This is not your parents’ Justice League! These heroes are not the renowned saviors of the world – they’re more likely Earth’s despotic rulers. Witness the divergent reality where the Justice League protects the planet – but answers to no one but themselves. Employing methods of intimidation and fear, this Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman deal brute force in the name of justice. In this alternate universe, Superman was not raised by the Kents in Smallville, the Caped Crusader is not Bruce Wayne, and Wonder Woman is not an Amazon warrior of Themyscira. When a group of famed scientists experience untimely “accidents,” a government task force follows the trail of clues to the Justice League, but is there a more powerful player operating from the shadows? It’s a high stakes game of intrigue, mystery and action that asks the question: How do you serve justice to those above the law?
With a twist on your favorite Justice League characters, this film is full of thrilling new adventures and jam-packed with a celebrity voice cast which includes Michael C. Hall (Dexter) as Batman, Benjamin Bratt (Law & Order, 24) as Superman, Tamara Taylor (Bones) as Wonder Woman, Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds) as Lois Lane, Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter films, Dig) as Lex Luthor and C. Thomas Howell (E.T., Southland) as Dr. Will Magnus.
Justice League: Gods and Monsters arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer in the aspect ratio of 1.78:1 - Warner's latest DCU offering continues the streak of banding issues but the presentation overall is solid. Colors feature bold primaries and the palette choice is welcome. Black levels were deep and inky. Clarity was excellent with crisp animation lines. 8.5/10
Audio is provided by a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. - Justice League: Gods and Monsters features a dynamic and enveloping track. Dialogue was crisp and clear, remaining so during more chaotic moments. LFE performance is powerful and deep, adding significant heft and rumbling to explosions. Surround activity remained engaging throughout. No pops, cracks or hissing noticed. 9/10
The Bonus features included offer some good insight into this latest DCU animated movie while also paying tribute to the past with two solid episodes from years past.
* Alternate Realities: Infinite Possibilities (HD, 19:00 - Justice League: Gods & Monsters falls into a category of storytelling where our well-known characters and the worlds they inhabit are re-imagined. This documentary explores the various attempts by writers to have a little fun and tinker with the characters, resulting in exceptional storytelling that posed thought-provoking questions to audiences.
* Calculated Risks: The Making of Gods and Monsters (HD, 24:00) – Justice League: Gods & Monsters was an idea that pushed the boundaries. It began with that challenging question writers face: “What haven’t we seen before?” Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett audaciously answered that challenge, resulting in a fresh and exciting film that forces us to think differently about the DC Universe.
*The New Gods (HD, 22:00) – Encore presentation of 2010 documentary about Jack Kirby’s New Gods.
* Batman: Bad Blood Sneak Peak (HD, 12:00) – An advance look at the next DC Universe animated feature film.
* Bonus cartoons from the DC Comics Vault (44:00) - Episodes include "Phantoms" from Legion of Super Heroes as well as "Brave New Metropolis" from Superman: The Animated Series.