Justice League: Throne of Atlantis Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Justice League: Throne of Atlantis Blu-ray Movie Review

All hands, abandon ship! All hands, abandon ship!

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown January 27, 2015

Ignore the words "Justice League." The New 52-inspired JLA is on deck, but only so that their miserable failure against Ocean Master and his hordes will allow the underappreciated Dweller of the Depths, the once and future King of Atlantis, Arthur Curry, to swim in, save the day, and maybe, just maybe earn a little respect from the Robot Chicken crowd. Throne of Atlantis is Aquaman's movie (rightfully so!) and it pulls out all the stops. Insurmountable odds? Selfless heroes? Powerful villains? A diabolical scheme that threatens the world? Legions of masked henchmen? High stakes? Large-scale war? It's got it all... except everything that counts. The animation is hurried and underwhelming, the voicework spotty, the Justice League's involvement rather dull, Curry's rise to power one 70-minute cliché, the action stocky and unexciting, the script middle of the road, and the dialogue dangerously hit or miss. I could go on -- there's more -- but Throne of Atlantis is best summarized with a single, beautifully succinct syllable: meh. This is not the Aquaman showcase diehards have been so patiently waiting for, nor the movie destined to silence the skeptics, defuse prevailing shoulder shrugs and eye rolls, or bring any new fans to the Atlantean fold.

"Chin up, tiger shark. You'll win 'em over. One day..."

Darkness, mystery, legend. These are the whispers that echo through time regarding Atlantis. A kingdom long since forgotten to surface dwellers, it is here that a hidden empire, ruled by Queen Atlanna (Sirena Irwin), teeters on the brink of war. When a military submarine traversing this remote domain is attacked, Cyborg (Sean Patrick Thomas) plunges to the murky depths to investigate the wreckage. What he encounters is a threat powerful enough to rally together the rest of the members of the newly formed Justice League: Superman (Jerry O'Connell), Batman (Jason O'Mara), Wonder Woman (Rosario Dawson), Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), The Flash (Christopher Gorham) and Shazam (Sean Astin). Meanwhile, thousands of feet above the ocean floor wanders a lone drifter named Arthur Curry (Matt Lanter), a man with strange powers who may be the last chance to bridge the ancient Atlantean world and our own. Fighting alongside the JLA and fellow aquatic hero Mera (Sumalee Montano), Arthur must face his half-brother, Ocean Master (Sam Witwer), the villainous Black Manta (Henry Lennix), and an army of Atlantean soldiers who believe they've no choice but to attack the surface world.

Like the divisive "New 52" DC Comics title-wide reboot, the most recent DCU animated original movies -- Justice League: War, Son of Batman, Batman: Assault on Arkham, and now Throne of Atlantis -- are struggling to connect. (More and more with each passing movie it seems.) Blame the comic stories upon which they're based; you certainly wouldn't be the first. Blame the changing of the voice-actor guard; Conroy out, O'Mara in. Blame DC's less than exacting approach to shared-universe animated movies. Blame whatever and whomever you'd like. There's a bigger problem coursing through Warner Animation's veins, though. A cancer that's growing. For all the effort that's been invested into creating new, more relevant versions of iconic characters, these "fresh" iterations of Superman, Batman and company tend to be unlikable, too simplistic, and quite flat for what should be dynamic, imagination-defying demigods. (At least as they've been represented in the DCU animated movies thus far.)

