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The DC Animated Universe is celebrating its tenth anniversary gathering up all 30 movies. From my count, I did manage to review several of them. Please note, the ratings below are my current thoughts and may not reflect what I originally rated it. Furthermore, please excuse the change in review format, some reviews date back to my old site design and layouts.
Superman: Doomsday (2007) — 3.0/5
When Lexcorp accidentally unearths the intergalactic serial killer Doomsday, Superman (ADAM BALDWIN) battles the creature head-on in the fight of his life…literally. The world collectively mourns its fallen hero; humanity realizes it will never feel truly safe again. Superman’s enemies rejoice – all but Lex Luthor (JAMES MARSTERS), who grieves the loss in his own demented manner, setting off a chilling chain of events that even he couldn’t have foreseen.
Justice League: The New Frontier (2008) — 2.5/5
With Cold War paranoia putting Superman (KYLE MACLACHLAN), Batman (JEREMY SISTO) and Wonder Woman (LUCY LAWLESS) under government suspicion, only the gravest threat imaginable can force these heroes – along with an army of newcomers, including The Flash, Green Lantern (DAVID BOREANAZ) and Martian Manhunter (MIGUEL FERRER) – to unite in a spectacular showdown to save the world. Embark on this epic saga of how Earth’s greatest champions formed the most powerful alliance for good ever assembled.
Batman: Gotham Knight (2008) — 3.25/5 [Review Link]
Screenwriters including David Goyer, Josh Olson and Alan Burnett join forces with revered animation filmmakers on six spellbinding chapters chronicling Batman’s (KEVIN CONROY) transition from novice crime fighter to The Dark Knight. These globe-spanning adventures pit Batman against the fearsome Scarecrow (COREY BURTON), the freakish Killer Croc and the unerring marksman Deadshot. From some of the world’s most visionary animators comes a thrilling depiction of Batman as man, myth and legend.
Wonder Woman (2009) — 4.0/5
On the mystical island of Themyscira, a proud, strong warrior race of Amazon women lives in a utopian civilization shielded from the corrupt world of man. But a betrayal within the Amazon sisterhood leads to the escape of Ares, the God of War (ALFRED MOLINA), and Amazon Princess Diana (KERI RUSSELL) must capture him before he unleashes global chaos and destruction. With the aid of cocky fighter pilot Steve Trevor (NATHAN FILLION), Diana tracks Ares to the United States for a battle unlike any humankind has ever faced in this epic tale of the princess who becomes the World’s Greatest Super Heroine.
Green Lantern: First Flight (2009) — 3.5/5 [Review Link]
When pilot Hal Jordan (CHRISTOPHER MELONI) accepts a mysterious, powerful ring from a dying alien creature, it transforms him into a Green Lantern, one of an elite force of heroes who patrol the universe to ensure peace and justice under the leadership of the Guardians of the Universe. Unsure of their newest recruit, the Guardians assign Hal to their most-honored Green Lantern Sinestro (VICTOR GARBER) for training, unaware that Sinestro wants to overthrow the Guardians and create a new order he’ll control. It’s a battle of might and willpower as Hal must prove his worth by defeating Sinestro to save the Green Lantern Corps.
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009) — 3.5/5 [Review Link]
A desperate solution for a troubled country: Lex Luthor (CLANCY BROWN) for President with the Justice League in the service of the government. Only Batman (CONROY) and Superman (TIM DALY) stand against the new regime – and their disloyalty proves to be exactly what Luthor intended. Using their outcast status to instigate a scandal against Superman, Luthor finally tastes a victory in his vendetta against the Man of Steel.
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010) — 3.75/5 [Review Link]
In a parallel universe, the lone survivor of Earth’s Justice League – Lex Luthor (CHRIS NOTH) – travels through other dimensions to join forces with Superman (MARK HARMON), Batman (WILLIAM BALDWIN), Wonder Woman (VANESSA MARSHALL), Green Lantern (NOLAN NORTH), The Flash (JOSH KEATON), and J’onn J’onzz (JONATHAN ADAMS) to save his world and its people. But villainous Crime Syndicate controlled by Ultraman (BRIAN BLOOM), Owlman (JAMES WOODS) and Superwoman (GINA TORRES) will stop at nothing to maintain their domination. It will take wits, might and a sacrifice to defeat these unforgiving enemies.
Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) — 3.75/5 [Review Link]
Batman (BRUCE GREENWOOD) faces his ultimate challenge as the mysterious Red Hood (JENSEN ACKLES) takes Gotham City by firestorm. One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code. Killing is an option. And when The Joker (JOHN DIMAGGIO) falls in the balance between the two, hard truths are revealed and old wounds are reopened.
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010) — 3.5/5 [Review Link]
A mysterious spaceship from Planet Krypton crashes on Earth with a beautiful girl (SUMMER GLAU) inside, and everyone wants to meet the new kid. Superman (TIM DALY) embraces the connection to his past, Batman (CONROY) suspects a traitor, Wonder Woman (SUSAN EISENBERG) senses a kindred spirit, and Darkseid (ANDRE BRAUGHER) desires a champion. But this feisty teen, Kara, has her own ideas, none of which include a secret identity, a cape or heroics. It will take a life or death battle with Darkseid to uncover her true purpose on Earth.
Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam (2010) — 3.5/5 [Review Link]
Chosen by the wizard Shazam! (JAMES GARNER) to be the world’s protector, young Billy Batson (ZACH CALLISON) becomes the World’s Mightiest Mortal. Battling alongside Superman against the nefarious Black Adam (ARNOLD VOSLOO), Billy quickly discovers the challenge that all Super Heroes ultimately face – is he fighting for justice?
All-Star Superman (2011) — 2.5/5 [Review Link]
Lex Luthor’s (ANTHONY LAPAGLIA) elaborate plot to kill the Man of Steel works! Poisoned by solar radiation, Superman (JAMES DENTON) is dying. With weeks to live, he fulfills his life’s dreams – especially revealing his true identity to Lois Lane (CHRISTINE HENDRICKS) – until Luthor proclaims his ultimate plan to control the world with no alien to stop him. Powers fading, Superman engages in a spectacular deadly battle that could truly trigger the end of Earth’s Greatest Protector.
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights (2011) — 3.75/5
While awaiting a battle with Krona, an ancient enemy of the Guardians of the Universe, Earth’s Green Lantern Hal Jordan (NATHAN FILLION), Kilowog (HENRY ROLLINS), Sinestro (JASON ISAACS) and other members of the Green Lantern Corps recount their greatest adventures to new recruit Arisia (ELISABETH MOSS) – everything from tales to the Corps’ Blackest Night!
Batman: Year One (2011) — 4.0/5
When Gotham City is in desperate need of heroes, two men take a stand for justice… but on opposite sides. Bruce Wayne (BEN MCKENZIE) returns home after years abroad to become a crimefighter, just as honest cop Lt. James Gordon (BRYAN CRANSTON) moves to Gotham and finds corruption at every level. When Bruce becomes the masked vigilante Batman, the city explodes as his new nemesis Catwoman (ELIZA DUSHKU), the mob and Gordon all close in!
Justice League: Doom (2012) — 3.5/5 [Review Link]
The Justice League consists of Earth’s finest super heroes and protectors of humanity. But in the mind of the Dark Knight (CONROY), it contains potentially the most dangerous people on the planet. Over time, Batman has compiled top-secret contingency plans should any of them go rogue. When these files are stolen by a rising group of super villains, the Justice League embarks on a collision course that will test the very fabric of its alliance.
