Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths :: DVD Review

You ever feel a bit left out when you hear people talking about how good something is but when you think of it you feel as if it was not as good as everyone else is saying? Well, that is how I am feeling with this latest DC Animated feature released by Warner Premiere, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. I have heard overwhelming positive reviews on this movie, yet I find myself in the minority on this one. And don’t get me wrong… it is not that the movie isn’t good, because it is. I just think that, for me, it was nowhere near the level that the Justice League: The New Frontier or Wonder Woman features were. I have a theory as to why which I will get to in a bit, but first…

Let me repeat, this is a good movie. The script is well thought out, the animation was clean and brilliant, and the voice acting was superb. In fact, the voice acting was my favorite part of this film. Mark Harmon does an excellent job as Superman. Likewise do Vanessa Marshall as Wonder Woman, Gina Torres as Superwoman, and Jonathan Adams as Martian Manhunter. These four really did a great job in bringing their characters to life. But the two best performances in the feature are by Chris Noth as Lex Luther and James Woods as Owlman. Oh man, did they ever steal the movie whenever their characters were on screen, especially James Woods. His cold and calm voice just made the Owlman character that much more deviant and maniacal.

The only two voices who I could just wrap my head around were William Baldwin as Batman and Brian Bloom as Ultraman. William Baldwin’s Batman seemed as though he were on Valium or some other inhibitor that just made Bats seem lazy rather than calculating. And Bloom’s Ultraman just seemed to be some reject character from the GoodFellas. I get it, the Crime Syndicate are a mob type group on their world, but that doesn’t mean that the leader should sound like every stereotypical Italian mob boss ever conceived for film. But their lack of believability is small considering that the cast as a whole was seemingly well fitted for the movie.

As for the animation… what can I say? DC has proven again why they are the best at putting out great animated movies based on comic books. Where World War Hulk was wonderfully animated, Crisis on Two Earths just took the style and clarity to a new level. It is a great blend of the old DC Animated styles that we loved with Batman: TAS, Superman, and the Justice League series, mixed in with the new sleeker style that they have been using the past several years. This gives the characters a soft and smooth look while looking more like a moving comic book than they ever had. I just wish there were more fighting sequences during the film to see just how clean those could be on a more consistent basis. But for what is there, it is far and beyond the best animation that DC and Warner Premiere have presented thus far.

The voice acting and animation do well to compliment the amazing story presented here. Dwayne McDuffie’s script is probably the best that he has ever presented. As good as his work was on Static Shock and the Justice League Unlimited series were, what he presents here is superior to those works, bar none. The pacing is nice and refined, something that he has been getting better at and that he can take full advantage of a full length feature instead of just being limited to 25 minutes. But it also makes sense… if you are a comic book fan. His portrayals of all the characters, minor and major, and strikingly similar to those of their comic book counterparts, with the few changes that needed to be made when transitioning from one medium to the next. Overall, I think it is his best writing ever.

So then why don’t I like it as much as everyone else seems to? Honest answer, and simple one as well… I have seen it before. During the second season of the Justice League animated series, the two part story, A Better World, presented an almost identical story in which the Justice Lords of another world try and take the place of a softer Justice League in this world after the death of one of their own. I know, the stories are different, but they do share that common element of parallel worlds merging and mixing with one another. And honestly, I think the way it was done during the animated series was just a bit better than done in this animated movie.

In fact, the A Better World two parter is probably my favorite storyline of that first Justice League series. So I may have all ready started watching this movie with a little bias in that regards. But considering how good I think this movie is, the fact that I could not shake the animated series’ story out of my head while watching it just shows me that the story from there was probably a little better. But that is just me.

I suggest that all of you go and give Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths a shot. It is a great story done with a wonderful blend of animation and acting that ranks up there with some of the better DC and Warner Premiere features out there. Don’t let the fact that I only thought the movie so-so deter you from watching it. But I honestly cannot suggest buying it. For me, this is a rental. But after you watch it, and you find yourself liking it, then by all means, go out and get yourself a copy. And whatever you decide, be sure to watch the special The Spectre Animated Short that comes with the feature. That alone is probably worth the price of buying the feature.

Rating 3/5