From the creative mind of Bruce Timm (Batman: The Animated Series) comes the latest DC Animated film, Justice League: Gods & Monsters. This latest film is a departure from the recent wave of New 52 animated films DC/Warner has put out. This is an alternate universe-centric story. Warning spoilers ahead…
In this universe, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are quite different from the ones we grew up with. Superman’s alter ego is Hernan Guerra and is not the son of Jor-El but the son of General Zod who is raised by Mexican farmers. While Clark Kent is mild mannered, Hernan is short tempered and not someone to mess with. Batman is a scientist named Dr. Kirk Langstrom (Man-Bat in the DC continuity universe). Who, in an attempt to cure his cancer, becomes a vampire with a hunger for blood. Then, there is Wonder Woman, Bekka. She is a New God. She is also the widow of Darkseid’s son Orion who fled Apokolips for Planet Earth.
On this Earth, they form their own version of the Justice League but they use excessive force to enforce their will against evil. They have very little to no accountability for their actions. And unlike their counterparts here on Earth 1, they are not well received by the general public. Public opinion only worsens when suspicious deaths of renowned scientists point towards the Justice League’s involvement.
President Amanda Waller wants the Justice League to cooperate and work with the Government to investigate these deaths. Wonder Woman works with Steve Trevor, Superman with Lois Lane and Batman’s detective skills leads him to Will Magnus, a former college roommate and the man who helped him with his transformation. It is here that Batman learns about Project Fair Play, which incidentally involved the deceased scientists who were all under Lex Luthor’s employment. It always goes back to Luthor.
As Batman locates the remaining scientists, they come under attack and only Magnus survives. Batman brings Magnus back to HQ to recover and Superman files to a satellite in orbit where Lex Luthor resides, to learn more about Project Fair Play. Luthor informs Superman that the project was a weapon meant to destroy the League if they ever turned on the people. He also tells him that he has information on Krypton, the truth about Zod and how President Waller has the original files from Krypton that was taken from Superman’s shuttle when he landed here on Earth. As Superman files away, the satellite is destroyed. Back home, Trevor shows President Waller what had happened and she initiates Project Fair Play to fight the League.
With Superman and Wonder Woman fending off an army, Batman tries to activate the League’s force field hoping that when Will recovers, he’ll be able to clear them of any wrongdoing. Batman is attacked by Platinum of the Metal Men and it is revealed that Will Magnus is the man behind all the assassinations. Will joined the project shortly after the accidental death of his wife by his own hand. He had replaced her body with Platinum thus making her part of the Metal Men who are the assassins under Will’s control. Will saw Project Fair Playas a means of brainwashing humanity into working as a collective. Think of the Borg from Star Trek.
As Will was about to power his weapon, a very much alive Lex Luthor teleports into the battle and to tell everyone of Will’s destructive plan. With Will distracted, Batman activates the force field and the Justice League battle the Metal Men. They eventually win and Will Magnus commits suicide. It was a sad ending to a once brilliant life.
With the League now cleared and public opinion swaying in their favor, Wonder Woman decides it’s time to leave for Apokolips and face her past. Lex goes with her to explore the possibility of other realities. But before he does, Lex gives Superman the data he had on Krypton and tells him to be the real hero he was meant to become. The film ends with Superman and Batman working together to help humanity.
Justice League: Gods & Monsters is a quality film but like so many that DC/Warner has released lately, it is very adult in content in terms of both violence and profanity, hence the PG-13 rating. I do see however a future team up with our Earth 1 heroes and these heroes of this alternate universe. That should make for a very interesting story. DC Animations next project is Batman: Bad Blood slated for a Fall 2015 release.
Directed by: Sam Lui
Starring: Benjamin Bratt, Michael C. Hall, Tamara Taylor, Paget Brewster, C. Thomas Howell & Jason Isaacs.
PG-13 76 Mins
Justice League: Gods & Monsters – ***1/2 (out of 5 stars)
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
