"Justice Society: World War II" Animated Release Talkback (Spoilers)

[Yojimbo]

The Flash speeds into the middle of an epic battle between Golden Age DC Super Heroes and Nazis in Justice Society: World War II, the next entry in the popular series of the DC Universe Movies. Discuss both the DC Universe Movie animated feature and its home media release right here!

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Justice Society: World War II
Studio: Warner Bros. Animation
Release Date: April 27, 2021 - Digital; May 11, 2021 - 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD; TBA HBO Max Streaming Service

Synopsis: Justice Society: World War II finds modern-day Barry Allen – prior to the formation of the Justice League – discovering he can run even faster than he imagined, and that milestone results in his first encounter with the Speed Force. The Flash is promptly launched into the midst of a raging battle – primarily between Nazis and a team of Golden Age DC Super Heroes known as The Justice Society of America. Led by Wonder Woman, the group includes Hourman, Black Canary, Hawkman, Steve Trevor and the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick. The Flash quickly volunteers to assist his fellow heroes in tipping the scales of war in their favor, while the team tries to figure out how to send him home. But it won’t be easy as complications and emotions run deep in this time-skipping World War II thriller.

Stana Katic and Matt Bomer, who made their DC Universe Movies debuts as Lois Lane and Superman in the 2013 film Superman: Unbound, return to the popular animated film series in the lead roles of Wonder Woman and The Flash for Justice Society: World War II. The star-studded cast includes Geoffrey Arend as Charles Halstead/Advisor, Armen Taylor as Jay Garrick, Elysia Rotaru as Black Canary, Liam McIntyre as Aquaman, Omid Abtahi as Hawkman, Matthew Mercer as Hourman, Keith Ferguson as Dr. Fate, Darin De Paul as Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Ashleigh LaThrop as Iris West, and Chris Diamantopoulos as Steve Trevor.

Jeff Wamester directs Justice Society: World War II from a screenplay by Meghan Fitzmartin and Jeremy Adams. Producers are Jim Krieg and Kimberly S. Moreau. Butch Lukic is Supervising Producer. Sam Register is Executive Producer.

Justice Society: World War II Bonus Content*
-DC Showcase: "Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth!" - Jack Kirby's beloved DC comic creation features the last civilized teenage boy on a post-apocalyptic Earth ruled by talking animals. In this short, Kamandi and his friends Prince Tuftan of the Tiger Kingdom and humanoid mutant Ben Boxer are kidnapped by a gorilla cult dedicated to finding the reincarnation of their god, The Mighty One. Golgan, the cult's leader, puts Kamandi's team through a series of deadly tests to find if any of them know the secret of... The Mighty One.
Sneak Peak: A Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe Movie - An advance look at the next animated film in the popular DC Universe Movies collection, Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One.
Short Feature: "Adventures in Storytelling: Justice Society: World War II" - The film’s creative minds chat about the methods used to produce the touchstone sequences in Justice Society: World War II.
From the DC Vault: From the DC Comics Vault: Justice League "Legends, Part One" and "Legends, Part Two"
Look Back: Justice League vs. Teen Titans and Wonder Woman: Bloodlines

Discuss the Justice Society: World War II animated release here!

Please note this talkback is for both the Justice Society: World War II animated feature and all aspects of the assorted home media releases. Discussion for both are now housed in one single talkback discussion thread. Spoilers are also allowed, so those who have yet to see the movie may want to avoid this thread until they have.

Related Threads:
-Justice Society: World War II News & Discussion Thread
-Justice League: The New Frontier Feature Talkback (Spoilers)
-Justice League "Legends, Part One" and "Legends, Part Two" Talkback (Spoilers)
-Batman: The Brave and The Bold "The Golden Age of Justice!" Talkback (Spoilers)
-Batman: The Brave and The Bold "Crisis: 22,300 Miles Above Earth!" Talkback (Spoilers)
-Young Justice "Humanity"Talkback (Spoilers)

Note: Remember, we appreciate and encourage discussion, but please keep your posts civil, relevant and insightful. Please do not post any improper or inflammatory material, as we will issue warnings if we believe it necessary. And remember to keep the discussion ON-TOPIC!