Throne of Atlantis finally introduces Aquaman into the JLA mix, but does so haphazardly, woodenly and without much in the way of a hook. (No pun intended.) We've seen this tale many, many times before. And seen many, many superior takes on the same material. The conflicts, the betrayals, the unlikely hero's reluctance and eventual acceptance of his destiny. It's all so familiar, and not just from decades past. Justice League: War covered much of the same ground with multiple characters. Throne of Atlantis trains its focus on Arthur Curry, rehashes the formula, and heads to lunch early. That's a wrap! It's strange too. Pay close attention to producer James Tucker, director Ethan Spaulding, writer Heath Corson and other decision-makers in the pipeline when watching the disc's special features. They get it. They get Aquaman. The allure of Ocean Master and Black Manta. The things that should and could make Throne of Atlantis exceptional. So why is the final product so removed from their passion and grasp on the characters and story? A failure of execution, yes, but not a simple failure of execution. The Dark Knight Returns, Parts 1 and 2 demonstrated how talented Tucker and his directors, writers and animators are. But it also offered nearly everything Throne of Atlantis doesn't have the luxury of counting among its assets. Well over two hours of screentime, a more captivating source comic, stronger animation, a more striking visual style, on and on and on. A smaller, more affordable voice cast. Above all, a budget suited to its ambition.

The inevitable misperception here will be that the Throne of Atlantis team is content with mediocrity, when, really, the likelihood is that the movie didn't have the development timetable or schedule necessary to tighten, polish and fine-tune the writing and animation. Its script is more akin to a rough draft than a sharp screenplay, with plot holes, dead-on-arrival jokes and wince-inducing dialogue squeaking through far too often. (The opening submarine attack is one of many groan-worthy scenes.) Its runtime leaves almost no room for complex character arcs, compelling relationships, or exchanges that aren't waterlogged with thick, wet exposition. The movie's budget appears to have been stretched to the point of snapping, with the animation leading the charge one minute and lagging behind the next. And the climactic super-powered showdowns are anything but. Aquaman and the Justice League's run-ins with Ocean Masters' minions aren't creative, gripping or thrilling, and the ultimate lead-up to war, the battle with Black Manta, and the final clash between Atlantis and the JLA amounts to all sound, no fury. Worse, its utterly and terribly predictable. Is there a riveting movie lurking in Atlantis' depths? Absolutely. This one, unfortunately, only skims the surface.

Justice League: Throne of Atlantis Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Justice League: Throne of Atlantis features a semi-decent yet fairly disappointing 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation. The upside is that many of the anomalies that appear are inherent to the source animation. The downside is that it doesn't make them any less noticeable, prevalent, severe or distracting. Banding, the most frequent offender, is out in force, present in everything from the night skies to the murky depths of the ocean, the faces of the heroes and villains, the costumes, backgrounds, et al. Macroblocking creeps in as well, as does an intermittent softness that affects entire scenes, making them that much worse for the wear. (And no, I'm not referring to the "underwater effect" used in Atlantis sequences. The specific softness I'm referencing sometimes occurs on top of that effect, but also in shots inside submarines, above the waves, and on the streets too.) Yes, various animation techniques are again the chief culprit, but it's no less aggravating, particularly when the issues continually draw your eye away from the art and action. Other smaller eyesores pop up from time to time (aliasing, pixilation, and a handful of blink-and-you'll-miss-em pulldown-esque blips on the radar), but these aren't nearly as intrusive or irritating, if you even spot them all. Thankfully, colors pack plenty of punch, black levels are inky, and detail, though obscured at times, is about as sharp as it could be. A number of sequences look every bit as good as we've come to expect; the constant being the sun, which tends to be high and bright in the loveliest, less problematic moments in the movie.

Which brings us to the presentation's score. A tricky one, to be sure. On the one hand, I doubt Warner's encode is anything short of sound. The animation seems to be at fault for almost everything that goes wrong, and with so many scenes cast in an undersea haze, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Throne of Atlantis isn't always as crisp as other DCU animated movies. On the other hand, there's so many instances of banding, macroblocking and other glaring issues (some of which are much easier to spot in motion than in individual screen captures) that it would be misleading to slap the word "faithful" on the encode and call it a day. So take my score as you will. I assure you it has nothing to do with my dissatisfaction with the movie.

