by Matt Sernaker, Managing Editor
The Justice League, guardians of peace. Comprised of the greatest heroes the world has ever known, including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and…Aquaman. Yes, the hero of the deep blue sea finally gets some time in the animated spotlight, as Justice League: Throne of Atlantis hits home to Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital on Demand.
Taking place after the events of Justice League: WAR, members of Atlantis believe that it is time to take revenge on the surface world for the death of their king (as seen in the after credits sequence). A new hero must rise up to bridge the gap between two worlds, and become their greatest chance for peace. While the story is officially titled with the Justice League branding, Throne of Atlantis is a mashup of Aquaman’s origin story, and the recent Geoff Johns written “Throne of Atlantis”story arc from Justice League. Arthur Curry struggles to find his place in the world following the death of his father. After an attack by Atlantian warriors, Arthur discovers that there is much more to his past than he could have imagined. With war looming in the distance, Arthur must accept his destiny and take his place as ruler of Atlantis. With help from his new Justice League friends, can our hero stop his Atlantean Step-Brother Orm from destroying all that he holds dear?
One of the strongest elements of this release is the talented voices behind the characters. The voice cast of the newest DC Animated film features Matt Lanter (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) as Aquaman, Sumalee Montano (Transformers Prime) as Mera, and Sam Witwer (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) as Arthur’s Step-Brother Orm. The film also features a who’s-who of returning DC Universe Original Movie voice actors, including: Jason O’Mara (Batman), Rosario Dawson (Wonder Woman), Nathan Fillion (Green Lantern), Sean Astin (Shazam), Christopher Gorham (The Flash), Shemar Moore (Cyborg), Jerry O’Connell (Superman), Steve Blum (Lex Luthor), and George Newbern (Steve Trevor).
The animation style for Throne of Atlantis is very much in line with the previous Justice League: WAR animated feature. The character designs are sleek and stylish, and in some cases, look better than the current comic book counterparts. The only challenge with the film is in terms of pacing, where it feels like the scenes are constantly fading to black. Having seen all of the DC Universe films, this is the first time that I felt that the transitions were extremely noticeable.
Special Features:
- Scoring Atlantis: The Sound of the Deep featurette
- Robin and Nightwing Bonus Sequence – Check out a short feature that follows up on a story plot from Throne of Atlantis.
- Throne of Atlantis: 2014 NYCC Comic-Con Panel
- Throne of Atlantis Soundtrack
- Sneak Preview of DC Universe’s next Original Movie – Batman vs Robin – The sequel to Son of Batman, this next installment will feature a loose adaptation of the Court of Owls storyline from the recent Scott Snyder Batmancomics.
- From the Vault – 4 Bonus Cartoons
Overall
While the King of Atlantis might have been considered a joke character in the past, his reboot has been one of the best components of DC’s The New 52. Johns’ updates to the character are front and center in this animated adaptation, and it has really helped to make Aquaman into a badass. The story selected for Justice League: Throne of Atlantis works as a solid introduction to Aquaman, and allows viewers to see why he is a force to be reckoned with. With the upcoming Aquaman live action movie being planned as part of the DC Cinematic Universe, we can only hope that Arthur Curry gets a story that holds up to this quality.
ComicsOnline gives Justice League: Throne of Atlantis – 4.5 out of 5 uses of telepathic powers