 

[Marvelman02]

I haven't watched the full film yet, but there is something that bugs me. What's with the lightning bolt symbols on the German's helmets? They were Nazis, right? So, shouldn't they be wearing swastikas?

 

[Palin Dromos]

I haven't watched the full film yet, but there is something that bugs me. What's with the lightning bolt symbols on the German's helmets? They were Nazis, right? So, shouldn't they be wearing swastikas?

"Time for History Lesson"

The SS lightning bolt symbol was another common icon used by the NAZI military; it's a sig rune that translates to "Victory". They co-opted a lot of other cultural symbols. So it's totally appropriate.

 

[bigdaddy313]

Well what do you know, Superman from Man of Tomorrow was in the film.
Was it here people where disagreeing with me when I said they are building a new animated universe movies.
Bit confusing but I had fun.

 

[khuddle]

IGN just posted their review. They said:

"Justice Society: World War II easily ranks among the best of long-running DC Universe Movies series."

And they gave it a "9".

Hmm. So it probably is no lower than an "8" for me.

The clips have looked really good. Hopefully we're in store for something special.

 

[-batmat-]

A vast improvement over Man of Tomorrow, very enjoyable and entertaining. That said, it was a bit confusing and I felt it left a lot unanswered and unresolved.

I felt it started off very strong (that first action sequence with WW was superb) and it got more and more interesting when Flash realizes he's not in the past, until Aquaman showed up and then it just became pretty average and then it just ends.

The action sequences were terrific for the most part, but the dialogue scenes felt mostly very stiff and there's something in the pacing of them, which I also noticed in Man of Tomorrow. There's gaps, empty spaces between the lines that feels very odd.

Sadly Hourman, Hawkman and Black Canary don't get much to do, except for Canary's moment in the final battle. I was looking forward to learn about Hourman since I know nothing about him... I know the basics now but thats pretty much it.

Supeman's inclusion as Shakespeare started off in a very intriguing way but ended up going away and coming back as a deus ex machina sadly. Where did his suit came from? I mean when they gave it to him. What was that all about with Fate? Did he really just brought Flash to that world so he would propose to Iris? He wanted to team up with other heroes before his journey anyway, so I dont know. The movie was really interesting up to that point but it shrugged it all off , introduced the Atlanteans and didn't come back to it.

Also, who was the bad guy? he's not even credited... Had Felix Faust vibes but it could be anyone I guess.

 

[Spider-Man]

Also, who was the bad guy? he's not even credited... Had Felix Faust vibes but it could be anyone I guess.

It was Psycho-Pirate. I was confused too as it seemed like the movie went out of its way not to not identify him. I even had to go online to look it up to make sure I was right once I figured out what his powers were doing. I found this and a few other things were really under-explained.

I thought this movie started out really strong and then it just fizzled out once Aquaman was brought in. It's like they were just stretching it out. While I was shocked when Aquaman does the Nazi salute and was really interested to see where it was going (Nazis are bad) it just becomes this bland fight scene that we've seen in over other DC movie where heroes slug out monsters in non-descript streets. After the Aquaman reveal the movie just kind of collapsed and then just ends. I thought the stuff between Steve and Diana toward the end was genuinely moving and I like how that played in Barry and Iris's situation, and I liked that bit with Superman and Flash at the end too, but everything else was just boring. I'd still give it a 6/10 because the first half is really awesome but then it all falls apart when Aquaman shows up.

 

[Yojimbo]

Ok, I eat my words. I doubted the theory about the multiverse playing a part in the movie. But, it was a clever way to partly include the MoT canon and advance threads a little but then the movie for the most part is in a different continuity on another Earth. Guess we'll see if the Batman in TLH is the same Batman in the photo Clark looks at in MoT. Hope they take their time and focus on each hero and don't rush a Justice League movie.

