The creepy-crawly heroes of the DC Universe have come out to play for Justice League Dark , the latest animated effort from DC Entertainment and a stark departure from what viewers have come to expect. Instead of featuring the statuesque, beautiful icons of the Justice League, this story pulls back the curtain on the supernatural heroes who might be mistaken for villains if you didn’t know any better. Exploring the dark depths of these lesser-known characters makes for a captivating and thrilling story, an excellent step into the weirder side of the superhero genre.

Loading

Loading

Justice League Dark Images 10 IMAGES

Justice League Dark isn’t a direct adaption of the comic of the same name, but rather loosely borrows its cast and concept. There’s a magical threat the Justice League isn’t fit to handle (people are imagining everyone around them as demons and taking violent measures to be rid of them), so Batman teams with sorcerer/conman John Constantine and stage-magician-who-does-real-magic Zatanna to round up a group of supernatural heroes that can help. As Constantine puts it, “The capes and tights crew? Useless against magic.” and so assembles the Justice League Dark.There’s Deadman, a trapeze artist turned ghost who can possess other people; Jason Blood, a nice English fellow who Hulks out into the fire-breathing demon known as Etrigan; and Alec Holland aka Swamp Thing, a towering heap of salad with control over all plant-life. It’s learning about the history of these troubled and tragic figures, the tales of how they can do such wondrous things and the price paid to unlock those talents, that makes this movie such a big win. Justice League Dark is essentially an anthology of horror stories set in the DCU, all tied together by a straightforward yet enthralling and fast-moving plot.I use the word “horror” generously, mind you. There are a few unsettling elements in the beginning, but the movie isn’t spine-chilling, hair-raising, or scary by any stretch. There’s not even an attempt at any jump scares, unless you count Batman startling a ghost with a well-timed “Boo!” However, it never tries to be a horror movie. It more gets its kicks from showing the audience strange visuals and dabbling in safe elements of the occult as it ramps up the thriller that drives the action.The action itself is a wonderful breath of fresh air for DC’s animated movies. There’s no dog-piling on Darkseid so everyone can punch him here. The battle with villain Felix Faust -- or “wizard asshole extraordinaire” as Constantine calls him -- is full of flashy spells and powerful artifacts fired off like a wizard shootout. It’s clear director Jay Oliva used Justice League Dark to unleash his wild side, taking everything he loves about influences Harry Potter and Fullmetal Alchemist and giving it a slick DC spin.With the new cast of characters comes another delight: new voice actors. Nicholas Turturro uses his thick New York accent to earn laughs as Deadman, Ray Chase sounds like he’s having the time of his life switching from proper Jason Blood to the monstrous Etrigan who can only speak in rhyme, Camilla Luddington has both a commanding presence and a gentle demeanor as Zatanna, and Matt Ryan proves he is the definitive Constantine both in live-action and animation.Even though Batman is featured prominently in the advertising and on the box art, it truly is Constantine’s movie. The fast-talking wizard is the one who propels the plot forward, does all the coolest stuff, and provides the emotional core of the experience. Batman is present for most of the movie but because he’s just a rich dude in a cape, he has to sit out during most of the mystical stuff and throw Batarangs to buy time until a magic-user can come save the day.In fact, Batman seems completely ill-suited for this mission given his distaste for anything supernatural. At the beginning before Batman takes off to find Constantine, Wonder Woman lists off numerous magical foes they have faced over the years, yet Batman turns his nose up because he’s stuck in his ways, preferring to trust what he can prove with science.Right there, Batman should have stepped aside and let Wonder Woman take the case. She has enchanted bracelets, a lasso that makes those ensnared tell the truth, the strength of Hercules, and the gift of flight. Oh yeah, and she was a lump of clay willed to life by the gods. Not only would she be more comfortable walking into a world of demons and magic, but she would have the tools and skills to fight effectively.Yes, that’s more of a nerdy debate, but despite the film’s strong showing, it does have a couple imperfections.The vocal performances are all a slam dunk save for Enrico Colantoni’s Faust, who does a corny, shrill voice as if no one told him that superhero movies aren’t purposely campy and over-the-top anymore.While Zatanna holds her own as the sole female character of prominence, there is another character, not advertised in any of the clips or trailers, that shows up substantially different from how she appears in the comics. This character has such a rich history and fascinating array of abilities that it hurts to see her turned into something far lesser. Yes, characters can and should be altered to be a better fit for the screen, but not like this. For as high as DC’s animated flicks can soar, they still lack a fundamental understanding of how to include compelling and interesting female characters. Still, Justice League Dark is a great time and a much-welcome new flavor for DC’s animated slate.