Justice League: Gods and Monsters

Flashpoint paradox was the only DC animated l enjoyed in recent years, and especially JL War and Throne of Atlantis were particularly bland and boring.

l suggest anyone to watch the mini introduction chronicles first to get a sense of the new versions of the league members in this alternate universe (especially Superman - Bomb!!). And if you can spend the time to read the 3 (each) mini comic releases for each of these characters you will have a much satisfying experience of this story.

Especially l am amazed with Bekka (Wonderwoman of this universe) origin story and how much deeper Bekka as a character compared to mostly bland Diana. Probably her past on Apocalypse was the best sub-story l ever encountered in DC stories. (This is as much as l can say with out spoilers).

Definitely worth watching, especially if you were a fan of Batman Animated series from 90s. Story is much more darker than regular DC ones, but not pointlessly violent. Don't miss this threat as it does not happen nowadays often.

Love animation and have really enjoyed to loved many superhero films, animated and live-action. Of the DC animated films, there are some good ones out there as well as some disappointments and ones that fall in between.

Although the very different portrayal of the Justice League characters will take a lot of getting used to, their personalities and back-stories changed beyond recognition for die-hard fans struggling with the concept, the alternate universe concept was a very interesting one and mostly the execution was very good, its best elements great. 'Justice League: Gods and Monsters' is one of those divisive films, purists are likely to not care for it but those who have been disappointed by general DC animated standards (which to me has been variable) they will be rewarded.

'Justice League: Gods and Monsters', like a good deal of DC animated films, could have been better with a longer length by about 10-15 minutes or so and the pace slowed down. The ending in particular felt rushed and didn't seem developed enough.

Having said that, 'Justice League: Gods and Monsters' has better story and characterisation execution than most DC animated films that needed to be longer and not as hasty. The story is one of the darkest and grittiest of any DC animated film and all the better for it because to me that's the right approach to take.

It's also very gripping, makes the most of its concept without being too simple or confusing and gives the characters interesting stories, especially Wonder Woman. The characters are intriguingly handled and with intense and potent character interaction, though there could have been more of a few of them (i.e. Lex Luthor). The action is violent and exciting, though perhaps there could have been more of it.

'Justice League: Gods and Monsters' is very good, often great. There are some very nice detailed backgrounds, the characters are designed well and the colours are dynamic and atmospheric. The music is both haunting and rousing, a good fit for the film's mood.

Writing is far from simplistic or childish and the voice acting is impressive, Michael C. Hall being brilliant while Benjamin Bratt is one of the better voices for Superman of the DC animated films and others show that with good material they can act (C. Thomas Howell).

Concluding, 'Justice League: Gods and Monsters' may not be quite godly but it is far from monstrous, closer to the former than the latter. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I was hesitant about what Gods and Monsters would bring to the table. I was hoping it put DC animated movies back on track after some mediocre entries like Throne of Atlantis. And I'm delighted to announce that DC is back. Gods and Monsters is another great entry in DC's animated film catalog that can stand alongside some of the greats like Under the Red Hood or Flashpoint Paradox.

The story has an interesting premise. We see three of the founding members of the Justice League in this Elseworld story where the Justice League is more brutal and morally gray which makes the government feel threatened. Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman are center stage and each have a newer origin story which help flesh out the characters more. The origin stories blend nicely with the rest of the story and add certain emotion when necessary. Lastly, as usual, there is a threat that affects the entire world except this time the threat is framing the Justice League and causing it to be feared even more by the government than they already are. Along the way, there are some nice twists and turns which help the viewer stay engaged.

The voice acting is top notch and was a nice and refreshing change from the usual Kevin Conroy and Tim Daly. As much as I love them, it was great to hear some new voices.

Overall, this Elseworld story is a fantastic addition to the DC Animated Universe and is a clever spin on what could be a normal Justice League movie. The darker and grittier tone allowed the film to fully develop this newer Justice League to their full potential and just made the film more intriguing in general. Definitely check this one out.

"Someone once asked if I wanted to save the world or rule it. Today it's going to be hard to tell the difference"

For the past two years, DC's Original Animated Movie lineup was a bit shaky in terms of quality, unlike the 6 years preceding it. Going in, even with Bruce Timm (a legend in American animation) returning, my hopes were not high. I had read the prequel comic series, and I found it entertaining but unnecessarily dark and feared that the movie would suffer from the same flaw. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the movie. It exceeded all my expectations and then some.

The movie showcases an alternate DC universe, which has a darker Justice League who investigate the mystery of some missing scientists. The fallacy of many parallel earth stories are that they do a tacked-on comparison with the originals. Gods and Monsters does it in such a way that is to be applauded with neat hints to Ray Palmer's shrinking technology, the treaty between Apokolips and New Genesis which really gives us a feel to the new universe that is being created here. The story is really great, with focus being on this world's Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, and a last minute twist that no one could have predicted, yet is very faithful to the source material, a silent nod to some relatively recent comic series, such as "52" and "Prelude to Trinity War". The morals of these characters are not black-and-white, which makes it harder to root for them.

The characterization is top-notch, especially with Lex Luthor, Will Magnus and Batman (voiced by the amazing Michael C. Hall, famous for Dexter, who really steals the show). On that note, the voice acting in this one is brilliant, with the exception of Lex Luthor, who seemed a little off to me. The fight scenes are brutal and epic on a grand scale, however, the little moments, such as the revelation of Bekka's tragic past and Kirk's college flashbacks' are the real highlights of the movie. Even in the short span of 60 minutes, it makes you care deeply for these characters, despite their fallacies.

Overall, Gods and Monsters is a great alternate take on the DC Universe, which can be enjoyed by fans, especially since it is laden with easter eggs, and newcomers alike, because of it's accessibility. With great voice acting, excellent animation and a compelling story, it is a must watch for any Justice League fan.

This movie is simply bait and switch. It claims to be a Justice League movie but its not. You will see the names Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, but none of those names attach to anyone you recognize. Instead this is some wannabe auteur's desire to inflict on this fan base their "creativity". That would be fine if this franchise were a TV show still, but its not, it's a movie from a franchise I look forward to and get very little of.

Recently, this franchise has had 2 movies ("War" and "Throne of Atlantis") that brought back the feel of continuity. The feeling that these movies were continuing a story instead of being single one-off experiences and I was extremely happy to see that.

Following that up with this self-indulgent garbage and I can't help but feel cheated. I only hope this is a singular mistake and not a trend.