Justice League: Throne of Atlantis Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The highlight of the disc is Warner's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, even though several front-heavy scenes too many hold it back from immersive, sternum-thumping, neck-twisting excellence. Dialogue is clear and intelligible throughout, without anything in the way of prioritization mishaps. Frederik Wiedmann's score is a bit more subdued than I would have liked, but the underwater action is clearly the focus, with low-end oomph and rear-speaker awe aplenty. Explosions, energy blasts, super-powered strikes, lightning bolts, spear thrusts, and fist fights are weighty and meaty, while the hum of the ocean, the sounds of battle, the charge of Ocean Master's hordes, and the various dust-ups that pit hero against villain take advantage of the entire soundfield. The mix struggles to achieve a true cinematic fullness, but those familiar with other DCU animated movies will find their expectations have been met.

Justice League: Throne of Atlantis Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Batman vs. Robin Sneak Peek (HD, 10 minutes): An extended preview of the next DCU animated original film, Batman vs. Robin, a direct sequel to Son of Batman. The filmmakers and voice cast discuss the story, Batman and Robin's conflicting arcs, the Court of Owls, and more.
• Villains of the Deep (HD, 12 minutes): A fairly in-depth overview, history and analysis of Aquaman's primary nemeses, Ocean Master and Black Manta. Everything from Greek tragedy to Arthurian legend to comicbook archetypes are discussed in this excellent featurette. The only downside? It isn't longer.
• Scoring Atlantis: The Sound of the Deep (HD, 30 minutes): A surprisingly extensive and revealing half-hour dissection of the development and scoring of Throne of Atlantis' score with composer Frederik Wiedmann, producer James Tucker, recording engineer John Rodd, and conductor Russell Steinberg.
• Robin and Nightwing Bonus Sequence (HD, 4 minutes): James Tucker introduces and explains a 45-second animated short which serves as a prequel of sorts to the Batman/Green Lantern Scarecrow chase featured in Throne of Atlantis. It's more of a deleted scene, though, and probably should have been presented as such.
• 2014 NY Comic-Con Panel (HD, 27 minutes): The Throne of Atlantis Q&A panel from the 2014 New York Comic-Con. Participants include producer James Tucker, character designer Phil Bourassa, screenwriter Heath Corson, dialogue director Andrea Romano, and Aquaman voice actor Matt Lanter.
• From the DC Comics Vault (HD, 83 minutes): Four DCU animated series episodes are available, among them "Aquaman's Outrageous Adventure!" and "Evil Under the Sea!" from Batman: The Brave and the Bold, "Menace of the Black Manta and The Rampaging Reptile-Man" from the 1967-70 Aquaman series, and "Far from Home" from Justice League Unlimited.
• Isolated Score Track (HD): Watch the movie with a Dolby Digital 2.0 music-only track.

Justice League: Throne of Atlantis Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I've found that no reviews draw more hate than a comicbook movie review, so feel free to rally or dismiss as you see fit. In the world of comicbook films and even in the realm of DCU animated original movies, Throne of Atlantis lacks staying power, lasting personality, killer showdowns, memorable set pieces, clever dialogue, and jaw-dropping animation. Aquaman fans will reap the biggest rewards (obviously), yet still be disappointed that their beloved undersea Atlantean isn't likely to win over any new fans with a weak showing like this. Aquaman detractors will continue to, er, detract, and those on the fence will be left right where they were found, wondering what all the aqua-fuss is about. For too long, Aquaman has been the butt of the JLA joke, but there's a reason Atlantis' king has so many followers. I only wish Throne of Atlantis demonstrated what some of us have long known about the Justice League's most ridiculed member: he's not to be trifled with. Warner's Blu-ray release is better, but only a bit. With a problematic video presentation, a solid but less than extraordinary DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, and a decent but average supplemental package, it isn't the best DCU BD to date. Not by a long shot. DC diehards, DCU completists and Aquaman fans can take solace in the Blu-ray combo pack's low price point, though.