Review – Injustice (2021)

Review – Injustice (2021)

Director: Matt Peters

Writer(s): Ernie Altbacker, Tom Taylor (Original Story)

Release: 8th October 2021

Studio: Warner Brothers

Cast

Justin Hartley as Superman
Anson Mount as Batman
Laura Bailey as Lois Lane and Rama Kushna
Zach Callison as Damian and Jimmy Olsen
Brian T. Delaney as Green Lantern
Brandon Michael Hall as Cyborg
Edwin Hodge as Mr Terrific and Killer Croc
Oliver Hudson as Plastic Man
Gillian Jacobs as Harley Quinn
Yuri Lowenthal as Mirror Master, Flash and Shazam
Derek Phillips as Nightwing and Aquaman
Kevin Pollak as Joker and Jonathan Kent
Anika Noni Rose as Catwoman
Reid Scott as Green Arrow and Victor Zsasz
Faran Tahir as Ra’s al Ghul
Fred Tatasciore as Captain Atom
Janet Varney as Wonder Woman
Andrew Morgado as Mirror Master Soldier

Plot

On an alternate Earth, the Joker tricks Superman into killing Lois Lane, which causes a rampage in the hero. Superman decides to take control of Earth, Batman and his allies will have to attempt to stop him. Based on the beloved video game and comic that pits heroes and villains against each other comes the latest DC animated movie. But is it a Synder Cut or an Ayer Mess?

If ever there was an easy movie to adapt to a movie Injustice should have been it. The Joker steals a nuclear bomb and uses Kryptonite infused Joker gas to trick him into killing Lois Lane (and his unborn child.) Lois had the trigger to the bomb surgically implanted and it detonates destroying Metropolis and millions within it. Stricken with grief, Superman kills the Joker setting up the battle lines between him and Batman.

As Obi-Wan says “you were the chosen one” and this should have been an over the top, bonkers hero vs hero movie to switch your brain off to as you ignore the little bit of your brain saying superman could wipe Batman out in about 3 milliseconds any other day. Instead, we get a watered-down version with terrible scripting, underused heroes and a bad taste in our mouth at the end of the movie.

Characters like Deathwing, the reincarnated version of Dick Grayson, gets a very quick mention with very limited use and many characters are just background actors as the film focuses on the battles between Bats and Supes. Harley Quinn loses all development and is back to the Joker puddin’ version that the character grew out of years ago.

The film needed lex Luthor to invent the super-pill that helps even up the action, instead, it vomits up a useless ending which goes against the whole mad, silly but very enjoyable comic and game.

Artwork

Over the past 15 years, DC has kicked Marvel’s bottom when it comes to strong well-drawn amination movies. Flashpoint set the bar high and overall most had been close or even just over that measure, for example, the Judas Contract was perfect. Series like Young Justice and Harley Quinn have proved that there is a strong enough adult base that you can make stunning Tv shows and films without sacrificing the plot or the characters.

Here the animation is blocky, chunky and feels rushed throughout. Characters are all two dimensional (even more than the dreaded two-part Long Halloween stinker)

Overall Thoughts

I’m not sure what is going on at Warner Brothers at the moment, the last three films Injustice, Long Halloween and Justice Society have seemed lazy, phoned-in efforts. I think the executives need to trust the comics that these are based on and perhaps find another animation team to give life to these stories. I am now very worried about the Young Justice Phantoms which is out later this month.

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