Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)
Warner Bros./DC Entertainment
Directed by: Matt Peters, Christina Sotta
Written by: Ernie Altbacker, Mairghread Scott
Starring: Roger Cross, Rosario Dawson, Christopher Gorham, Camilla Luddington, Shemar Moore, Jerry O’Connell, Jason O’Mara, Matt Ryan
Every bit of hype surrounding Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is warranted.
Before considering the plot, action and twists, the roster featured in this thing is reason enough to get excited. The DC Animated Movie Universe has integrated a ton of characters from the comics, and we saw almost all of what the brand has to offer.
Of course, there are some relationships we’re familiar with, like the Trinity’s or Constantine and Zatanna. But we see the development of some friendships we might not have expected. That’s a result of what these characters have gone through — some of which have changed quite a bit.
Their development is what makes this “preventing the end of the world” plot — which we’ve seen so many times in various mediums — more compelling. Not to mention the stakes are actually as high as they can get.
No one is safe in Justice League Dark: Apokolips War. This isn’t one of the DC stories your parents grew up with. Characters are actually in danger. There will be moments that shock you — some are quicker than others, but still powerful. Actually, some of the quick moments are the most shocking. You just don’t see them coming. And they’re made more powerful by the action in the movie. Things get pretty violent.
Lastly, for those who haven’t watched all of the DCAMU movies: you don’t need to see them to enjoy Justice League Dark: Apokolips War. All you need is a basic knowledge of some of the major DC events through the years and the characters involved and you’ll be good to go.
(WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Justice League Dark: Apokolips War ahead.)
I feel comfortable assuming that those who’ve watched Justice League Dark: Apokolips War knew exactly what I meant by “moments” in the spoiler-free section. A lot, and I meant a lot of DC heroes got roasted in this movie.
That’s something that seems far more common in animated movies than live-action. Certainly, important characters die a fair amount in books, too. But there’s often a build-up, and those notable characters who perish are usually more prominent in the story. Not at all the case here. To me, that’s one of the more appealing parts of the movie. Not that we want to see heroes perish, but who doesn’t want to be on the edge of their seat from start to finish in an action movie?
Definitely a must-watch for all DC fans to can stomach watching some of their favorite characters getting ripped to shreds.