Superman vs. The Elite (2012) — 3.0/5
When catastrophe strikes, Superman (GEORGE NEWBERN) once again rushes into action, but this time he gets some unexpected help from a new squad of super heroes calling themselves The Elite. Comprised of four powerful beings and spearheaded by the brash and calculating Manchester Black, this new force brings a raw, no-holds-barred mentality to the battle against evil. With swelling public support of The Elite’s vicious methods, the stage is set for a showdown that has Superman feeling outnumbered and outdated.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (2012) — 4.5/5 [Review Link — Part 2]
Another night falls on Gotham City and with the darkness, out crawls the crime and villainy from the shadows. The days of the Batman and other noble super heroes are but faded memories; violence and despair are now the harbingers of our time. With the roving gangs and return of villains such as Harvey “Two-Face” Dent (WADE WILLIAMS) and the Joker (MICHAEL EMERSON), an aged and weathered Bruce Wayne (PETER WELLER) dons the mask and cape once more. With the brave, young Carrie Kelley (ARIEL WINTER) at his side as Robin, the Dark Knight faces off against insurmountable odds, unforgettable battles and even the Man of Steel (MARK VALLEY) as he desperately fights to reclaim Gotham City.
Superman: Unbound (2013) — 3.5/5
An unstoppable android on the horizon. A mysterious fireball hurtling toward Earth. A fearless – and beautiful – reporter (STANA KATIC) who’ll stop at nothing to get her story. It’s just another day for the heroic Man of Steel (MATTHEW BOMER)… only this time, for better or for worse, he has this unpredictable cousin, Supergirl (MOLLY QUINN), by his side. The gritty adventure begins as Superman learns about the ruthless force known as Brainiac (JOHN NOBLE), who has seized and miniaturized Krypton’s capital city of Kandor. Determined to liberate the captured metropolis and protect his home planet from Brainiac’s increasing power, Superman takes on his most menacing enemy yet.
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) — 4.5/5 [Review Link]
We all wish for the chance to go back in time and change things, and for The Flash (JUSTIN CHAMBERS), that chance is within reach. As a boy, Barry Allen had his life torn apart when his mother was a victim of a violent crime, but now, using his power of super speed, he will traverse time to change that fateful day. His intentions are good, but changing the past has repercussions that could prove disastrous, as a fractured, alternate universe now exists in place of the familiar one. Stumbling through a twisted reality where even Superman (SAM DALY) is nowhere to be found. The Flash seeks the trusted wisdom of Batman, only to find a grittier, more violent Dark Knight in his place. The Flash and Batman (KEVIN MCKIDD), with the help of Cyborg (MICHAEL B. JORDAN), race to restore the original timeline while the alternate world is ravaged by a fierce war between Wonder Woman’s (VANESSA MARSHALL) Amazons and the Atlanteans led by a battle-hardened Aquaman (CARY ELWES).
Justice League: War (2014) — 3.75/5 [Review Link]
In Gotham City’s shadows lurks a mysterious figure, a silent guardian known only as the Batman (JASON O’MARA). While battling crime and an ever-growing public distrust, he faces the injustices of the night alone. During a criminal pursuit, the Batman crosses paths with the arrogant intergalactic cop Green Lantern (JUSTIN KIRK), and the unlikely duo uncovers an impending threat bigger and more deadly than anything the Earth has faced before. For the Earth to have a chance to survive, it will be a race to forge an uneasy alliance of its greatest super powers, including the Kryptonian alien, Superman (ALAN TUDYK); the Amazonian envoy, Wonder Woman (MICHELLE MONAGHAN); and the Scarlet Speedster, the Flash (CHRISTOPHER GORHAM). Along with newcomers Cyborg (SHEMAR MOORE) and teen super hero Shazam (SEAN ASTIN), this awesome assembly of the world’s finest are prepared to meet evil head-on and offer mankind its only hope, if they don’t self-destruct first!
