Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One (Blu-ray Review) – ★★✩✩✩

Certificate – PG
Directed By – Jeff Wamester
Starring (Voiced By) – Darren Criss, Stana Katic, Jensen Ackles, Matt Bomer, Meg Donnelly, Jimmi Simpson, Zachary Quinto, Ike Amadi, Keesha Sharp, Jonathan Adams, Aldis Hodge, Nolan North, Liam Mcintyre, Alexandra Daddario
Running Time – 92 Minutes (1 Hour 32 Minutes)

The James Gunn-led DCU begins its first page of Chapter 1, known as Gods and Monsters, this year with the animated Creature Commandos series. It means the Tomorrowverse’s short run is coming to an end.

If Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One has anything to go by, it’ll mark an ultimately disappointing three and a half years. I hope parts Two and Three reach a satisfying end and conclusion for this universe before animation becomes part of the DCU.

It’s a shame as I’ve loved the first three outings with Superman: Man of Tomorrow (it’s my second favourite Superman movie), Justice Society: World War II (a brilliantly written movie) and the two-part Batman: The Long Halloween is probably my favourite DC animated movie.

However, it’s dropped massively since those heights, with Justice League: Warworld being honestly awful.

I hate being negative about other people’s work, especially as I want to work in this industry, but I can’t lie. I’ve been a fan of DC animation since watching Batman: The Animated Series as a kid.

Furthermore, I was excited about this film as it’s an iconic storyline for its importance in DC Comics history. The story is pretty simple: Every earth in every universe is heading for oblivion, and the mysterious Monitor is assembling superheroes from all the earths to save reality from an unstoppable antimatter armageddon.

We didn’t get into that story right away, and the fact that it’s in three parts perfectly highlights the issues with the universe and this film.

Part One isn’t a Crisis movie until the final 30 minutes of the 92 minute run-time. For the most part, it’s a Flash movie, which is lovely, don’t get me wrong, but it has no firm direction until an hour in.

It jumps around in the multiverse between different times in Barry’s life and other worlds. As an audience member, it gets confusing, and the fact that this is being dragged out for three parts means we’ll lose interest and be happy to have it end.

Maybe the incoming DCU had something to do with it, but we only got a full-on Justice League movie in this universe now, and even now, it’s not really and the story is coming to an end.

What a mess.

I will say the Barry and Iris love story was one thing I loved. It’s beautifully done with wonderful performances by Bomer and Ashleigh LaThrop and a perfect ending.

Additionally, the voice cast is solid, but when you have this much talent, it should be.

I wish Chris Palmer and Tim Sheridan were involved because, as proven by Man of Tomorrow and The Long Halloween two-parter, they would’ve made a lean, mean and fantastic two-part Crisis movie.

Does It Have Bonus Features?

Yes, it has two featurettes. One focuses on the journey to reaching this three-part ending, and the other on The Flash.

Verdict

It’s a mess of a movie with a beautiful love story in the middle of it.