It's amusing we got another Atlantean invasion of the east coast that involves a usurper and a group of heroes a la Throne of Atlantis. Was wondering how Psycho Pirate was involved or why PR billed him as Aquaman's advisor. Basically a Nazi sympathizer. Couldn't do that with Orm or Black Manta.

I did like how the love story with Wonder Woman and Steve and even in a way Black Canary being walled up, tied into Barry's problem and how the ring carries over. The lesson of living in the now and finding one's center. Plus, that way it's not two different movies fighting each other but a more singular storyline.

But yeah, once Flash realized he was on another Earth with a different Superman, anyone could go. I mean, Steve broke the cardinal rule of turning his back on the bad guy.

Dug the super speed stuff and tried presenting it in a new manner vs. past animation. Liked the um 'bullet time' stuff with Barry and Jay as they took out the Nazis and figured out new ways to use super speed.

Yeah, pacing did kinda stumble in the second half once they got to Dr. Fate then to the Atlantean outpost and Coney Island and the format of the story shifted in structure to 'just another invasion'. I would have preferred the story stuck to the European theater or even shifted to North Africa to loosely tie into the film reel Roosevelt is shown in the beginning. I think the story got rather unwieldy once Atlantis was thrown into the mix.

I think I need to rewatch the Dr. Fate scene with subtitles on the really get his plan. I guess from all the torture and being driven insane, he came up with the craziest of plans to stop World War II, bring a Flash from a parallel universe. Or yeah, I also have to go back and figure out what was up with the kid giving Clark the costume.

And 3 animation studios in South Korea worked on this one: Edge Animation (first DCU DTV), Studio Grida (one of the 2 who worked on Man of Tomorrow), and Digital eMation.

 

[Spider-Man]

I think I need to rewatch the Dr. Fate scene with subtitles on the really get his plan. I guess from all the torture and being driven insane, he came up with the craziest of plans to stop World War II, bring a Flash from a parallel universe. Or yeah, I also have to go back and figure out what was up with the kid giving Clark the costume.

I thought that was supposed to be Kamandi, somehow stuck back in time.

 

[Yojimbo]

Neat seeing the Ark of the Covenant nod at the start of the movie. The dagger I'm drawing a blank on.

The bit about Black Canary being arrested was a nice nod to the comics where she briefly pretended to be a criminal to fight crime.

Hmm, Iris said they've been dating for years. I wonder how much of that Barry was the Flash. Because that conversation intimates that Flash was fighting crime longer than Superman. I did love that for once, it's Flash who proposes the formation of the Justice League! It's always been in media res/they exist already, or Superman or Batman and Superman came up with the idea, etc.

That explains Brainiac on the spine of the Man of Tomorrow Blu-ray. lol.

Something was bugging me about Clark saying he was sent to an orphanage and it wasn't until watching the roundtable special feature, they pointed out that was a quick line in the Fleischer series! Such a clutch reference. And yeah, naturally, Superman fighting the Amerikabombers did have that Fleischer feel. Speaking of the Amerikabombers, stealth bombers just like in Justice League's "The Savage Time" but it looks like the ones in this movie seemed a lot closer in design to the proposed Horten H.XVIII intercontinental bombers from World War II history.

Favorite bit was after Flash phases through the floor, the one Atlantean refuses to squeal, gets hammered repeatedly and he concedes. I also love how Fate is getting some funky interpretations in recent years, a singing R&B hero on LEGO Flash, a runaway stripper on Hell to Pay, and now a crazy code breaker. Also, wow, another Wonder Woman/Aquaman grudge match. They didn't pull any punches this time around, kudos to the board artist who got to do those fights!

