Injustice Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		2.5

Injustice Blu-ray Movie Review

Damn Superman, you cold.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III October 21, 2021

Based on the wildly popular 2013 video game developed by NetherRealm Studios -- or more specifically, the companion prequel comic book series that began earlier the same year -- DC's new animated movie Injustice imagines a world in which Superman, enraged after the death of Lois Lane and her unborn child at the hands of the Joker (not to mention the destruction of Metropolis), becomes the tyrannical ruler of Earth. In response, Batman enlists the help of the Justice League -- and while they're unevenly split on their allegiances, most choose to form an underground alliance opposing Superman's dictatorship. This is heavy stuff and, with the original video game's director credit going to Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon, it's no surprise that this animated adaptation literally pulls no bloody punches.

Unfortunately, it does pull a lot of nuance: the original Injustice: Gods Among Us "Year One" comic arc clocks in at a hefty 400+ pages, and DC's animated adaptation rolls the credits right around the 75-minute mark. There's simply nowhere near enough time -- during almost any scene, in fact -- that feels paced appropriately, with huge swaths of detail missing from critical moments that rob the story of emotional impact. This makes Injustice a fairly exhausting watch despite the short running time, as it's pretty well packed with action, drama, and black comedy. (The latter might ring hollow to some, but I felt it fit right in with all that goofy, over-the-top violence.) As a whole, the film is plenty entertaining when it needs to be, but Injustice would have been so much better as a season-long or mini series. The extra breathing room would've done wonders for its rushed pacing and resulting issues, such as the partial or complete removal of key characters like the Flash (who's here, but just barely), Black Canary, and Lex Luthor.

Under the hood, it's a mixed bag as well. The stiff and angular animation is, to put it gently, an acquired taste and undercuts some of the action, while its questionable muscle anatomy does some of the static frames no favors either. (The same can be said of DC's recent Mortal Kombat Legends films Scorpion's Revenge and Battle of the Realms, which showcase a similar style and background aesthetic but are, well, Mortal Kombat films.) Voice acting is similarly spotty, with some main and supporting characters fitting right in (Anson Mount as Batman, Zach Callison as Damian), and others sticking out like a sore thumb (Justin Hartley of Smallville fame as Superman, Kevin Pollak as the Joker). But this also warrants another observation, and a possible reprieve: since these characters don't look or sound like the versions we see or hear in the video game (and the ending is quite different than the one in the original comics), it's obvious that the creative team was purposefully taking a different route here. From that admittedly narrow perspective, those who aren't looking for a faithful adaptation of Injustice: Gods Along Us may get some enjoyment out of this one. But since the fundamental problems are there (and pretty distracting), your mileage may indeed vary.

Either way, Warner Bros.' separate 4K and Blu-ray editions (the former being a combo pack) offer a decent level of support... which applies more to the solid A/V presentation than the relatively lightweight collection of bonus features, most of which are just bits and pieces of material already issued on Blu-ray during the past decade or so.

Injustice Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Although it falls short of the separate 4K edition, this 1080p presentation of Injustice holds its own for anyone with a more modest home theater setup. As evidenced by these Blu-ray sourced screenshots, overall image detail and color saturation is pleasing -- the flat and angular animation translates well enough to this format, with close-ups and wide shots displaying a naturally crisp appearance that isn't hindered by obvious artifacts or edge enhancement. However, banding creeps in on more than a few occasions (as early as the main menu, in fact) and, while most of its scratchy backgrounds hide these blemishes, harsh gradients and the deepest shadows can't help but fall victim to this issue. The good news is that it's not a persistent problem due to the film's visual design... not to mention it's almost expected in all but the most perfectly-compressed Blu-rays, so this is far from some sort of glaring oversight. Bottom line: if you've seen and enjoyed the appearance of most recent DCAU Blu-rays, Injustice pretty much falls right in line.

Injustice Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Not surprisingly, the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix hold its own as a competent, well-rendered effort that combines crisp dialogue, punchy sound effects, and the original score in a way that sounds smooth and pleasing. This is a mostly front-loaded presentation but obviously opens up during the bigger moments, such as the destruction of Metropolis via a nuclear bomb, the vast interiors of Superman's Fortress of Solitude, and the all-out melee fistfights that dot the plot. Many scenes involving flight, especially the climactic showdown, zip around with a few moments of discrete and rear channel activity, with the low end reserved mostly for the music and heavy explosions, as well as a third-act rave that doesn't end well for a few dozen Joker- loving club-goers. All told, Injustice doesn't attempt to break new sonic ground or consistently aim for the fences, but what's here gets the job done well enough and won't disappoint.

Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), are included during the main feature and all applicable extras.

Injustice Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc set ships in a standard keepcase with painterly cover art, a matching slipcover, a Digital Copy redemption code. A few lightweight extras are included as well, although most are recycled from other discs.

• Adventures in Storytelling – Injustice: Crisis and Conflict (30:55) - A mid-length roundtable with producer Jim Krieg, director Matt Peters, producer Rick Morales, and screenwriter Ernie Altbacker, who discuss the main feature's adaptation and development. Lots of panels from the original comics are also shown.

• DC Universe Movies Flashback - Recycled "Sneak Peak" featurettes originally produced to hype of the release of two loosely-related DC animated films released to Blu-ray and 4K in 2018 and 2019.

• Reign of the Supermwn (2:48)
• The Death of Superman (7:04)

• From the DC Vault - Another staple of DC animated discs, these two vintage animated Justice League episodes first aired in 2002 and thus, despite their titles, are not related to the main feature's plot. They're also available on Warner Bros.' 2008 Blu-ray release of that show's first season, which is well worth picking up.

• Injustice For All, Part 1
• Injustice For All, Part 2

Injustice Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Matt Peters' Injustice marks the long-awaited adaptation of a comic series / video game franchise with over-the-top action, major character deaths, and other shocking developments packed tightly into just 78 minutes. (Too tightly, as it turns out.) The film's major pacing problems undercut what should be huge moments so, while it's still entertaining and at least accessible for newcomers, those familiar with its source material and expecting a tone-perfect adaptation will undoubtedly be frustrated with this one. Add in limited animation and uneven voice work and you've got one of DC's weaker animated efforts in recent memory, but one that still might win over casual fans under the right conditions. Warner Bros.' Blu-ray offers solid A/V specs and only a few decent bonus features. Try before you buy.