Top Five Films From DC Universe Animated Original Movies

While Marvel has been ruling the big screen with their cinematic universe, DC has actually been dominating the animation industry on the small screen. With a brand they call “DC Universe Animated Original Movies,” the premise behind them is that unlike earlier animated DC films (most of which also involved Bruce Timm). The films are aimed at a more adult audience, often containing profane language, strong violence, and more mature themes. Many of these films are adaptations of storylines in comics, but written to be more stand-alone. Although they got off to a rocky start back in 2007, about all of their movies have been relatively solid with only a slight dud here and there. With the simultaneous release of their newest installment, Justice League vs. Teen Titans and Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice into theaters, I believe it’s time to go over what I feel are the best films from the brand. If you are still on a DC kick, I would highly recommend these.

5. Green Lantern: First Flight

The best way to describe this film is if you cross the origin story of Green Lantern with Training Day. It tells the story of how Hal Jordan becomes Green Lantern, and essentially follows him on his first day on the job where his partner happens to be his arch-enemy Sinestro. The Training Day similarities don’t end there. The chemistry between Jordan and Sinestro is eerily similar to Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. While Victor Garber who voices Sinestro doesn’t say that 50 foot gorillas don’t have their feces on him, it’s still a remarkable voice performance. The animation is smooth, Christopher Meloni is a solid Hal Jordan, Michael Madsen is a perfect Kilowog, and it tells the story exceptionally well in just 75 minutes, unlike the two-hour live action Green Lantern film.

4. Wonder Woman

Another origin story, but done with enough grace and panache, it’s best that DC take notes for their own upcoming Wonder Woman movie. Keri Russell has charm, simultaneously portrayed as Wonder Woman and a warrior without being hawkish, kind without being naïve, and curious of our world without being obsessed with it. Nathan Fillion plays Steve Trevor and the two of them have great chemistry with one another, flirtatious without demanding and similar yet not entirely. While physical attraction is there, it’s not the first priority, showing why he and Diana (Wonder Woman) are one of comic’s greatest couples. The action is imaginative, the voice acting from the cast is great, and the film has some of the most unique interpretations of the Greek gods I have seen in a long time.

3. Batman: Under the Red Hood

DC Animation have made many movies based around Batman, but Under the Red Hood is easily the best and actually made fans take this side brand serious. Based off one of the best story arcs in recent comic book history, Under the Hood, written by Judd Winick (who also wrote the script for the film), the film is about the return of long-dead Batman supporting character Jason Todd (Jensen Ackles). It re- imagines him as a brutally violent anti hero known as the Red Hood, who wants revenge on the criminal who put him six feet under, The Joker (John DiMaggio). The story is a deep cavernous look on the ideas of revenge and loss, all of which forces Batman (Bruce Greenwood) to question whether Todd is doing the right thing by wiping Gotham’s criminals off the face of the earth, and whether or not he wants one of the children he essentially raised to be one of his worst enemies.

2. Superman vs. the Elite

Superman is another character DC animation has focused a lot of their catalog around. This film is not just the best film they made about him, but it’s possibly the best Superman film ever made. Based on one of the best Superman stories ever written, Action Comics #775, also known as What’s So Funny about Truth, Justice & the American Way? by Joe Kelley (who also co-wrote the script), Superman’s popularity goes down when a super powered vigilante group known as The Elite who kill nearly every criminal they fight are recognized as doing a far better job of saving the world through their tactics than Superman’s strict no-kill policy. This gets him and the team into conflict with each other and eventually results in Superman having to fight for his life against them trying to show the public that violence is never a positive thing, and that he will never stop fighting his way to show the world what it could be. The animation and character design are striking and colorful, and the action scenes are inventive, fast-paced and are a marvel to behold even though it is all hand-drawn. Also, George Newbern returns to voice Superman after voicing him in the Justice League show which gives this film some more bonus points on awesome-o-meter in my eyes.

1. Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox

This is one of their recent efforts, but it’s also their best one thus far. Despite the title, this is more like a Flash movie since the plot mainly revolves around him. Based on the Flashpoint storyline by Geoff Johns, Barry Allen/The Flash (Justin Chambers) wakes up one day to realize that the world he woke up in isn’t the same one he fell asleep in. He has no powers, his girlfriend is married to someone else, Batman (Kevin McKidd) is using guns and killing people, Superman (Sam Daly) is nowhere to be found, Cyborg (Michael B. Jordan) is now working for the government, Aquaman (Cary Elwes) and Wonder Woman (Vanessa Marshall) are at war with each other, which has wiped out most of Europe, and mankind seems to be caught in the crossfire of their war. The strangest of all, his mother is somehow living and breathing in front of him even though she died right in front of his eyes. I won’t spoil what happens next, you just have to see this pitch-black reality for yourself and hope that Flash succeeds in changing it back to normal. The voice cast is excellent as always, the animation and music fits the tone of the film well, and you might appreciate The Flash a little more after watching this. Just know that out of all their films, this one is far and away the most violent. Many characters die in a brutalist way some on screen and some off which is even more disturbing (you hear them die though). It honestly pushes the PG-13 rating so unlike the other films, I can’t recommend this to small children. But if you have the guts and emotions for it, by all means, see this legitimately great film as soon as you can. It would waste little of your time, despite being the longest film they have made yet, it’s about 80 minutes long. That is how short most of their movies are. You can literally see two of their movies in about the same time you can see one of DC’s live action fare. Now that is speedy entertainment.