On the fence about a few things like the quick line about Themyscira having become a casualty of war on Earth-2. I suppose on one hand, it adds to Wonder Woman's resolve to help save the world. But on the other, was it an unnecessary line? Or how Clark got to New York City so quickly even though he's only got the super jump, I guess he stowed away on one of the Amerikabombers? Or seemed like an odd edit to show Halstead on top of the kaiju when Wonder Woman socks Aquaman off it and the next time you see him, Halstead is on the street and left behind. And while it was worth it to see Flash knock him into the side of the building, not sure I liked the bit of 'giving' the JSA something to do by having Halstead run away offscreen. Or like Spider-Man, why they didn't identify Halstead/Psycho-Pirate directly during the movie -- but I suppose on the flip side, they liked the idea that it wasn't a big name super villain that was the big bad, just a nameless opportunistic meta that almost got them all killed.

I thought that was supposed to be Kamandi, somehow stuck back in time.

Yeah, I just finished watching the DC Showcase short and the ending seems to match up with this scene. A 3 way crossover! I guess if the short isn't in this movie's future, then Dr. Fate brought him from across the multiverse, too, like from Earth-AD. Kamandi does seemingly allude to Golgan's last words to him at the end of the short/or he could be alluding to Dr. Fate probably talking to him like he did Flash at the start.

Yeah, so basically Nelson/Nabu were implying that in the original timeline of Earth-2, the Nazis successfully invaded the East Coast and all the Justice Society got killed. And somehow, in his insanity/wisdom, he/they figured out that by pulling Flash from Earth-1 and Kamandi from Earth-AD, they would tip the scales and lead to the Allies winning the War (however, the team would still have two casualties). But they were arguing how much to disclose to the Justice Society, Flash, and Clark to change the timeline vs. letting this play out.

 

[Medinnus]

I really get tired of buying the e-version and not getting the shorts

 

[James Harvey]

For those interested, both The World's Finest and DCAU Resource have recently shared their respective reviews of Justice Society: World War II. Click on the links below to check them out!

Justice Society: World War II - The DCAU Resource Review
Justice Society: World War II - The World's Finest Review​

What did you think of the movie?

 

[khuddle]

I thought this movie started out really strong and then it just fizzled out once Aquaman was brought in. It's like they were just stretching it out. While I was shocked when Aquaman does the Nazi salute and was really interested to see where it was going (Nazis are bad) it just becomes this bland fight scene that we've seen in over other DC movie where heroes slug out monsters in non-descript streets. After the Aquaman reveal the movie just kind of collapsed and then just ends. I thought the stuff between Steve and Diana toward the end was genuinely moving and I like how that played in Barry and Iris's situation, and I liked that bit with Superman and Flash at the end too, but everything else was just boring. I'd still give it a 6/10 because the first half is really awesome but then it all falls apart when Aquaman shows up.

Yeah thats pretty much how I saw. The beginning was great, and it seemed like they were developing some interesting ideas, but then after the Aquaman betrayal the movie just collapsed. Mercifully it wasn't too long. And we weren't even given the identity of the Atlantean minister who had mental control over Aquaman. I assume that was Orm? Movie had so much potential and the animation was out of this world beautiful -- animation wise, this movie was on par with the early DC masterpieces like Green Lantern: First Flight and Wonder Woman 2009. Too bad it was wasted on a weak story.

Ah well. At least the Kamandi short was awesome! That made the night worthwhile.

 

[Yojimbo]

And we weren't even given the identity of the Atlantean minister who had mental control over Aquaman. I assume that was Orm?

No, he was Charles Halstead (Psycho-Pirate in the comics). And yes, only if you read the press releases or Gary Miereanu's tweets, would one know who the advisor was.

 

[Fone Bone]

Justice Society: World War II

I was all set to like that. And then I just did not.

It was boring. It was paint by numbers. It was more annoyingly tragic than it needed to be. The idea that it took place on an alternate Earth was completely unnecessary. Psycho-Pirate's unknown fate was unsatisfying. It billed itself as a vintage period piece against human villains and instead had us fighting the alien-like monsters of all of the rest of the Tucker movies. Superman saving the day was annoying. So many little things I disliked. Usually in most movies like this I DO have complaints like that. But not usually so many. I loved Superman: Man Of Tomorrow, and Batman: Soul Of The Dragon, and I had hoped we had hit a turning point after James Tucker's very public dump on the franchise in Apokalips War. And I will not lie. It was refreshing not to hear the characters talk like sailors or people's heads routinely exploding for shock value. But that doesn't mean the movie has to be dull instead.

