Starting with the 2014 direct-to-video animated movie Justice League War, Warner Bros. Animation has slowly, but surely, been crafting their DC Animated Universe. Each of the films since then has been introducing new elements of the Justice League and Batman continuities while utilizing the same voice actors, directors, and storyboard teams. The latest and, in my opinion, best entry to this series is Justice League vs. Teen Titans. This film ties together the stories of the newly formed Justice league as well as the continuing saga of Batman’s son and new Robin, Damian Wayne. The film follows Damian as he joins the Teen Titans and must learn what it means to be a part of a team and a family as dark secrets of Raven’s past threaten to tear the Titans apart.
Previous films in this series have been pretty good but, at times, suffered from some questionable choices in terms of voice acting, dialogue, and how they chose to portray classic characters. War tried to adhere too closely to the New 52 comic story it was based on and didn’t quite feel right. Batman: Bad Blood had great performances, but, at times, its level of overly violent action pulled me out of the film and didn’t seem to fit the messages of its own story about teaching Damian that Batman’s family solves its problems differently.
Finally, in JL vs. TT, these issues have been resolved. It easily transitions between fun teen antics and the darker, more mature storyline of Raven’s dark past and its corrupting influence. The voice actors really seem comfortable in their roles now. The Justice League finally seems familiar to each other, and their banter is fun and perfectly in character. The Titans are excellently portrayed and feel familiar to fans of Young Justice and Teen Titans while still being their own takes on the characters. The movie moves at a brisk, exciting pace but allows room for characters to play off each other and relationships to grow.
Justice League vs. Teen Titans is an exhilarating, heartfelt movie that grows up on the strengths of its predecessors in the series while shedding their weaknesses. It tells a great story of friendship and family and packs some astonishing superhero action. This film has it all from great hero vs. hero fights to exciting throwdowns with massive villains to awkward teen drama and even magical girl-style hero transformations! In fact, my only complaint would be that it needed a lot more Dick Grayson, because everything does.
