Justice League Dark: Apokolips War

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War
Ultra HD Blu-ray cover of Justice League Dark: Apokolips War.
Directed by	Matt Peters Christina Sotta
Produced by	James Tucker
Screenplay by	Ernie Altbacker Mairghread Scott
Story by	Mairghread Scott
Based on	Characters by DC Comics
Starring	Jerry O'Connell Matt Ryan Jason O'Mara Taissa Farmiga Stuart Allan Tony Todd Ray Chase Rosario Dawson Shemar Moore Camilla Luddington Christopher Gorham Rebecca Romijn Hynden Walch Rainn Wilson
Music by	Frederik Wiedmann
Edited by	Christopher D. Lozinski
Production companies	Warner Bros. Animation DC Entertainment
Distributed by	Warner Home Video
Release date	May 5, 2020 (2020-05-05) (Digital download)
Running time	90 minutes[1]
Country	United States
Language	English

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is a 2020 American direct-to-video animated superhero film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and distributed by Warner Home Video and based upon the comic book story arc presented in "Darkseid War" by Geoff Johns, which itself drew^{[citation needed]} inspiration from "Final Crisis" by Grant Morrison. It is the fifteenth and final film in the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU),^[2] and the 38th film overall in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line. It is directed by Matt Peters and Christina Sotta, written by Ernie Altbacker and Mairghread Scott^[3] and features an ensemble cast including Matt Ryan, Jerry O'Connell, Taissa Farmiga, Stuart Allan, Tony Todd, Ray Chase, Jason O'Mara, Rosario Dawson, Shemar Moore, Camilla Luddington, Christopher Gorham, Rebecca Romijn, Hynden Walch and Rainn Wilson. In the film, following an unsuccessful attack on Apokolips that left many heroes dead, the remaining members of the Justice League, Justice League Dark, Teen Titans and Suicide Squad join forces against Darkseid in one epic final battle to save Earth.

The film was announced in July 2019 at San Diego Comic Con and was released on digital platforms on May 5, 2020 and on 4K/Blu-ray/DVD on May 19, 2020.

Plot

Following his two failed attempts at conquering Earth,^{[N 1]} Darkseid and his armies continue conquering other worlds. The Justice League devise a plan to defeat Darkseid by taking his war to Apokolips while leaving the Teen Titans on Earth to defend it. Unbeknownst to them, Darkseid spies on the League through Cyborg, now knowing their plan. As a result, the League are overwhelmed and defeated by Paradooms—genetic hybrid creatures made from Parademons and Doomsday—and a majority of the heroes from both the League and the Titans are killed during the fight, whereas those who survive are placed into Darkseid's slavery.

Two years after his successful conquest of Earth, Darkseid has placed devices known as "Reapers" which mine the planet's core. The surviving heroes blame Clark Kent / Superman for leading them into failure. Following the failed assault, Superman has been forcibly depowered after Darkseid injected him with liquid kryptonite. He and Raven, who has been struggling to maintain her father Trigon's imprisonment^{[N 2]} as a result of her depression due to losing most of her teammates during Darkseid's attack, seek John Constantine for a location spell to track Damian Wayne. Although reluctant to help at first, considering himself a coward for fleeing during the initial attack on Darkseid and leaving his lover Zatanna to die, Constantine locates Damian at a League of Assassins outpost where the group are briefly attacked by assassins who are then called off by Damian, now their leader. Clark explains to Damian they need him to help break his father Batman free from Darkseid's mind control. Damian then reluctantly agrees to join the group.

The group travel to Stryker's Island in Metropolis and meet with Clark's wife Lois Lane who has recruited the Suicide Squad to their cause, now led by Harley Quinn^{[N 3]}. Clark and Lois reveal their plan to infiltrate LexCorp and use the boom tube located there to return to Apokolips and kill Darkseid once and for all. Meanwhile, as a distraction, the remaining heroes launch an attack on the Reapers but are slowly killed battling the Paradooms. At the building, they are confronted by Lex Luthor, who reveals he was a mole working with Lois to gain intel on Darkseid. From there, the group split into two with Clark, Raven, Constantine, and Etrigan the Demon going to Apokolips and Lois, Luthor, and the Squad remaining at the building to defend the boom tube. Batman informs Darkseid of Luthor's betrayal, prompting Batman to send Paradooms and the newly converted mechanical Furies after the heroes.

Upon arrival, Clark's group is attacked by the Furies, consisting of Wonder Woman, Mera, Hawkman, Starfire and Martian Manhunter. Etrigan is killed but Constantine manages to break Wonder Woman free using her Lasso of Truth. She then decides to stay behind to fend off the other Furies as the group head on. They next rescue The Flash from a treadmill powering Apokolips. While freeing the Flash, however, Constantine discovers he had altered the timeline in the past^{[N 4]}. Shortly thereafter they are confronted by Cyborg who has been integrated into the planet's network. Constantine frees Cyborg from Darkseid's control, which also frees the remaining Furies right as they are about to overpower Wonder Woman. Batman and Darkseid return. Darkseid orders Batman to kill Damian but he hesitates when he is reminded of his parents' death, which breaks him free of Darkseid's mind control. In a fit of rage, Darkseid tries to kill Batman but his attack is intercepted by Damian whose death triggers Raven, her sudden emotional instability setting Trigon free. Constantine offers his body as a vessel for Trigon but he refuses and takes Clark's body instead, purging the kryptonite from his body, restoring his powers, and killing Constantine. Trigon attacks Darkseid. Constantine is briefly visited by Zatanna in the afterlife who reveals she used a spell to manipulate Constantine to flee back to Earth as part of a contingency plan prepared by Batman should the League fail. Simultaneously, Raven and Zatanna revive Damian and Constantine.