Son of Batman (2014) — 3.25/5 [Review Link]
Hidden atop a secret mountain stronghold lies the League of Shadows and its fearless leader, Ra’s al Ghul (GIANCARLO ESPOSITO). Together with his equally dangerous daughter, Talia (MORENA BACCARIN), he oversees a trained army of assassin with plans for global domination. But an uprising from within the League now threatens to shift the balance of power and sends Talia and her young son, Damian (STUART ALLAN), fleeing to Gotham City. With assassins on their trail, Talia seeks the protection of Batman, who, unbeknownst to him, is the boy’s father. With his son in tow, Batman wages war against the villain Deathstroke (THOMAS GIBSON) and the League of Shadows, all while teaching his headstrong boy that one can’t fight crime by becoming a criminal. With help from Gotham’s finest, including Commissioner Gordon (BRUCE THOMAS) and Nightwing (SEAN MAHER), Batman will soon discover that his son and most trusted ally are one and the same!
Batman: Assault on Arkham (2014) — 3.5/5 [Review Link]
Welcome to Gotham City’s heart of darkness. At the center of the shadows rises Arkham City, a festering depository of the vile, the dangerous and the delirious, with an ever-growing population courtesy of the Dark Knight (CONROY). But when Batman foils the Riddler’s (MATTHEW GRAY GUBLER) latest caper and a crucial piece of evidence needs to be secretly recovered from Arkham, the solution comes from an unexpected source: a covert government strike team assembled from Gotham City’s underworld. The assassin Deadshot (NEAL MCDONOUGH) leads the Suicide Squad, Harley Quinn (HYNDEN WALCH), Killer Frost (JENNIFER HALE), Captain Boomerang (GREG ELLIS), King Shark (JOHN DIMAGGIO) and Black Spider (GIANCARLO ESPOSITO), a roster of rogues who know Arkham Asylum and its residents all too well. Get ready for an all-out assault as Batman faces a fearless legion of criminals with nothing to lose. Some will live, some will die and some just want revenge.
Justice League: Throne of Atlantis (2015) — 3.25/5 [Review Link]
Darkness, mystery, legend – these are the whispers that echo through time regarding Atlantis. A kingdom long since forgotten to surface dwellers, it is here that a hidden empire teeters on the brink of war. When a military submarine traversing this remote domain is attacked, Cyborg (MOORE) plunges to the murky depths to investigate the wreckage. What he encounters is a threat powerful enough to rally together the newly formed Justice League. Meanwhile, thousands of feet above the ocean floor wanders the lone drifter Arthur Curry (MATT LANTER), a man with strange powers who may be the last chance to bridge the ancient Atlantean world and our own. Superman (JERRY O’CONNELL), Batman (O’MARA), Wonder Woman (ROSARIO DAWSON) and the rest of the Justice League as they face off against Orm (SAM WITWER), otherworldly weapons and perilous odds.
Batman vs. Robin (2015) — 3.0/5
The shadows of Gotham City are no place for a child, but Damian Wayne (ALLAN) is no ordinary child. Now bearing the mantle of Robin, he blazes a headstrong and sometimes reckless trail alongside his father, the Batman (O’MARA). While investigating a crime scene, Robin encounters a mysterious figure. Talon (JEREMY SISTO), who leads him on a life-altering course through the depths of Gotham’s secret society known as the Court of Owls. It’s a dangerous journey that will have Batman and Robin to face their most dangerous adversary, each other! Witness the epic battle that will shape a destiny and forge the future of Robin forever.
Justice League: Gods and Monsters (2015) — 4.0/5
A seemingly familiar skyline reveals itself, though upon closer inspection this is not the Metropolis we know. Journey to an alternate universe where the Justice League is now a trio of unchecked power. Employing methods of intimidation and fear, this Superman (BENJAMIN BRATT), Batman (MICHAEL C. HALL) and Wonder Woman (TAMARA TAYLOR) deal justice with brute force. And when a group of famed scientists experience a series of deadly “accidents,” a government task force follows the trail of clues to the Tower of Justice. It’s a high-stakes game of intrigue, mystery and action that asks the question: How do you serve justice to those above the law?
