Justice League: War is a direct-to-video animated film. It was released on February 4, 2014.
Synopsis
When the powerful Darkseid and his massive, relentless forces invade Earth, a group of previously unaligned super heroes – misunderstood and, in some cases, hunted by the authorities – discover the only way to fend off the attack will be to work together as a cohesive unit. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Shazam! and, in his origin story, Cyborg combine their respective talents in an all-out battle to save the planet. Based on the 2012 graphic novel, “Justice League: Origin,” by Geoff Johns & Jim Lee, Justice League: War provides a glance into the world before the Justice League was created, and offers the initial animated incarnation of DC Entertainment’s “The New 52.”[1]
Plot
A series of abductions have occurred in Gotham City; Batman is implicated due to video footage. Green Lantern stops a kidnapping before attacking the kidnapper, a monstrous Parademon, and is almost defeated when Batman appears to interrogate it. The Parademon attacks them both; Batman and Green Lantern chase it into the sewers, where it charges a Mother Box and explodes. They examine the box, deduce it is of extraterrestrial origin, and decide to ask Superman for an answer. Another Mother Box, supplied by the Flash is being studied at S.T.A.R. Labs by Silas Stone, father of Victor Stone, who misses his son's football game to study the box.
Batman and Green Lantern fight with Superman, who fought with a Parademon previously and believes they are working with it; the battle only stops when Batman calls him "Clark" and Superman discovers Batman is Bruce Wayne. The trio begin to work together against the Parademons. On the planet Apokolips, Darkseid orders Desaad to begin an invasion of Earth in response to the superheroes' discovery of his plans. Victor and Silas argue over Silas' belief that metahumans are more important than football. Superman, Batman and Green Lantern realize an invasion has begun when the box activates and several Boom Tubes appear throughout the world.
The Box in S.T.A.R. Labs explodes and creates a Boom Tube when Victor is holding it. The explosion fuses the technology inside the Box to Victor's wounded, mutilated body. As several Parademons attack, Silas takes Victor to a technologically advanced medical bed and uses experimental technologies on him. Countless Parademons appear and attack around the world. The Box's technology spliced with Victor's body fuses itself with the various technologies, including computers, around the room. Victor is transformed into Cyborg, with a body capable of transforming and adapting itself, including obtaining new features. Just as the Flash saves the scientists, Cyborg discovers details of Apokolips, Darkseid, and the invasion plan. He learns that the Parademons are actually inhabitants of world conquered by Darkseid, spliced with his technology, allowing him to mind-control them into serving as an army for conquering other planets. At his foster home, teenager Billy Batson sees a Parademon outside and mystically turns into the superhero Shazam. Air Force One is attacked in the air, but is saved by the Amazon princess Wonder Woman and Superman. After the heroes gather, Cyborg reveals that the invasion is a prelude to the terraforming of Earth. Darkseid arrives and proves to be a powerful opponent.
Darkseid uses his Omega Beams to fight Flash and Superman, who is incapacitated and captured by a Parademon. Batman prevents Green Lantern from going after them on his own with a broken arm. He tells Green Lantern to think about the lives at stake rather than his own image as a hero, and after unmasking himself, reveals that his parents' murders are what motivated him to fight evil. Bruce allows himself to be captured to save Superman. Green Lantern decides to strip Darkseid of his Omega Beams by destroying his eyes. Bruce goes through a portal to Apokolips, where he escapes the Parademon and stops Desaad from turning Superman into a Parademon. Superman is left unstable and highly aggressive because of the brainwashing process, resulting in him strangling Desaad to death and attacking Parademons and Batman. Batman reasons with him, and helps him reassert his own personality. On Earth, after Darkseid's eyes are destroyed, Cyborg reopens the Boom Tubes by connecting with a Mother Box and sends Darkseid and his army back to Apokolips. Darkseid fights back, and with Superman and Batman's assistance, the group eventually forced Darkseid through the portal. With the world saved, the superheroes gain the public's trust and are honored at the White House. The President of the United States asks whether they have a name. Shazam abruptly announces the name "Super Seven", to which the others object.
In a post-credits scene, an Atlantean ship emerges from the ocean and Ocean Master appears carrying the dead body of his king. He believes that the surface dwellers on Earth are responsible, calling it an act of war from the surface, for which he swears revenge.
