8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.3 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.7 |
In a parallel Earth ruled by the Crime Syndicate, the Justice League must fight their evil doppelgangers in a battle that would be dead even, except that their malicious counterparts are willing to do the one thing Batman and Superman never would: kill.
Starring: William Baldwin, Mark Harmon, Chris Noth, Gina Torres, James WoodsComic book | 100% |
Action | 87% |
Fantasy | 73% |
Sci-Fi | 72% |
Adventure | 70% |
Animation | 67% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH, French, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy (as download)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Long before DC and Marvel began making billions at the worldwide box office, long before graphic novels became a staple of every bookstore, dastardly doppelgängers, evil twins, and villainous heroes from alternate realities were putting Earth's mightiest to the test. Who better to face a near-invincible demigod like Superman than an equally powerful manifestation of his darkest impulses? Who better to challenge a strategist like Batman than a mentally unstable Dark Knight who believes murder and justice are one in the same? Who better to battle Wonder Woman in hand to hand combat than a cruel, callous Amazonian who chose an entirely different path? Manhunter against Manhunter, Flash racing Flash, Lantern versus Lantern... it's the stuff of fanboy dreams and comic industry gold. Sadly, such stories have lost their edge after countless incarnations. More often than not, they've revealed themselves to be lazy gimmicks; formulaic crossover events designed to boost sales and offer diehards quick-n-easy access to their favorite heroes' carefully guarded psyches. Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths owes its very existence to these same stories, and subsequently suffers from many of the same problems.
Avengers assemble! What? Oh... um... hm. This is awkward...
Fanboys the world over should be well aware of mainstay producer Bruce Timm's less-is-more animation style. His characters are incredibly expressive, but his lineart is sketchy; his color palette is bold, but his worlds are shallow; his designs emphasize movement over form, but lack texture and dimension. Love it or hate it, Warner has preserved its every nick and splotch with yet another cool and capable 1080p/VC-1-encoded presentation. With gorgeous Superman blues and reds, brilliant Martian greens, stalwart Luthor golds, and inky Batman blacks, every frame is brimming with confident, commanding colors. Moreover, detail is sharp to a fault, showcasing the errant line ends, pencil strokes, and unclosed fills that dot the animation. It isn't always an impressive sight -- particularly when close-ups exacerbate these inherent issues -- but the technical transfer is sound. If it weren't for the incessant banding that appears in so many shots, I'd slap a perfect score across the image and call it a day. Alas, even my son, speeding his way through his fifth year on the planet, asked me why the skies were striped. Faint aliasing and artifacting occasionally rear their heads as well, but only the most discerning videophiles among you will spot each instance. All things considered, Warner's transfer offers an above average experience akin to Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and Wonder Woman.
For reasons I can't hope to understand, Warner has decided that Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths doesn't deserve the sort of TrueHD mix it afforded Green Lantern: First Flight and Wonder Woman; the sort of lossless monster Lionsgate grants each of its animated Marvel Comics films. Dialogue is crisp and intelligible, but is occasionally a tad hollow. LFE output is decent, but fails to shake the room, even when powers surge, jets roar past, and super-punches find their target. Rear speaker activity is adequate, but rarely sell the rocketing heroes, clinking bombs, or blazing beams that streak across the soundfield. No, the studio's Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track (640kbps) is a flat, front-heavy labor of apathy that doesn't enhance the experience as much as it should, or completely immerse the listener in any of the realities our faithful heroes explore. Even dynamics and directionality, while more able-bodied than their standard definition counterparts, are weaker than need be. Chalk it up to the film's limited sound design if it helps you feel better, but both First Flight and Wonder Woman highlight the difference a good lossless track can make, regardless of how simple the animation or production might be. Perhaps Warner will eventually take a cue from larger production houses like Image Entertainment, Magnolia, Naxos, First Look Studios, in-akustik, Screen Media -- you know, the big boys on the Blu-ray circuit -- and give every film a TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio track. One day... when they have the resources to do so. Sigh. Sarcasm just tastes bitter at this point.
If you pick up the Blu-ray edition of Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, be sure to ignore the slipcover sticker that touts "over four hours of extras." While diehards can certainly spend a sixth of their day digging through everything Warner has crammed onto the disc, only 58-minutes of the "four hour" package is comprised of legitimate special features. The rest? Three "First Look" previews recycled from previous releases, another batch of Bruce Timm-selected "Justice League" episodes, and a pair of DCU live-action television pilots, all of which are presented in standard definition. Don't get me wrong, I certainly don't mind the additional material, but without an audio commentary, Picture-in-Picture experience, behind-the-animation documentary, or a single cast or crew member interview, the supplemental package is quite a disappointment.
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths isn't the best flick to come out of DC Comics partnership with Warner Bros. Animation, but it certainly isn't the worst. As action-packed and entertaining as it is, I can only imagine how good it all would have been had the sensibilities that dominated its third act seeped into the film's first fifty minutes. Warner's Blu-ray release isn't reliable either. While it boasts a high-quality technical transfer, its standard Dolby Digital audio track is a middling bust and its supplemental package delivers less than an hour of valid special features. Choose wisely.
Lithograph
2010
with Figurine
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DC Universe Animated Original Movie #13
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DC Universe Animated Original Movie #4
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DC Universe Animated Original Movie #9
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DC Universe Animated Original Movie #18
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DC Universe Animated Original Movie #19
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DC Comics Classic Collection
2001-2002
Warner Archive Collection
2004-2006
DC Showcase Animated Shorts
2010
DC Universe Animated Original Movie #2
2008
DC Universe Animated Original Movie #8
2010
Warner Archive Collection
2019
DC Universe Animated Original Movie #14
2012
DC Universe Animated Original Movie #5
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Commemorative Edition
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DC Universe Animated Original Movie #26
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DC Universe Animated Original Movie #10
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DC Universe Animated Original Movie #6
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DC Universe Animated Original Movie #11
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DC Universe Animated Original Movie #1
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DC Universe Animated Original Movie #17
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