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Justice League Dark: Apokolips War
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Wikipedia article
'Justice League Dark: Apokolips War' is a 2020 American adult animated superhero film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and distributed by Warner Home Video. The film is directed by Matt Peters and Christina Sotta, while Ernie Altbacker and Mairghread Scott wrote the screenplay. It stars an ensemble cast including Matt Ryan, Jerry O'Connell, Taissa Farmiga, Stuart Allan, Tony Todd, Ray Chase, Jason O'Mara, Rosario Dawson, Shemar Moore, Camilla Luddington, Christopher Gorham, Rebecca Romijn, Hynden Walch, Liam McIntyre, John DiMaggio, Sachie Alessio, Roger R. Cross, and Rainn Wilson. In the film, members of the Justice League, Justice League Dark, Teen Titans and Suicide Squad join forces against Darkseid to save Earth.
Based on the comic book storylines "Darkseid War" by Geoff Johns, "Final Crisis" by Grant Morrison, and elements of "Futures End", it is the 38th DC Universe Animated Original Movie as well as the sixteenth and final feature film set in the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU), generally marking the continuity's conclusion. The film was announced in July 2019 at San Diego Comic-Con and released digitally on May 5, 2020, and in 4K/Blu-ray/DVD on May 19, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and fans alike.
Plot
Following two failed attempts at conquering Earth, Darkseid and his armies continue conquering other worlds. The Justice League devise a plan to defeat Darkseid by infiltrating Apokolips while leaving the Teen Titans on Earth to defend it. Unbeknownst to them, Darkseid spies on the League through Cyborg. The League are overwhelmed and defeated by Paradooms genetic hybrid creatures made from Parademons and Doomsdayand a majority of the heroes from both the League and the Titans are killed, while those who survive are placed into Darkseid's slavery.
Two years later, Darkseid has placed devices known as "Reapers" which mine the planet's core. The surviving heroes blame Clark Kent / Superman for leading them into failure. Superman has been forcibly depowered after Darkseid tattooed his chest with liquid kryptonite. He and Raven, who has been struggling to maintain her father Trigon's imprisonment seek John Constantine for a location spell to track Damian Wayne. Although reluctant to help at first, considering himself a coward for fleeing during the initial attack on Darkseid and leaving his lover Zatanna to die, Constantine locates Damian at a League of Assassins outpost. Clark explains to Damian they need him to help free his father Batman from Darkseid's mind control. Damian reluctantly agrees to join the group.
The group travel to Stryker's Island in Metropolis and meet with Clark's wife Lois Lane who has recruited the Suicide Squad to their cause, now led by Harley Quinn. Clark and Lois reveal their plan to infiltrate LexCorp and use the boom tube located there to return to Apokolips and kill Darkseid. Meanwhile, as a distraction, the remaining heroes launch an attack on the Reapers but are slowly killed battling the Paradooms. At the building, they are confronted by Lex Luthor, who reveals he was a mole working with Lois to gain intel on Darkseid. The group splits into two with Clark, Raven, Constantine, and Etrigan the Demon going to Apokolips and Lois, Luthor, and the Squad remaining at the building to defend the boom tube. Batman informs Darkseid of Luthor's betrayal, prompting Batman to send Paradooms and the newly converted mechanical Furies after the heroes.
Upon arrival, Clark's group is attacked by the Furies, consisting of cybernetic versions of Wonder Woman, Mera, Hawkman, Starfire, and Martian Manhunter. Etrigan is killed by Wonder Woman, but Constantine manages to break her free using her Lasso of Truth. She decides to stay behind to fend off the other Furies as the group head on. They next rescue Flash from a treadmill powering Apokolips; Constantine learns that Flash had altered the timeline in the past. Shortly thereafter they are confronted by Cyborg, who has been integrated into the planet's network. Constantine frees Cyborg from Darkseid's control, which also frees the remaining Furies as they are about to overpower Wonder Woman. Darkseid orders Batman to kill Damian but he hesitates when he is reminded of his parents' death, which breaks him free of Darkseid's mind control. In a fit of rage, Darkseid tries to kill Batman but his attack is intercepted by Damian, who dies in Batman's arms. His death overwhelms Raven, her sudden emotional instability setting Trigon free. Constantine offers his body as a vessel for Trigon but he refuses and takes Clark's body instead, purging the kryptonite from his body, restoring his powers, and killing Constantine. Trigon attacks Darkseid. Constantine is briefly visited by Zatanna in the afterlife who reveals she used a spell to manipulate Constantine to flee back to Earth as part of a contingency plan prepared by Batman should the League fail. Simultaneously, Raven and Zatanna revive Damian and Constantine.
Back at LexCorp, Lois's team is surrounded by Paradooms, prompting them to initiate a self-destruct. Before the self-destruct, Lois transmits a goodbye message to Apokolips with Cyborg's assistance. Her death shocks Clark back to his senses and frees him from Trigon's possession. Constantine and Raven agree to combine their magic to give Trigon a physical body so he can continue fighting Darkseid. Cyborg reveals his plan to teleport the Paradooms back to Apokolips while dragging the planet into a boom tube with no exit. Cyborg teleports the heroes back to Earth and commences his plan. Relishing the battle, Trigon prevents Darkseid's escape as they are dragged into oblivion.
Despite their victory, Batman reveals one-third of Earth's magma has been drained by the Reapers, the planet's rotation being compromised, and that people will continue to die by the millions before the League can potentially find a solution. As a result, Constantine convinces Flash to run back in time and reset the timeline again despite knowing that the world will not be the same as before. Although hesitant at first, Flash eventually agrees. Damian and Raven share a kiss as they and the remaining heroes watch as the timeline resets as a bright light covers the entire world, leaving their ultimate fate unknown.
Voice cast
Production
The film was first announced on July 20, 2019, at San Diego Comic-Con. In February 2020, the voice cast for the film was announced with several voice actors from previous DC Animated Movie Universe films all reprising their respective roles.
Release
The film was released on digital platforms on May 5, 2020, and release on 4K/Blu-ray/DVD on May 19, 2020, respectively. The release will feature a showcase animated short based on Adam Strange.
Reception
Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . Jesse Schden of IGN movies said "This film takes full advantage of the fact that it's the final chapter in a 15-movie arc. Its narrative veers into some very surprising and compelling directions, and somehow it manages to pay off on loose ends from across the DCU".Revenue
The film earned $5,474,509 from domestic Blu-ray sales.Future
In spite of 'Justice League Dark: Apokolips War' being confirmed as the last film in the DCAMU, screenwriter Ernie Altbacker teased the possibility of a new project related to that continuity. He stated that "the way we ended it... it's really like a tough balancing act: It ends something on a bittersweet yet hopeful note, and I'll just say, people who are saying, 'Oh man, we're not going to get anymore of these!' ...you're not losing something, you're gaining something new..."
In February 2022 a trailer to 'Constantine: The House of Mystery' was released. The short film deals with the aftermath of 'JLD: Apokolips War'.
Notes
References
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