Cast
- Jason O'Mara as Bruce Wayne/Batman
- Alan Tudyk as Clark Kent/Superman
- Michelle Monaghan as Wonder Woman
- Justin Kirk as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern
- Christopher Gorham as Barry Allen/The Flash
- Shemar Moore as Victor Stone/Cyborg
- Zach Callison as Billy Batson
- Sean Astin as Shazam
- Steve Blum as Darkseid
- Bruce Thomas as Desaad
- Dee Bradley Baker as Parademons
- Rocky Carroll as Silas Stone
- Ioan Gruffudd as Thomas Morrow
- Melique Berger as Sarah Charles
- Georgie Kidder as Freddy Freeman
- Kimberly Brooks as Darla
- Richard McGonagle as President Julian
- George Newbern as Steve Trevor
- Hynden Walch as Hannah Grace
Gallery
Media
Notes
- The film is based on the graphic novel, “Justice League: Origin,” released in 2012 by Geoff Johns & Jim Lee.
- Superman and Green Lantern fight in a building with a Lexcorp sign in front of it, and then Superman throws Lantern into a Lexcorp truck.
- Virgil Hawkins and Tye Longshadow from Young Justice can be seen at the football game in the beginning.
- The Wonder Woman effigy that the protester is seen hanging sports her New 52 design. Incidentally, there are also similarities to Watchmen, where a protester is seen holding a Superman-like effigy.
- Freddy Freeman and Darla Dudley appear as Billy's foster brother and sister.
- One of the scientists early on is basically Dr. Sterling Roquette as a brunette. Likewise, one of the others is future supervillain T.O. Morrow.
- When they're being lauded in the ending, the speaker stumbles over what to call them before settling on "Superfriends", prompting an argument about what to name their group.
- Batman being mistaken for a vampire, which he was in the Batman Vampire trilogy.
- Shazam's name suggestion for their team is "Super Seven", a name used in the (pre-New 52) Elseworlds issues Adventures of Superman Annual #6 and Superboy Annual (vol. 4) #1.
- The heroes aren't well-liked to begin with, in part because of the massive collateral damage they cause; aside from the Flash, most of them can't be bothered to check themselves. An alien invasion warms the public to them. The heroes in general aren't respected by the public they save.
- A protester rants about the heroes causing $100 million in damage yearly as part of the reason they need to go
- At the beginning of the movie, there is a boy named Max who looks just like Garfield Logan from season 1 of Young Justice. The only difference is Max's blonde hair, as opposed to Garfield's red hair.
- There are some effects of The Flashpoint Paradox still in effect
- The Justice League didn't exist until this film.
- Green Lantern is a rookie, as his constructs fade without his undivided attention.
- Batman was still considered to be a superstition by Gotham.
- Victor Stone is just becoming Cyborg.
- Arthur Curry has yet to become Aquaman.
- Shazam is back to just being Billy Batson.
- Superman and Wonder Woman begin a romance, instead of having relationships with Lois Lane and Steve Trevor like in the previous timeline.
- Oddly, Batman and Flash act like they never met each other before; despite the fact Flash delivered Thomas Wayne/Flashpint Batman's letter to him at the end of the previous film.
Quotes
- Green Lantern: This guy's gonna kill us!
- Batman: No, he won't. You bruise, but you don't kill. Do you... Clark?
- Superman: [goes wide-eyed with surprise, then comes to a halt right in front of Batman] You've made your point...
- Green Lantern: (About Batman's attitude) Wow, somebody needs their "True Blood" tonight.
- Batman: I'm not a vampire.
- Green Lantern: Really!? I thought with the cape and the darkness... Eh, super strength?
- Batman: Nope.
- Green Lantern: Can you fly?
- Batman: In a plane.
- Green Lantern: Wait. You're not jsut some guy in a bat costume, are you? (Batman smiles at him) Are you frickin' kidding me!? What? No one asked you to prom, so now you skulk around your parents' basement?
- Batman: (Holding Lantern's ring) What's this?(Green Lantern powers down to civilian clothing) No buttons, or obvious signs of how to use it. I assume it works off concentration.
- Green Lantern: How'd you do that?
- Batman (Smugly) You weren't concentrating.
- Green Lantern: You're won't be doing that again.
- Batman: Not unless I want to.
- Green Lantern: (Takes ring back and powers up) That's it! Let's rumba Spooky!
- Wonder Woman: It was nice to fight among a pantheon again.
- Superman: How do you mean?
- Wonder Woman: (Refering to Batman, Green Lantern, Cyborg, Flash and Shazam) Hades, Apollo, Hephestus, Hermes and Zeus. Each a god in their own right.
- Superman: (Considers the comparison) And me?
- Wonder Woman: I have not met anyone like you Superman; god or mortal.