Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is the sequel to 2017’s Justice League Dark, the fifteenth and final film in the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU) and the 38th film overall in the 38th DC Universe Animated Original Movies. Directed by Matt Peters and Christina Sotta, featuring the voice talents of Matt Ryan, Jerry O’Connell, Taissa Farmiga, Tony Todd, Rosario Dawson, Rebecca Romijn and Rainn Wilson. In the film, The Justice League, Justice League Dark, The Teen Titans, and Suicide Squad team up against Darkseid in one epic final battle to save the Earth.
(Some spoilers below.)
The continuity they use is one that had been established by crossing over common plot elements, setting, cast and characters who were introduced in 2013’s Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. Essentially this was the New 52 Universe storyline turned into features. The films have been hits and misses, mostly misses unfortunately.
But all good things must come to an end, and this is the final movie using anything New 52 related. And to be frank, good. Let this New 52 thing go. Comics and fans did, so it’s about time the animated features did as well. DCs next animated feature to be released sometime in 2020 is based on the graphic novel, Superman: Man of Tomorrow. Looks like the animated features will continue but they’ll be more focused on turning great stories into movies like they used to do when these all started, and not be pigeonholed into revamping good stories to fit the New 52 narrative. For an end of a series, this one was not without its issues and eye rolling, but still pretty enjoyable.
After two failed attempts to destroy the Earth, Darkseid finally wins. The JL splits the team, one to stay on Earth and one to take the fight to Darkseid. Once on Apokolips the team is met with “Paradooms”; genetic hybrids of Parademons and Doomsday. Several heroes are killed during the attack on Apokolips and on Earth. Two years later we find Clark and Raven in need of John Constantine to help them find Damian Wayne to recruit him for one final attempt at saving the Earth. Meanwhile, Lois Lane is also setting up her own band of misfits to help save the day: Harley and her new Suicide Squad.
Once they all get together that’s when the party really gets started. Two attacks: again, one of Earth and one on Apokolips. I mean, if it’s not broken… With the help of Lex Luthor, who gets the team to Apokolips, the battle begins. The Earth team deals with all the Paradooms while Clark’s team heads to Darkseid himself, only to find out he has taken the remaining Justice Leaguers we thought dead and twisted them into his Furies: Wonder Woman, Mera, Hawkman, Starfire and Jonn. A massive battle ensues: of course the heroes win. But at what cost? With the Earth dying and billions dead, Constantine helps Flash make a decision to go back in time and “fix” their world, thus fixing our continuity and getting away from the New 52 crap. End scene.
Not a bad way to fix or change direction for a series of films. It was done with all the right elements. You can stay on this world where half or heroes are dead and their Earth is dying, and no one wants that. So boom! Reboot. It’s DC’s MO man. If it isn’t working, just change everything and “hope” for the best. Good to know they like to stay on brand.
The animation in this movie was the same style they have been making use of for about five years now. Very American Anime, where in past movies it almost looks good, but then a few frames go by and it’s not as good as you thought. I don’t know why they made this change and kept it. It just wasn’t good and the characters never looked right. Looked rushed. In this movie though, depending on the character or scene, it wasn’t half bad. Darkseid always looked scary and Superman always looked like our savior. Even if I didn’t always like the animation, the design of the heroes turned furies was awesome. They took our heroes and made them nightmare-fueled shells of what they used to be.
My issue with a lot of the newer animated features from DC is they have to try so hard to be cool or edgy that they shove extreme violence and language at you…for reasons. It never once serves a purpose and takes you out of the story sometimes. Even a well-placed f-bomb is still an f-bomb in the middle of Superman cartoon. It’s not needed and it just shows how disconnected they are that the filmmakers have to keep making this dark universe bs. They just haven’t learned. And neither have we, cuz we still keep watching.
Overall the movie is pretty enjoyable. Even with its negatives I still had a good time: some really good stand out moments and voice talents. Tony Todd as Darkseid for the win baby! But I’m glad this is their last New 52 theme movie. It means we can get back to DC making animated features based on amazing graphic novels and Elseworlds stories, using stylized animation based on what the actual comic looked like, like they used to. Staying positively optimistic for the future of DC animated movies.