La Ligue des justiciers: Dieux et Monstres

To say that I've become disenfranchised by the DC Animated films would be a bit of an understatement. Ever since Justice League: War, they've just been a mess. There was the one bright spot of Assault on Arkham but otherwise they've just been dull action movies that don't do the characters justice. Thank goodness WB brought back Bruce Timm, who was one of the primary creative forces behind the Batman and Justice League animated series that kicked off DC animated projects being good in the first place. The result is the best DC animated film since New Frontier.

Gods and Monsters can be said to be the first true Elseworlds story that's been done in animation. Sure there's been some parallel world stuff (Crisis on Two Earths) and plenty of out of continuity stand alones (like the aforementioned New Frontier) but they've still kept the characters pretty close to the standard versions we all know. None have really tried to craft a completely new vision of what these characters are, and that's what this story does. It makes the wise choice of having different characters taking on the mantles of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman rather than actually trying to muck about with Clark, Bruce or Diana. Instead Superman is the son of Zod, Batman is Kirk Langstrom (better known as the Man-Bat in the main DC universe) and Wonder Woman is one of the New Gods (such as High Father and Darkseid.) Their backstories are explored just enough to give a good picture of these versions without ever bogging down the narrative itself.

Like any good Elseworlds story, this is an "all bets are off" take where any prior knowledge of the main DC universe can add some weight when characters like Victor Fries or Dr. Sivanna get name dropped, but nobody is exactly the same as their standard representation. All of the voice work is solid, and each of the primary characters (and even some of the secondary ones) are given the chance to stretch a little and show some dimension.

The action is also a huge step up from what we've gotten lately. Most of the DCAU films based on the New 52 continuity have had well done yet rather mundane action sequences. The problem is that those films are trying for a more realistic version of fights, which isn't what animation is good for. Animation is good for over the top stuff that couldn't be replicated by just two actors and a fight choreographer, and that over the top stuff is what we get here.

I don't think I can recommend this highly enough for anybody who has found the recent output of DC animated films to be sorely lacking. This is a return to form, it's a top notch story, it's a fun and engrossing new take on characters and it's the kind of thing I hope we see more of in the future.

Flashpoint paradox was the only DC animated l enjoyed in recent years, and especially JL War and Throne of Atlantis were particularly bland and boring.

l suggest anyone to watch the mini introduction chronicles first to get a sense of the new versions of the league members in this alternate universe (especially Superman - Bomb!!). And if you can spend the time to read the 3 (each) mini comic releases for each of these characters you will have a much satisfying experience of this story.

Especially l am amazed with Bekka (Wonderwoman of this universe) origin story and how much deeper Bekka as a character compared to mostly bland Diana. Probably her past on Apocalypse was the best sub-story l ever encountered in DC stories. (This is as much as l can say with out spoilers).

Definitely worth watching, especially if you were a fan of Batman Animated series from 90s. Story is much more darker than regular DC ones, but not pointlessly violent. Don't miss this threat as it does not happen nowadays often.

The characters portrayed in the Justice League are very different from the ones we are usually used to see. The back-story of the characters has been changed and even the real life names of the characters have been changed. This makes for an interesting and gripping plot. Its refreshing to see the characters out of their clichéd stories.

If you are willing to try something out of the comfort zone this is it. The supporting characters have a much different role to play. This storyline is well worth further exploitation. The ending is a platitude that you can expect from Justice League. But the movie is well written and made.

For the past two years, DC's Original Animated Movie lineup was a bit shaky in terms of quality, unlike the 6 years preceding it. Going in, even with Bruce Timm (a legend in American animation) returning, my hopes were not high. I had read the prequel comic series, and I found it entertaining but unnecessarily dark and feared that the movie would suffer from the same flaw. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the movie. It exceeded all my expectations and then some.

The movie showcases an alternate DC universe, which has a darker Justice League who investigate the mystery of some missing scientists. The fallacy of many parallel earth stories are that they do a tacked-on comparison with the originals. Gods and Monsters does it in such a way that is to be applauded with neat hints to Ray Palmer's shrinking technology, the treaty between Apokolips and New Genesis which really gives us a feel to the new universe that is being created here. The story is really great, with focus being on this world's Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, and a last minute twist that no one could have predicted, yet is very faithful to the source material, a silent nod to some relatively recent comic series, such as "52" and "Prelude to Trinity War". The morals of these characters are not black-and-white, which makes it harder to root for them.

The characterization is top-notch, especially with Lex Luthor, Will Magnus and Batman (voiced by the amazing Michael C. Hall, famous for Dexter, who really steals the show). On that note, the voice acting in this one is brilliant, with the exception of Lex Luthor, who seemed a little off to me. The fight scenes are brutal and epic on a grand scale, however, the little moments, such as the revelation of Bekka's tragic past and Kirk's college flashbacks' are the real highlights of the movie. Even in the short span of 60 minutes, it makes you care deeply for these characters, despite their fallacies.

Overall, Gods and Monsters is a great alternate take on the DC Universe, which can be enjoyed by fans, especially since it is laden with easter eggs, and newcomers alike, because of it's accessibility. With great voice acting, excellent animation and a compelling story, it is a must watch for any Justice League fan.

In an alternate universe, the Justice League is a brutal force that maintains order on Earth. As a result of the Justice League's savage tactics, their unaccountability is ultimately challenged by the world's governments following the suspicious deaths of renowned scientists.

Admittedly, I was initially influenced by some of the negative reviews that lashed out at the concept of Justice League: Gods and Monsters; however, this DC Animated Film was surprisingly entertaining. Directed by, Sam Liu, the dark and violent atmosphere suited the overall theme of the movie. Although this is an alternate Justice League from the one I grew to love over the years, this is definitely an exciting addition to the Justice League Animated Movie Series.

7 Stars.