by Matt Sernaker (Managing Editor),
When demonic forces are unleashed on Earth, the mystical heavy-hitters of the DC Universe must answer the call. Batman gathers a new team, consisting of John Constantine, Zatanna, Deadman, Swamp-Thing, and Etrigan The Demon to fight the forces of Destiny and Felix Faust. Based on the hit DC Comics series, Justice League Dark is now available to own on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital, and On-Demand!
An unsettling opening sequence introduces viewers to a series of demonic possessions taking place in the DC Universe. When the Justice League is unable to determine a cause for this seemingly unlinked occurrences, Batman is forced to take matters into his own hands. With a little help from his old acquaintance Zatanna and the ghostly Deadman, Batman is forced to track down John Constantine to get some answers. Batman will soon find himself out of his element and thrust into a mystical world. Can his new allies help him stop a full blown magical assault on the real world?
Fan favorite Matt Ryan (Constantine) returns to voice the Hellblazer himself in this new animated adventure. Ryan seamlessly slips back into the role, and easily stands out as the most entertaining character of the piece. Camilla Luddington (Grey’s Anatomy) joins the team as Zatanna, and we learn that her character has an interesting past connected to both Batman and Constantine. Nicholas Turturro (NYPD Blue) voices Boston Brand/Deadman, and his vocal stylings worked perfectly to convey a sense of humor and tragedy to the ghostly hero. Roger Cross (Fox’s 24) plays both Swamp Thing and the latest Green Lantern recruit, John Stewart. Cross excels as Swamp Thing, and it was great seeing Stewart join this new animated universe. Ray Chase (Final Fantasy XV) rounds out the mystical lead cast by playing the dual roles of Jason Blood and Etrigan The Demon. Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2) takes on the role of the villainous Destiny, while Enrico Colantoni (Galaxy Quest) voices Felix Faust. The film also features returning players Jason O’Mara (Batman: Bad Blood), Jerry O’Connell (Justice League Vs Teen Titans), and Rosario Dawson (Justice League WAR). While Batman is featured on the cover of this release, he actually is relegated to the sidelines for the majority of the film. It was interesting seeing him act as an observer and let the more experienced magical characters stand in the spotlight. The film was directed by Jay Oliva (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Parts 1 and 2) and was written by J.M. DeMatteis (Batman: Bad Blood).
It is important to note that while this is a “Justice League” animated movie, it is most certainly rated “R” for a reason. The opening sequence alone helped to solidify this rating, but this is not a film for kids. Demonic possession stories might not be a family-friendly topic, but it definitely made for an interesting DC animated feature.
- The Story of Swamp Thing
- Did You Know: “Constantine Origin”
- Did You Know: “Color of Magic”
- Did You Know: “Black Orchid”
- Did You Know: “Deadman Casting”
- 2016 NY Comic-Con Panel
- A Sneak Peek at the next DC Animated Original Movie: Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
- From the DC Comics Vault
