Warning: this review may contain spoilers…
Inspired by Tower of Babel, Doom tells the story of Superman (Tim Daly), Batman (Kevin Conroy), Wonder Woman (Susan Eisenberg), Flash (Michael Rosenbaum), Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Martian Manhunter (Carl Lumbly), and Cyborg (Bumper Robinson), as they battle against a newly formed Legion of Doom. To make matters worse, the Legion has stolen files from Batman’s computer and is using them to strike each of the Leaguers vulnerabilities. Can the League survive this new threat along with Batman’s betrayal of their trust?
The strengths:
While its premise comes from a comic book, Justice League: Doom borrows its story structure and tone from the Justice League and JL: Unlimited cartoons, creating plenty lot of humor and interaction between the characters while driving the story with intense drama. Doom does not rely on any previous continuity, especially with the shows, so newcomers need not feel threatened by the expansive history of the property. All the veteran voice actors sound natural and in complete sync with their characters’ personalities; even the newcomers, while not as iconic, are convincing (especially Cyborg). The animation is top notch, able to capture a wide variety of subtle emotions in just their faces or eyes that are not made apparent in the dialogue. And if nothing else, if for no other reason to see this movie, Doom features Bane topping his “Break the Bat” stunt by accomplishing something so cruel, so malicious, so unthinkable that the viewer can hardly believe its happening. Without revealing the event here, it’s without a doubt the most memorable part of the film.
The flaws:
If the film had just focused on the Leaguers facing their ultimate weaknesses and coming to grips with Batman’s violation of their trust, Doom would have been flawless. Sadly, it degenerates into comic book pseudo-science/doomsday scenario that feels tagged on in order to raise the stakes in the climax. The resolution is also not as satisfying as it could have been and leaves many questions unanswered, namely what the audience is supposed to take away from these events.
Bottom line:
While feeling disjointed on the whole, Justice League: Doom is full of great ideas and even better moments of action and character.
This film is coming soon to local Blockbuster and video stores on Feb. 28. Look for it at 2435 E North St Ste 1119 Greenville, SC and 1335 Stallings Road.
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