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| Review by Steven Scott |
In Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, Cyborg discovers an imminent threat in the depths of the oceans so powerful that it rallies together the newly formed Justice League. Meanwhile, wandering thousands of feet above the ocean floor is drifter Arthur Curry, a man with strange powers who may be the last chance to bridge the ancient Atlantean world with our own. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice League must band together as they face off against warmongering Orm, an army of sea creatures, otherworldly weapons and perilous odds. In this all-new epic adventure from the DC Universe, mankind’s only hope of escaping from the darkness lies with the guiding light of a man – Aquaman!
Last Word: Another year, another Justice League animated movie.
As the title suggests, this one puts DC’s most famous Atlantean at the forefront. I admit, I gave the last couple JL movies a pass as I had already read the comics and I kind of already knew what I’d be getting going into them, so I surmised they would be a waste of my time.
This one peaked my interest with Aquaman receiving a spotlight usually reserved for his more popular teammates so I decided to dive back in and see if I had been missing out.
Like most DC fans, I was of the opinion that Aquaman was a joke. He had become such a ridiculous punchline that it was difficult to see him as anything but. I wanted Geoff Johns and the rest of the team to prove me wrong. That was the other part that reeled me in. I heard Johns discussing how his favorite characters to write for are the so-called C and D-listers as he found it a challenge to get to the root of those characters and find that spark that made them connect with audiences at one stage, and restore their glory once again. I had heard good things about his run on Aquaman so this felt like a good place to test the waters as he had a hand in the story.
So cutting to the chase, I was underwhelmed. There’s nothing to hate here, but there’s not much to love either. Like other adaptations prior to this, it felt like a watered-down version of the real thing where are the major beats are there, but none of the twists and turns that make the journey worthwhile (or revisiting). There was a character moment here and there, but it always felt tacked on to me and not genuine. I mean really, who really cares if Cyborg asks out the lab girl. Certainly not me as I don’t even know what her name is, much less, her personality.
But back to Aquaman. I won’t get too in depth with plot details here, but basically he’s come to realize that he is half human and half Atlantean, his mother being a queen amongst her sea people. She wants to reconnect with her son, but there’s one problem — Her other son, Orm, is a power hungry jerk who is happy to lay waste to his people if it means taking the throne and leading an army to take revenge on the “land dwellers.” What bothers me, is without giving everything away, we’ve seen this plot play out before in too many movies to count. It’s very paint by numbers and I’ve seen enough of these movies that I know exactly what direction it’s headed in.
Maybe WB Animation is working on the assumption that they have to treat every DC movie likes it’s someone’s first DC movie, in which case, fine. But for repeat customers, it can be a drag. This movie is considered a sequel to last year’s JL: War, as it takes place in the same New 52 continuity and shares some of the same voice cast (although about half of the team has been swapped out). Matt Lanter (better known as the animated voice of Anakin Skywalker) voices Aquaman and he does a decent job with what he’s given. However the meatiest role went to his half brother Orm, voiced by Sam Witwer. Yeah like I said, his scheme is very textbook and his whole relationship with Aquaman felt very Loki/Thor, (but not nearly as interesting), however, he gets to deliver big villainous speeches and makes the most out of his screentime.
Jason O’Mara returns as Batman, who also starred in last year’s Son of Batman and will reprise the role yet again for Batman vs. Robin. It makes sense why they’re reusing this guy to keep a consistency going for the character but this guy is one of my least favorite Batman voices. It’s not entirely his fault as Kevin Conroy owns the role and no one will ever fill his shoes for me, but he’s just not my Batman.
Ok I’m almost done beating up on this movie, but I just have one final thought. The fight scenes are less than spectacular, which is a shame because that’s really all these movies have going for them.
Even with the short runtime of these releases, they still pad a lot of it with uninspired battles which aren’t really anything spectacular and is nothing we’ve not seen before. The climatic showdown is especially frustrating because, without spoiling it, Orm’s army has the advantage, but then gives it to the Justice League for no apparent reason. Hint: it involves water. Oh and stick around for the post credits scene, which have now become obligatory with superhero movies, I guess. It sets this movie up for another sequel. Yay?
With each new release, I keep waiting for the next Mask of the Phantasm to emerge, where the plot takes precedence over the action, but then keep coming up disappointed. Admittedly, that’s a high benchmark, but I can hope. If you’re really itching for more Justice League animation this year, look no further, but don’t go in expecting to be blown away. Or if you haven’t gotten around to Justice League: The New Frontier or Justice League: Doom, I recommend those instead.
Better yet, just go back and re-watch some episode of Justice League Unlimited. The animation is just as good and the voice acting is better.
Until then, I wait for the release of Batman vs. Robin with low expectations.
