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Although it sounds like a direct sequel to 2017's outstanding
Justice League Dark, Matt Peters and Christina Sotta's Justice League Dark: Apokolips
War wraps up an interlinked series of some fifteen direct-to-video animated
productions beginning with 2013's
Flashpoint Paradox and last explored
during 2019's Wonder Woman: Bloodlines. Needless to say, this is not something
you can just casually plop down and watch -- in fact, you might need a
spreadsheet handy just to keep track of everything that happens during this
densely packed but ultimately rewarding film.
And while keeping track of extended continuity isn't exactly my strong suit,
Apokolips War's strong narrative flow and all-star lineup make it a challenge
worth taking on. This is a thrilling conclusion to the saga that offers no
shortage of long-awaited fights, brutally unexpected plot twists, and a metric
ton of major character deaths that, in any other context, would cause rioting in
the streets. In fact, I barely know how to describe Apokolips War's basic plot
without inadvertently spoiling a few things (and probably have already, to be
honest), so let's keep this short.
Supreme baddie Darkseid has conquered just about every notable planet and Earth
is next, with only the Justice League standing in his way. He's got the
technological advantage through access to League member Cyborg's optics, but
they travel to his home world of Apokolips while the Teen Titans stay back on
Earth. Unfortunately, it doesn't go well and, within two years, Earth is a
wasteland and any surviving superheroes are either cast to the wind or in pretty
bad shape -- even Superman has lost his powers after a liquid Kryponite
injection, and Batman's nowhere to be found. A regroup is in order, but the
staggered JLA members aren't entirely hopeful or even willing at first: John
Constantine drinks his life away in a pub with Etrigan the Demon, a gaunt Raven
roams around with Clark Kent, the Suicide Squad (led by Harley Quinn) and Lois
Lane literally fight for entertainment, and Damian Wayne isn't exactly itching
to look for his father. After they gradually join forces, a second attack on
Apokolips is planned...but in such an already-weakened state, the piecemeal
Justice League's chances aren't promising. They try anyway, of course.
This is an extremely violent, high-stakes adventure and all your other favorites
are here too -- for a little while, at least. Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor, Zatanna,
Flash, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, Swamp Thing, Green Lantern, Shazam, Bane,
Cheetah, the Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Batwoman, Nightwing, Blue Beetle,
Kilowog, the Guardians of the Universe, and at least a few dozen others. Sure,
they don't all get speaking parts and are somewhat wasted in their limited
roles, but Apokolips War packs an awful lot into its 91-minute lifespan so it's
understandable. For the most part, the story is well-paced with basically the
entire second half focusing on our heroes' final push through Apokolips and, as
the body count rises considerably, the almost numbing effect of non-stop chaos
is eventually resolved with a reasonably peaceful and sanguine epilogue. That's
pretty much exactly what I was hoping to get out of all this, so anyone who's
followed the story thus far should enjoy what Apokolips War brings to the table.
Expansive and interlinked multi-part epics are admittedly not by favorite thing
in the world, but DC's fifteen-film saga (beginning with
Flashpoint Paradox) had plenty of highlights and this final chapter wraps things up nicely.
Featuring an all-star cast of characters, high stakes, lots of action, and an
almost unreasonable amount of deaths, this over-the-top
conclusion offers enough chaos and closure to satisfy DC's most demanding fans. |
