Justice League: Gods and Monsters

This movie is simply bait and switch. It claims to be a Justice League movie but its not. You will see the names Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, but none of those names attach to anyone you recognize. Instead this is some wannabe auteur's desire to inflict on this fan base their "creativity". That would be fine if this franchise were a TV show still, but its not, it's a movie from a franchise I look forward to and get very little of.

Recently, this franchise has had 2 movies ("War" and "Throne of Atlantis") that brought back the feel of continuity. The feeling that these movies were continuing a story instead of being single one-off experiences and I was extremely happy to see that.

Following that up with this self-indulgent garbage and I can't help but feel cheated. I only hope this is a singular mistake and not a trend.

Writers seem to love alternate universe type shows which allow them the creative flexibility to play with the mindsets and motivations of our beloved character as well as kill characters off with impunity knowing that they will rise again once everything is "reset". These type shows have been executed with varying degrees of success. "The Flashpoint Paradox" is an example of doing this well. "Gods and Monsters" follows in its footsteps as an example of a well executed parallel universe movie.

The characters are fleshed out enough for us to become attached without going into so much "origin" as to affect the pacing of the episode or to ruin the opportunity for future exploration of the characters. The show is violent but the violence is not gratuitous as there is purpose to it in the movie. That being said I would not show this to very young children. The ultimate gauge of how well this type of shows succeeds is whether or not we want to return to this reality to see what happens next after the final credits roll. It can also be judged by how well it stacks up against the "normal" reality as in the TV show "Fringe" which created an alternate setup which became at times more engaging than the "normal" reality.

"Gods and Monsters" does this successfully and I hope we can revisit this alternate universe sometime in the future with subsequent installments. A few caveats: If you don't like liberties taken with your characters or your idea of an "alternate" universe is that Flash's lightning bolt is green instead of yellow, but that he is fundamentally the same character and/or will come around to being the same character you are used to then this is not the show for you. If you can let go of some of your preconceptions about the characters then you will find this an enjoyable excursion.

Love animation and have really enjoyed to loved many superhero films, animated and live-action. Of the DC animated films, there are some good ones out there as well as some disappointments and ones that fall in between.

Although the very different portrayal of the Justice League characters will take a lot of getting used to, their personalities and back-stories changed beyond recognition for die-hard fans struggling with the concept, the alternate universe concept was a very interesting one and mostly the execution was very good, its best elements great. 'Justice League: Gods and Monsters' is one of those divisive films, purists are likely to not care for it but those who have been disappointed by general DC animated standards (which to me has been variable) they will be rewarded.

'Justice League: Gods and Monsters', like a good deal of DC animated films, could have been better with a longer length by about 10-15 minutes or so and the pace slowed down. The ending in particular felt rushed and didn't seem developed enough.

Having said that, 'Justice League: Gods and Monsters' has better story and characterisation execution than most DC animated films that needed to be longer and not as hasty. The story is one of the darkest and grittiest of any DC animated film and all the better for it because to me that's the right approach to take.

It's also very gripping, makes the most of its concept without being too simple or confusing and gives the characters interesting stories, especially Wonder Woman. The characters are intriguingly handled and with intense and potent character interaction, though there could have been more of a few of them (i.e. Lex Luthor). The action is violent and exciting, though perhaps there could have been more of it.

'Justice League: Gods and Monsters' is very good, often great. There are some very nice detailed backgrounds, the characters are designed well and the colours are dynamic and atmospheric. The music is both haunting and rousing, a good fit for the film's mood.

Writing is far from simplistic or childish and the voice acting is impressive, Michael C. Hall being brilliant while Benjamin Bratt is one of the better voices for Superman of the DC animated films and others show that with good material they can act (C. Thomas Howell).

Concluding, 'Justice League: Gods and Monsters' may not be quite godly but it is far from monstrous, closer to the former than the latter. 8/10 Bethany Cox

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.

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.