Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is a long animated home video film adapted from the story of The Darkseid War. This film is a sequel to Justice League Dark (2017) and the 15th film and ending of the DC Animated Universe. Unlike before, this animated film features almost all of the great superheroes and supervillains in previous films, Justice League, Teen Titans, to Suicide Squad. This film also continues the story directly with before. If you haven’t watched it in full, you will lose a lot of information, call it JL: Dark and JL: Flash Point Paradox, Teen Titans series, and some Batman films. Apokolips War is one of the best animated DC movie series with the grimmest themes.
Darkseid is rumoured to be attacking the earth. Superman invites all the superheroes on earth to destroy this tyrant forever. No half-hearted, they all directly attack Apokolips, the planet where Darkseid is located. It turns out that this is a fatal step. A few years later, the earth is now only ruins, and the act of Darkseid’s parademon destroyed part of humanity. Our main protagonist, John Constantine, who survived the massacre, was suddenly visited by Superman and Raven. The now losing power, Superman, asks John to help him on a secret mission to save the earth from destruction. Gradually, the combination of one unique small team of superheroes and supervillains remaining united to fight Darkseid and his henchmen who were mostly their comrades.
How crazy! If you followed the DC animation series from the start, Apokolips War is the climax of all. All the famous characters that we know are in this one film, more than 50 characters. JL Dark is the first time we have been introduced closely to the figure of John Constantine in all its mystical realms. Apokolips can combine supernatural and scientific sides very well. If in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) series there are two ultimate films, Infinity War and Endgame, DC animation has Apokolips War.
Apokolips War features almost non-stop action scenes since the opening scene. All without introduction and go straight into the action segment without further ado. From the start, there was a bit of a hole in the plot if you were familiar with this series. It feels strange, JL can initiate stupid plans like this. Batman, who is usually the brain of JL, cannot just agree with this without argument. All seemed to force until John Constantine, who was counted as a new member, also commented. It’s too rash, and this isn’t typical of Batman’s plans. Okay, let’s leave this premise aside and the next plot that runs a few years later is far more interesting. Never before, the figures of Constantine, Superman, Raven, Robin and Suicide Squad were in a small team. This combination indeed presents an interesting, unique and fresh story. Both the story and the action as a whole are very entertaining, especially the fans.
The weakness of this film, only continuity with the previous series. The ideas and concepts of alternative space and time presented in JL: Flash Point Paradox is very complicated to explain. Dozens of supernatural figures with all their mystical dimensions cannot be briefly described if they do not understand JL: Dark. Damian (Robin) and Raven with all the internal conflicts with their father, can only be felt if we have watched the Teen Titans series and the Batman series that presents Damian. We don’t know what’s on the planet OA if we don’t watch Green Lantern. The setting of Darkseid’s figure has been shown previously in JL: War. Apokolips War is fast-paced without the slightest background of the story; it will make it difficult for viewers who are not familiar with the previous series.
With a dark theme and courage, Justice League Dark Apokolips War, with all its super characters, is the perfect ending to the animated universe movie whose story parallels Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. As I wrote in a previous freelance article, Superiority of DC Animation, it is impressive how these animated films can far exceed the quality of the live-action film (DCEU). It is inconceivable if films like JL: Doom, JL: Dark and now the Apokolips War are produced live-action versions and worked on by good filmmakers. With the potential of the story, all of that could be the best superhero films ever, even surpassing the MCU series. For a while, enjoy the animation series. Enjoy watching!