What did I like?

I like that Jay Garrick lives in the 1940's and knows every trope and scenario from time travel movies despite never having seen one. That was quite refreshing.

And yes, Sharkzilla was ,majorly stupid. But on some level- it was cool. I would have preferred to see it in a different movie than the WWII Nazi one however.

I like this version of Brainiac although that appears to be the end of him (although with that character you never can tell).

Also should note that while Butch Lukic has been downplaying the continuity between his run on the films, I have to say it's pretty obvious this is set in the same universe as Man Of Tomorrow. Aside from having Darren Criss reprise as Superman, it seems to follow that specific mold and story of being before the Justice League was founded. I SORT of get why Lukic is downplaying the continuity in interviews. To be blunt, that stuff got to be an utter mess during Tucker's tenure, made especially bad because the last film basically ruined all the others in hindsight. I get the hesitancy to get back to that kind of storytelling right away. And it's refreshing to not have to deal with tags setting up future movies. There is something to be said with a movie with a beginning, middle, and end. I love the MCU, but I think what works for THAT franchise, doesn't work for EVERY franchise. And I especially believe that's true of DC cartoons and live-action films.

But the movie despite sort of being nearer to my sensibilities than Tucker's stuff is still unfortunately does not pass muster because it's dull. I was hoping and looking forward to enjoying that. Instead I have to give it two and a half stars. **1/2.

 

[Stu]

I thought this movie started out really strong and then it just fizzled out once Aquaman was brought in. It's like they were just stretching it out. While I was shocked when Aquaman does the Nazi salute and was really interested to see where it was going (Nazis are bad) it just becomes this bland fight scene that we've seen in over other DC movie where heroes slug out monsters in non-descript streets. After the Aquaman reveal the movie just kind of collapsed and then just ends. I thought the stuff between Steve and Diana toward the end was genuinely moving and I like how that played in Barry and Iris's situation, and I liked that bit with Superman and Flash at the end too, but everything else was just boring. I'd still give it a 6/10 because the first half is really awesome but then it all falls apart when Aquaman shows up.

That's what I felt. Exciting opening and premise, then it just seemed to want to shift to giant monster fight in generic looking city. Watching Man of Tomorrow again days before this feature did me no favours, to say they were released within months of each other they are strikingly similar.

I also had no idea Pyscho Pirate was supposed to be the villain, and admit to being less than impressed with his ending. It seems he was only there to give the JSA a reason to fight Aquaman and his Atlantians... seems wasteful.

I did enjoy the Diana/Trevor romance, I felt this was the best part of the story. The rest of it seemed a well set up story that simply faltered at the end.

And a word of advise for those running these things... don't announce your surprises in the opening credits. Seeing "Superman Created By..." is not a clever way to announce Superman is appearing in the movie. This happens in the cast credits in the Arrowverse shows too and it's infuriating.

I am hoping for a lot, lot more from The Long Halloween...

 

[-batmat-]

And a word of advise for those running these things... don't announce your surprises in the opening credits. Seeing "Superman Created By..." is not a clever way to announce Superman is appearing in the movie.

Haha, I thought the same thing. I had no idea Superman was gonna be in it. Granted, he does show up in the very first scene or so, but still.

 

[Marvelman02]

I finally watched. I thought it was good - better than I expected. I'm not sorry I bought it because I am happy to support Justice Society content.

Was Shakespeare/Clark Kent an allusion to Kent Shakespeare of the Legion of Superheroes?

 

[Yojimbo]

I finally watched. I thought it was good - better than I expected. I'm not sorry I bought it because I am happy to support Justice Society content.

Was Shakespeare/Clark Kent an allusion to Kent Shakespeare of the Legion of Superheroes?

Nope, just a nod to the more famous Shakespeare.

 

[Frontier]

I'm kind of amazed Darren Criss being in this slipped so far under the radar.