Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths (Max)

[Frostbiter]

 I watched this on Max the other evening and... I didn't find it to be very good. Never read the source material so not sure what it was like but this animated version of it was slow paced and hard to follow at best. This is only part one so I assume a second part is coming and I'll probably watch that in the hopes that something is explained because the exposition is lacking in part one.

 

Spoiler

They spent 45 minutes of backstory on Flash and Amazo, with Flash randomly jumping into the Speedforce and ending up in different times. I found these scenes to be a little jarring because watching Flash forced to run through the speedforce was a little ridiculous looking.  It probably looked better on a comic page. It looked exactly like I must have with my HS track coach "encouraging" me to run laps when I was on the track team to throw shot put. This was all done to set up Amazo's talking head, which is somehow crucial to the plot. The rest of it, while explained a little better isn't very well done IMO.

 

This is something to watch if you're bored and looking to hone the edge on that. Hands down the worst offering I've seen from the DCAU. Not recommended.

 

 

Edited May 3 by Frostbiter
I exist and have bad grammar.

[Glacier Peak]

DC has a history of just redoing the same popular storyline over and over again without changing too much (voice actors, artists, story pacing all change). It's their attempt to hook a new audience in to their story telling universe and rake in cash from the die hards and fanboys. 

 

If you want to enjoy the actual story, take a look at the 1980s version.

[Luminara]

According to Wikipedia, this is a trilogy. and Kevin Conroy recorded lines for the third installment shortly before he passed.

 

Crap rehash or not, I'd watch them if I could, just to hear him as Batman one more time.

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand now I'm crying.  Thanks, asshats.

[Ulysses Dare]

I quite like the decision to replace Pariah and Harbinger with pre-exisiting DC characters. It gives me a reason to care about them; a thing sorely lacking in the original comics.  The writing still isn't up to the standards set by the Timmverse though.

Edited May 4 by Ulysses Dare

[Techwright]

4 hours ago, Glacier Peak said:

DC has a history of just redoing the same popular storyline over and over again without changing too much (voice actors, artists, story pacing all change). It's their attempt to hook a new audience in to their story telling universe and rake in cash from the die hards and fanboys. 

 

If you want to enjoy the actual story, take a look at the 1980s version.

I'll admit to being confused by all the "Crisis" stuff over the decades.  I'd always assumed it was DC's way of jettisoning a lore that had become too cumbersome, and trying something different.  That and generating fans and cash, as you've noted.

[Glacier Peak]

Just now, Techwright said:

I'll admit to being confused by all the "Crisis" stuff over the decades.  I'd always assumed it was DC's way of jettisoning a lore that had become too cumbersome, and trying something different.  That and generating fans and cash, as you've noted.

I don't mean to imply there is anything wrong with that approach. It's worked for them (and Marvel) for a half century now. It's just not fun as a comic lover when the reboot happens more often than original story telling. I think I've read every Batman story arc now dozens of times, not the same comic, but the same story told over and over again using different approaches. 

 

Long Halloween is still my favorite. I did like how they incorporated the Court of Owls a decade ago. It's not all bad!

[Luminara]

1 minute ago, Glacier Peak said:

It's just not fun as a comic lover when the reboot happens more often than original story telling.

 

Wonder if they learned that from Hollywood, or Hollywood learned it from them...

[Glacier Peak]

9 minutes ago, Luminara said:

Wonder if they learned that from Hollywood, or Hollywood learned it from them...

Hollywood learned it from Detective Comics, arguably from the 1930s retcons of Batman and Superman. 

 

https://therealbatmanchronologyproject.com/fictional-canon/multiple-timelines-as-per-dcs-major-revamps/#:~:text=In a sense%2C this “first,of the Pre-Modern Age.

 

[Frostbiter]

1 hour ago, Luminara said:

According to Wikipedia, this is a trilogy. and Kevin Conroy recorded lines for the third installment shortly before he passed.

 

Crap rehash or not, I'd watch them if I could, just to hear him as Batman one more time.

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand now I'm crying.  Thanks, asshats.

 

Earth One Batman is voiced by Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester as Batman. While he mostly did fine, he could have used a little more monotone. I didn't set out to upset anyone with this review but this was the fairest shake I could give this feature. Even the fight scenes were lacking substance. I mean, they literally hide behind vehicles and talk while vehicles and buildings are exploding around them. Just....ugh. It's like watching someone hide behind a couch in a gunfight scene and magically survive a hail of bullets.

[Luminara]

25 minutes ago, Glacier Peak said:

Hollywood learned it from Detective Comics, arguably from the 1930s retcons of Batman and Superman. 

 

https://therealbatmanchronologyproject.com/fictional-canon/multiple-timelines-as-per-dcs-major-revamps/#:~:text=In a sense%2C this “first,of the Pre-Modern Age.

 

Film beat comics by 20 years.  Cecil DeMille produced and directed The Squaw Man three times (1914, 1918 and 1931).  The 1918 version was the first true remake in film history, as it was directed and produced by the same person (everything else prior to that was done by different directors or studios, like the 1903 The Great Train Robbery and the 1904 The Great Train Robbery, which was almost a shot-for-shot remake of the 1903 film, by a different director and studio (film wasn't covered by copyright law at that time)).

 

But my comment was a satirical observation that it's standard operating procedure for both.

[Luminara]

18 minutes ago, Frostbiter said:

Earth One Batman is voiced by Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester as Batman. While he mostly did fine, he could have used a little more monotone.

 

Jason Todd (Batman: Under the Red Hood) is Batman now?

 

I'm so out of the loop.

 

[Glacier Peak]

58 minutes ago, Luminara said:

Film beat comics by 20 years.  Cecil DeMille produced and directed The Squaw Man three times (1914, 1918 and 1931).  The 1918 version was the first true remake in film history, as it was directed and produced by the same person (everything else prior to that was done by different directors or studios, like the 1903 The Great Train Robbery and the 1904 The Great Train Robbery, which was almost a shot-for-shot remake of the 1903 film, by a different director and studio (film wasn't covered by copyright law at that time)).

 

But my comment was a satirical observation that it's standard operating procedure for both.

Well technically...

 

Yes 😆 

[Techwright]

6 hours ago, Frostbiter said:

Earth One Batman is voiced by Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester as Batman.

 

Curious.  I wonder what makes them settle on one voice over another?  They worked with Kevin Conroy for close to 30 years. They've had several voice actors portraying Batman these past years.  Personally I liked Jason O'mara and Bruce Greenwood in the role. 

[Glacier Peak]

Conroy will always be the voice that other voice actors emulate or incorporate in to their interpretation of the voice of Batman. Such legendary quality, a true icon of his craft. 

[Frostbiter]

Crisis On Infinite Earths: Part 2

 

This one was better. Not a lot better but still much better. More exposition and the plot was easier to follow now. Still have no idea who quite a few of the characters are though. Hopefully part three will tie everything together.

[TTRPGWhiz]

I keep getting this series confused with Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. I really enjoy that movie even though Ultraman sounds like a terrible mobster impression, and the best character in the movie (Owlman) is voiced by the worst human in the cast (James Woods).