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Title: Justice League Unlimited: Saving The World: DC Comics Kids Collection
Region: One
Genre:
Animated Superhero Adventures
Episodes:
“Initiation”, “Hawk And Dove”, “Kid Stuff”
Featuring
The Voice Talent Of: Kevin Conroy, Phil LaMarr, Carl Lumbly, George Newborn, Kin
Shiner, Nicholle Tom, George Eads, James Sie, Lex Lang, Susan Eisenberg, Fred
Savage, Jason Hervey, Michael York, Ed Asner, Patrick Bachau, Ed O’Ross, James
Arnold Taylor, Dakota Fanning, Kyle Alcazar, Marc John Jefferies, Shane Haboucha,
Olivia D’Abo, Seren Fulton, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Ashley Edner, Jose Yenue, and
Dee Bradley Baker
Writers:
Stan Berkowitz, Ron Zimmerman, Robert Goodman, and Henry Gilroy
Based
On Characters In DC Comics
Director Joaquin Dos Santo
Producers:
Dwaine McDuffie, Bruce Timm, and James Tucker
Feature
length: 70 minutes
Extras:
“Keepin’ Up With The Joneses” Animated Short, Justice League Superhero
Files, “Save Gorilla City” Set-Top Game, “Tom & Jerry” DVD Preview
Languages:
English, and Spanish Language Dolby Surround Sound
Subtitles:
English Closed Captions and English, French, and Spanish Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Snap Case
Sound:
Dolby Surround Sound
Year
of DVD Release: 2005
Home
Video Distributor: Warner Home Video
MPAA
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera
In
the wake of the events that occurred in the series finale of "Justice
League," the remaining founding members, The Flash, Green Lantern, Batman,
Superman, Wonder Woman, and Martian Manhunter have come to realize that even
with their combined strengths, the problems that plague the Earth alone are not
enough for the League to handle unless they expand their ranks and coordinate
their efforts. With Martian Manhunter monitoring the events going on across the
known universe within the League's Watchtower orbiting space station, an
impressive array of heroes that include Supergirl, Captain Atom, Hawk &
Dove, B'wana Beast, Booster Gold, Zantanna, and Green Arrow are assembled.
In
the series premiere episode "Initiation," a reluctant Green Arrow is
asked to join the Justice League and despite his refusal, he accompanies Green
Lantern, Supergirl, and Captain Atom to an Asian country where a mechanical
nuclear monster is rampaging. Despite their miraculous powers, the job falls to
Green Arrow to use his singular archery skills to take down the machine.
“Initiation” was the series premiere episode of "Justice League: Unlimited" and it was a disappointment to me, especially after the spectacular series finale episode "Star-crossed" wrapped up the original series while paving the way for this new one. First off the series premiere should have been a full hour instead of a half hour because even with the economic use of storytelling techniques to get facts across, I found myself not really caring about these new heroes. Some of them appear so obscure that only comic fans familiar with the characters will appreciate their cameos. The nuclear rampaging robot running loose in some fictional Asian country seems a little stereotypical as well given the obvious comparisons to the Japanese monster pictures that are as much a part of American pop culture as they are a part of Eastern pop culture. I think the writer was trying to draw a parallel to the nuclear testing that has occurred in North Korea, which would get across the fact that we live in a world that is not as safe as we would like it to be. However that gets lost when you see a big flaming robot mindlessly blasting things to bits.
The
same kind of scenario occurs in “Hawk And Dove,” only this time it is an
Eastern European country in civil war that serves as a backdrop as Wonder Woman
assists the two super brothers with stopping a giant almost indestructible robot
sent by Ares to reap misery upon humanity. Magical characters appear again in
“Kid Stuff,” which features Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green
Lantern being turned into child versions of themselves in order to fight Mordred,
who has abolished anyone over his age to another universe and now rules over a
kingdom of children. Though the premise sounds a bit hokey, this is the best of
the three episodes included on this DVD because it has fun with the child
character relations of the league members. In particular Wonder Woman having a
crush on Batman was kind of funny. The ending scene is quite sobering and
ironic.
When
I reviewed the
series premiere last year from a Cartoon Network VHS screener supplied to
me, I was disappointed by the quality of the artwork, but now I think I need to
amend my first impression regarding the quality of the characters in action and
so forth. Perhaps it is merely the stunning picture quality of this DVD, which
presents all three “Justice League Unlimited” episodes in a full screen
(1.33:1) aspect ratio with vivid colors, but the artwork looked just as good as
the original “Justice League” with the only exception being the CGI elements
used in the first episode. They just don’t mix in well with the traditional
animation and looks unpolished. The English Dolby Surround Soundtrack is clear
with a nice use of the subwoofer too. A Spanish Language Dolby Surround
Soundtrack as well as English Closed Captions for the hearing impaired and
English, French, and Spanish Language Subtitles encoded onto the DVD as options
too. There are a few interesting new character voices as well as guest voices
contributing their vocal talents for these three episodes that include Fred
Savage, Michael York, Ed Asner, and Dakota Fanning.
The
rest of the extra value features on this DVD are a bit of a disappointment. With
the exception of narrated Justice League Files complete with action montages for
Green Arrow (: 43), Captain Atom (: 44), Supergirl, (: 42), Hawk (: 42), and
Dove (: 38), there is a set top game that reminded me a bit of that 1980s
videogame “Turbo” entitled “Save Gorilla City,” and a bonus cartoon
entitled “Keepin’ Up With The Joneses” (7:48) that is a part of a website
called www.cartoonmonsoon.com where
visitors can give their suggestions and comments on this and other animated
shorts online. A DVD trailer for “Tom & Jerry Blast Off To Mars” (: 38)
wraps up the extra value materials on this DVD.
The
menus are standard interactive still frames that are easy to navigate. Now I
understand that this is being marketed particularly to kids, but the reality is
there are a lot of “Justice League” fans out there that are well into their
adult years that will buy this DVD too. I think if there are going to be any
extra value features related to future releases, they should relate more to the
featured content itself as has been the case with select “Batman” the
animated series DVD releases as well as the box sets for both “Batman” and
“Superman: The Animated Series.”
The
second season of “Justice League Unlimited” has already begun on Cartoon
Network. You can read my review of the second season premiere as well as some
information on what to expect this season by clicking
here. Extra value features aside, there is no denying that “Justice League
Unlimited” looks and sounds great on DVD and if you are looking for a way to
catch up, checking this DVD out is a great way now that it is available at
retailers on and offline courtesy of Warner Home Video.
©
Copyright 2005 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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