Back at LexCorp, Lois' team is surrounded by Paradooms, prompting them to initiate a self-destruct. Before the self-destruct, Lois transmits a goodbye message to Apokolips with Cyborg's assistance. Her death shocks Clark back to his senses and frees him from Trigon's possession. Constantine and Raven agree to combine their magic to give Trigon a physical body back so that he can continue fighting Darkseid. Cyborg then reveals his plan to teleport the Paradooms back to Apokolips while dragging the planet into a boom tube with no exit. Cyborg teleports the heroes back to Earth and commences his plan. Relishing the battle, Trigon prevents Darkseid's escape.

Despite their victory, Batman reveals one-third of Earth's magma has been drained by the Reapers, and that people will continue to die by the millions before the League can potentially find a solution. As a result, Constantine convinces Flash to run back in time and reset the timeline again. Flash reluctantly does so and the heroes watch as the timeline resets.

Voice cast

Voice actor	Character
Matt Ryan	John Constantine
Jerry O'Connell	Clark Kent / Superman
Sean Astin	Billy Batson / Shazam
Taissa Farmiga	Rachel Roth / Raven
Stuart Allan	Damian Wayne / Robin
Tony Todd	Uxas / Darkseid
Ray Chase	Etrigan
Jason O'Mara	Bruce Wayne / Batman
Rosario Dawson	Diana Prince / Wonder Woman
Rainn Wilson	Lex Luthor
Rebecca Romijn	Lois Lane
Camilla Luddington	Zatanna Zatara
Christopher Gorham	Barry Allen / Flash
Shemar Moore	Victor Stone / Cyborg
Hynden Walch[N 5]	Harley Quinn
Liam McIntyre	Digger Harkness / Captain Boomerang
John DiMaggio	King Shark, Trigon
Sachie Alessio	Lady Shiva
Roger R. Cross	John Stewart / Green Lantern, Alec Holland / Swamp Thing

In addition, Arthur Curry / Aquaman, J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter, Hal Jordan / Green Lantern, Mera, Katar Hol / Hawkman, Dick Grayson / Nightwing, Princess Koriand'r / Starfire, Roy Harper / Speedy, Karen Beecher / Bumblebee, Garfield Logan / Beast Boy, Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle, Donna Troy / Wonder Girl, Conner Kent / Superboy, Wallace West / Kid Flash, Black Orchid, Kate Kane / Batwoman, Luke Fox / Batwing, Barbara Gordon / Batgirl, Thomas Wayne, Martha Wayne, Joe Chill, Barbara Ann Minerva / Cheetah, Doris Zeul / Giganta, Mark Mardon / Weather Wizard, Toymaster, Bane, David Hyde / Black Manta, the Guardians of the Universe, and members of the Green Lantern Corps (Arisia Rrab, Arkkis Chummuck, Chaselon, Galius Zed, Green Man, Guy Gardner, Kilowog, Palaqua, and Salaak) all have non-speaking roles and cameos, being left as minor characters, most of whom are confirmed dead by the end of the film.

Production

The film was first announced on July 20, 2019 at San Diego Comic Con.^[4] In February 2020, the voice cast for the film was announced with several voice actors from previous DC Animated Movie Universe films all reprising their respective roles.^[5]

Release

The film was released on digital platforms on May 5, 2020 and release on 4K/Blu-ray/DVD on May 19, 2020, respectively.^[6] The release will feature a showcase animated short based on Adam Strange.^[7]

Reception

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 100% based on 18 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10.^[8] Jesse Schden of IGN movies said "This film takes full advantage of the fact that it's the final chapter in a 15-movie arc. Its narrative veers into some very surprising and compelling directions, and somehow it manages to pay off on loose ends from across the DCU".^[9]

Revenue

The film earned $5,402,943 from domestic Blu-ray sales.^[10]

Future

In spite of Justice League Dark: Apokolips War being confirmed as the last film in the DCAMU,^[2] screenwriter Ernie Altbacker teased the possibility of a new project related to that continuity. He stated that "the way we ended it... it's really like a tough balancing act: It ends something on a bittersweet yet hopeful note, and I'll just say, people who are saying, ‘Oh man, we're not going to get anymore of these!’ ...you're not losing something, you're gaining something new..."^[11]

A new continuity based on the DC Rebirth campaign debuted on August 2020 with the film Superman: Man of Tomorrow.

Notes

References

External links

• DC page
• Justice League Dark: Apokolips War at IMDb