Justice League Dark: Apokolips War rebooted the DC Animated Universe, and Justice Society: World War II is the latest chapter in this new era of storytelling. Utilising the same animation style we saw in Superman: Man of Tomorrow, this is another adventure that delivers a fresh spin on a familiar concept as the Flash finds himself travelling back in time to fight alongside the Justice Society of America in the dark days of the World War II. With a roster made up of heroes like Wonder Woman, Hourman, Black Canary, Hawkman, Steve Trevor, and Jay Garrick, this is an exciting new take on the team that sees director Jeff Wamester and co-writers Jeremy Adams and Meghan Fitzmartin take these characters to some unexpected places, delivering an interpretation of them that feels both familiar and original in a way which means even hardcore comic book fans will be surprised.
On that note, rest assured that there are heaps of twists and turns here, with a fun new take on the DC Universe that sees the likes of Aquaman and Wonder Woman reimagined in ways you won't see coming. Throw in some cameos not revealed in the trailers and a fascinating, unexpected exploration of the Speed Force, and this is a movie that leaves us with plenty to talk about.
The animation style lends itself well to the war-torn setting for the most part, and these characters look fantastic in action. The Flash's powers are handled in some inventive, previously unseen ways, no easy feat when we've seen so much of the Scarlet Speedster both on television and in these animated features. However, while many fans will be here solely for the action, the character interactions are what really make Justice Society: World War II feel special. Whether it's Steve Trevor's charming dynamic with Wonder Woman or a very different take on the Black Canary/Hawkman dynamic, seeing these heroes interact is a real treat. Not everyone gets the same amount of screentime (Hourman's addiction to Miraclo will hopefully be addressed in a sequel), but that's to be expected with an ensemble like this one...even if it does make the odd character feel like something of an afterthought.
None of the character interactions would work without the movie's terrific cast, and Matt Bomer (The Flash), Stana Katic (Wonder Woman), Liam McIntyre (Aquaman), Omid Abtahi (Hawkman), and Chris Diamantopoulos (Steve Trevor) are among the highlights. That doesn't take anything from the likes of Elysia Rotaru, Armen Taylor, and the rest of the movie's leads, of course, as everyone is on top form here and perfectly suited to who they play. Some risks are definitely taken with how some characters are portrayed - Abtahi's thoughtful, less brutish take on Hawkman, for example - and those all pay off here.
If Justice Society: World War II ever falters, it's when the action moves to Atlantis. As much fun as it is to see this new Aquaman, it feels like the movie might have benefited from remaining on dry land, exploring the place of this superhero team both on the battlefield and in history. However, big action set pieces are to be expected in a story such as this, so anyone here for those won't be disappointed by seeing the JSA head beneath the sea. As much as this new animation style fits the characters themselves, it does have limitations, and that makes those bigger moments feel a little less grand than they might be with more detailed surroundings and a larger budget. That's particularly the case in the final battle, and we again couldn't help but think the movie might have benefited from remaining a little more grounded with this take on the JSA. Still, after quite a few "safe" DCAU movies in the past, it's definitely good to see another at least attempt to break the mould.
Justice Society: World War II is an action-packed pulpy adventure with an incredible voice cast that dares to do something new with the DC Animated Universe, all while hitting the familiar beats fans have come to love.
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