Batman: Bad Blood (2016) — 3.5/5 [Review Link]
The Gotham City night sky erupts in flames as Batman (O’MARA) battles Firefly, Tusk and Killer Moth. But when the smoke clears, Batman is missing and the mysterious Batwoman is the only witness to the events. Now with the Bat Signal going unanswered and a city on edge, Nightwing (MAHER) and Robin (ALLAN) form an uneasy alliance with Batwoman (YVONNE STRAHOVSKI) and newcomer Batwing (GAIUS CHARLES). Together, they’ll fight to uncover a sinister plot that involves mind control and a monstrous new villain known only as Heretic (TRAVIS WILLINGHAM).
Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016) — 3.5/5
Frustrated and disillusioned about his work alongside the Justice League, Robin (ALLAN) is forced into a new position with a younger super team, the Teen Titans. Readily welcomed aboard, he is immediately intrigued by the mysterious Raven (TAISSA FARMIGA) and the unnatural force that looms over them – her father, Trigon (JON BERNTHAL) – a deceptive being powerful enough to destroy Metropolis by pitting the mighty Justice League against the Teen Titans. With loyalties on the line and lives in the balance, the super hero showdown will pit Superman (O’CONNELL), Batman (O’MARA), Wonder Woman (DAWSON) and Cyborg (MOORE) against the likes of Beast Boy (BRANDON SOO HOO), Starfire (KARI WAHLGREN), Blue Beetle (JAKE T. AUSTIN) and Nightwing (MAHER).
Batman: The Killing Joke (2016) — 1.5/5
This is a journey into the dark psycho of the Clown Prince of Crime (MARK HAMILL). Follow his humble beginnings as a struggling comic to the fateful encounter with the Dark Knight (CONROY) that changed everything. Now escaped from Arkham Asylum, The Joker sets out to prove that one bad day can make anyone just as insane as he is. With The Joker’s sights set on Commissioner Gordon (RAY WISE), can Batman stop the demented plan in time? Featuring a prologue spotlighting Barbara Gordon/Batgirl (TARA STRONG).
Justice League Dark (2017) — 3.0/5 [Review Link]
When innocent citizens start committing nightmarish crimes across Metropolis and Gotham City, the Justice League suspects an otherworldly cause – magic! The race is on as Batman (O’MARA) seeks the help of the one man who can stand up to these supernatural forces: John Constantine (MATT RYAN). Usually an arrogant loner, even Constantine soon learns that defeating these dark powers will take the mystical teamwork of Zatanna (CAMILLA LUDDINGTON), Deadman (NICHOLAS TURTURRO), Etrigan the Demon (ENRICO COLANTONI) and even a wild card upon whom Constantine is hesitant to call.
Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017) — 3.75/5
Led by Starfire (WAHLGREN), the Teen Titans – Beast Boy (SOO HOO), Raven (FARMIGA), Blue Beetle (AUSTIN), Robin (ALLAN) and the just-returned Nightwing (MAHER) – have built a cohesive team in their never-ending battle against evil; but their newest teammate, the mysterious, and powerful Terra (RICCI), may be altering that dynamic. Meanwhile, an ancient evil – Brother Blood (GREGG HENRY) – has awakened, and familiar foe Deathstroke (MIGUEL FERRER) is lurking in the shadows – both waiting to pounce. Ultimately, the Teen Titans will need to battle their enemies and their own doubts to unite and overcome the malicious forces around them, in this twisting tale of intrigue, adventure and deception.
Batman and Harley Quinn (2017) — 2.75/5 [Review Link]
When a break-in at S.T.A.R. Labs leads to a secret dossier being stolen by the gruesome duo of Poison Ivy (PAGET BREWSTER) and Floronic Man, aka Jason Woodrue, it’s a green light for crime and mayhem. The Dark Knight and Nightwing (LOREN LESTER) are on the case, but they look to a certain wild card for help: Harley Quinn (MELISSA RAUCH)! Recently released from Arkham Asylum and trying to acclimate to life out of the super villain spotlight, Harley finds herself suiting up and mouthing off once again.
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The DC Universe: 10th Anniversary Collection is an excellent release that even though some of the animated movies aren’t the best, having them in one place is nice. The only issue I have is, there is going to be more releases and given how physical media is going, not entirely sure there will be a volume 2 release, but who knows.
