Justice League – DVD: Secret Origins

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio – 1.33, Standard [4:3 Transfer]

Sound Quality:
English: Stereo 2S
Francais: Stereo 2S
Espanol: Stereo 2S

Special Features

– Biographies: Character bios
– DVD ROM Features: Link to the web site and other locations; log in to future online events
– Interactive Menus
– Other: Cast and crew; trailers of fun family DVD titles
– Scene Access

Official Synopsis: When global catastrophe strikes, the World’s
Greatest Super Heroes answer the call to join Justice League. Justice
League works together as a team to overcome a dangerous array of intersteller invaders and world conquering megalomaniacs.

Review by Zach Demeter

Collecting the first three episodes from the animated series in a
"movie," Justice League: Secret Origins is a mixed bag. On one hand, it’s interesting to see how the team comes together to fend off an intergalactic threat. On the other hand…well…both story and animation seems to fall short by the big climactic battle.

Never giving the viewer time to settle in, the story keeps a break neck pace for the majority of the feature, hopping from one location to another, one battle to the next. Any moments of quiet downtime are quickly interrupted by some large explosions, crunchy punches, or stilted dialogue. The feature sets out to introduce us tot he team and the threat and does admirably, even though plot holes tend to loom quite large in the final act of the movie.

Character development is quite nil, but likely intentional. This three part episode, edited together as a movie for the DVD and original premiere, serves to only get the team together. We do learn more about these characters as the series continues, but the lack of character development here doe makes the characters come off as quite cold sometime. It’s still a fun introduction to the team, even if it’s a little flawed.

The transfer is top notch, but coming from a digitally colored source how could it not be? There are no specs or dirt to be found, it’s in pristine condition. The audio is standard fair 2.0, but can pack a punch when the action starts to roll. This is definitely a movie to watch as loud as you can to enjoy it properly.

Take note that while these three episodes premiered in widescreen, it was in matted widescreen meaning that space from the top and bottom of the screen was cut to get the desired effect. The fullscreen transfer here is unmatted, with no animation cut…and it shows. The awkward widescreen framing make is obvious in some shots, but not too distracting.

Extras? What extras? The only extras we get on this release are character bios, which seem quite useless after watching the main feature, seeing as how we barely see any of these characters out of costume. Wally West is the Flash? Big deal…hold no fruit to the main feature whatsoever. Aside from that, there’s a handful of trailers and that’s it. Nothing else.

While the final product is flawed, this is worth at least a rental to see how the team comes together. The animation is mediocre – sometimes great, other times unwatchable – and the story is riddled with plot holes, but the character interaction is what sells the feature. Like many Warner Home Video releases the extras are non-existent, but the main feature is the big attraction and it’s worth at least one viewing.