounter with it.  Its movies aren’t necessarily great, but as far as consistency in entertainment quality is concerned, I feel that it’s the most rewarding among DC’s ongoing non-comicbook shared universes.  For while the DCAMU, Arrowverse, and DCEU have managed to produce content that can be deemed “great”, that isn’t always the case.  The quality of their respective products varies, ranging from great to disposable.  On the other hand, while Lego DC Comics Super Heroes movies are only clever and enjoyable at a kiddie level, you can bet on it that each installment will entertain by those standards quite wonderfully.

Thus, I’m always on the lookout for a new Lego DC Comics Super Heroes movie, so I usually get to see it around the time of its release – give or take a few weeks.  However, the latest one, Lego DC: Batman – Family Matters, which was released mid-2019, somehow went under my radar last year.  It was only recently that I got to know about it and see it.

'Arrow' Was Revolutionary for Superhero TV

After eight seasons, the curtain finally falls on Arrow.  I was underwhelmed and unsure of some of the choices the narrative opted for in the end, but overall, the finale satisfied.  I guess that simply reflects what I feel about this show as a whole.  I didn’t like everything about it, but I am satisfied with the series overall.

Arrowverse's 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' Is an Overhyped Mess

Crisis on Infinite Earths is the sixth annual Arrowverse crossover event, and loosely based on the ambitious 80’s DC Comics mega-event of the same name that was masterminded by Marv Wolfman.  It’s a five-part superhero TV special that span across episodes of Supergirl, Batwoman, The Flash, Arrow, and Legends of Tomorrow, in that order, and features the casts of those aforementioned shows teaming up to stop a nigh-omnipotent cosmic being called the Anti-Monitor from destroying all of the multiverse – a storyline that was started in the previous Arrowverse crossover event, Elseworlds.

'Joker' Is a Compelling, Thought-Provoking Character Study of an Iconic Comic Book Villain

Joker is a non-DCEU film that aims to tell the origin of Batman’s greatest foe.  It centers on Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a mentally ill and impoverished party clown who struggles in his dream of becoming a standup comedian.  But the society around him is constantly nasty and apathetic, and life relentlessly craps at him.  Perpetually feeling isolated and oppressed, Arthur is gradually pushed toward madness, mayhem, and murder.  Meanwhile, he inadvertently becomes a folk hero to a fed-up, embittered lower class, whose resentful sentiments toward the ruling social elite are quickly reaching their critical boiling point.

'Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans' Tenders a Terrific Time Through a Transdimensional, Titanic Teamup

In the mid-credits scene of Teen Titans Go! to the Movies, the Teen Titans team of the 2003 Teen Titans animated series – the predecessor of the 2013 Teen Titans Go! animated series – makes a surprise appearance.  For a while, it inspired some excited speculation among fans on what it meant.  A movie?  A revived series?  As it turned out, it was teasing Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans.

Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans is a feature-length crossover between the 2003 and the 2013 animated versions of the Teen Titans.  The two teams are abducted by the Master of Games, and are forced to fight each other to determine which team is superior.  Soon, they discover that the ones behind it are the 2003 Trigon and the 2013 Trigon.  In order to save the multiverse, the 2003 and 2013 Teen Titans must learn to work together to stop the two Trigons.

Wonder Woman Deserves a Better First Solo Movie in the DCAMU Than 'Wonder Woman: Bloodlines', Which Is the Worst in the Series

Wonder Woman: Bloodlines is the just the second Wonder Woman direct-to-video animated film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies franchise – coming 10 years after 2009’s Wonder Woman – and the very first solo Wonder Woman film set in the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU).  It explores the origins of Wonder Woman a.k.a. Princess Diana of Themyscira in the DCAMU, and then tells an adventure presumably set in the present time of DCAMU continuity that pits her against Villainy Inc, paving the way for her to go back to Themyscira for the first time since she left it.

'Young Justice: Outsiders' Marks the Pleasing Return of the Beloved TV Show

For me, the cancellation of Young Justice after two brilliant seasons was up there with the cancellations of Spectacular Spider-Man and Firefly as the dumbest, most infuriating, most unfair, most heartbreaking premature TV series cancellations of all time.  Thus, when the news dropped that it was being revived for a third season, I was delightfully shocked.  I really thought that such occurrence – as it is with reviving Spectacular Spider-Man or Firefly for TV – was impossible already.

It took nearly three years of restless anticipation until, at last, it finally dropped this year.  So, was the wait worth it?  Well, yes.  However, I do wish I could answer that rhetorical question with an emphatic, “Heck, yes!”  But I can’t, for even though Young Justice returns without missing a beat as one of my most favorite animated series of all time, I was honestly hoping for something more terrific than what it ended up being.

'Batman: Hush' Is a Solid DCAMU Adaptation of an Acclaimed Comic Book Story Arc

The 13^th installment (14^th, if we count 2013’s Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox as the first installment instead of Justice League: War) of the DC Animated Movie Universe series is an adaptation of the comic book story arc “Hush.”  The film pits Batman against a mysterious new villain named Hush, who appears to be aware of Batman’s secrets, allowing him to be a step ahead of the World’s Greatest Detective.  The Dark Knight also has to deal with several notable members of his rogue gallery – Bane (performing the role that Killer Croc played in the comics), Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Joker, Scarecrow, Riddler, and Clayface – whom Hush has manipulated into carrying out his schemes.  Meanwhile, the film also explores the love triangle between Batman, Catwoman, and Bruce Wayne as well as Bruce Wayne’s friendship with the renowned brain surgeon Thomas Elliot.

Batman: Hush is a pretty solid adaptation.  It gives justice to its source material, which is widely regarded as one of the best Batman storylines ever.  It condenses the plot into its runtime without turning it into a sloppy and rushed translation.  It’s well-paced and well-scripted.

'Doom Patrol' Is Bonkers and Fresh

Although it showed some potential, the first season of Titans was generally underwhelming.  However, I did immensely enjoy its 4^th episode, which featured the Doom Patrol and set them up for their own DC Universe web TV series.  Since then, I was greatly looking to it.

And, yes, indeed, the 15-episode debut season is as deliciously bonkers and immensely entertaining as I thought it would be.  It’s something that The Umbrella Academy hoped it could be – a superb, groundbreaking superhero TV show about a dysfunctional, drama-filled team of eccentric individuals with weird powers and angsty personal issues.

'Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Is a Pleasing Crossover Treat

Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sees Batman, Robin, and Batgirl team up with Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello in order to stop Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins and Shredder and the Foot Clan from pulling off a devastating terrorist attack on Gotham City.  This direct-to-video animated film is based on the comic book mini-series Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which was one of my most favorite titles during the years it came out.  There are essential plot beats which are similar, but it’s not necessarily a direct adaptation of the comics.