Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths
Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 2024 three-part American animated superhero film featuring the DC Comics superhero team the Justice League and based on the DC Comics storyline Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985–1986) written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez. The films were directed by Jeff Wamester from a script by Jim Krieg. They are the eighth, ninth, and tenth and final installments in the second phase of the DC Animated Movie Universe, as well as the twenty-third, twenty-fourth, and twenty-fifth and final films overall.
| Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths | |
|---|---|
 Trilogy release poster | |
| Directed by | Jeff Wamester |
| Screenplay by | Jim Krieg |
| Story by | |
| Based on | |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Edited by | Bruce A. King |
| Music by | Kevin Riepl |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Home Entertainment |
Release dates |
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Running time |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One was released on January 9, 2024, to positive reviews. Part Two was released on April 23, 2024, and Part Three was released on July 16, 2024, both to mixed reviews.
The films were dedicated to comic artist George Pérez who died on May 6, 2022, and longtime Batman actor Kevin Conroy who died later that same year on November 10, 2022.
Plot
editPart One
editBarry Allen experiences "time trips" from key moments in his life.[a] One of these moments is a fight with the android Amazo, during which Superman gets injured and is brought to Bruce Wayne for medical help.[b] In response, Barry suggests forming a team with Bruce, Clark, Green Arrow, fashion model Mari McCabe, and John Jones, who now lives on Earth as a private detective.[c] Amazo appears at the unveiling of the Justice League headquarters, as its primary function to improve human life has been altered by Lex Luthor to kill anyone that is not human. The League cannot defeat Amazo due to its ability to absorb and copy their abilities. The Flash visits scientist Dr. Anthony Ivo, who reveals that he has contracted a disease that ages him rapidly. While researching quantum energy absorption with Luthor, Ivo created Amazo in hopes of siphoning metahuman abilities and finding a way to extend human life. Ivo sacrifices himself to depower Amazo. Batman deduces that Luthor gave Ivo his disease to prompt his experiments. Hearing this, Amazo turns against Luthor. With Luthor arrested by the police, Amazo returns the stolen powers to their respective heroes before shutting down.
Meanwhile, Barry is sent by a homeless man to Earth-3, a parallel Earth. After a confrontation with his Earth-3 doppelgänger, Johnny Quick, Barry is captured by the Crime Syndicate – tyrannical doppelgängers of the Justice League – and is taken to their Hall of Crime, where he is interrogated by Superwoman using her Lasso of Submission. Confirming the existence of the Multiverse, this inspires the Syndicate, who have grown bored with ruling Earth-3, to plot a multiversal takeover. However, an anti-matter wave then threatens Earth-3. The Syndicate attempt to halt the wave, which eventually destroys the world. Quick sacrifices himself to allow Barry to tap fully into the Speed Force and escape Earth-3 before its destruction. The homeless man witnesses the parallel Earths being destroyed as his punishment and says that Barry shares the same guilt.[d]
On the day of Barry and Iris West's wedding, Harbinger appears. She recruits Barry, Oliver, Mari, and John Stewart / Green Lantern to a space station called the Satellite. Various heroes and super-powered people from Earth-1, Earth-2, and several other Earths have been gathered by Harbinger on behalf of the Monitor, an ancient Multiversal being. Flash reunites with the Justice Society of Earth-2, who are old except for Wonder Woman, her lover Superman, and a reincarnated Hawkman. Batman meets Earth-2's Robin and Huntress, the daughter of that world's Bruce Wayne and Catwoman. When Dawnstar is brought aboard, Harbinger reveals herself to be Supergirl.
The Monitor explains that an anti-matter wave, which can destroy entire universes, threatens the multiverse. Barry's time-tripping inspires the Monitor and his council of "thinkers" (consisting of Wonder Woman, Earth-1's Doctor Light, Hawkgirl, and Mister Terrific, Earth-4's Blue Beetle and Question, and Earth-146's Aquaman) to create vibrational towers on the remaining Earths that will allow them to phase through the wave and survive. However, the wave spreads before the towers are completed.
Barry uses his powers to slow time for him and Iris, and they grow old together while completing Earth-1's tower with the help of Amazo. Upon completing the tower, the elderly Iris dies. The elderly Barry reverts to normal speed and activates the tower network by using a cosmic treadmill. The vibrational energy destroys his tower and Amazo but causes the anti-matter wave to pass through the various Earths and dissipate. Barry is then approached by the Spectre, who claims that Barry bears responsibility for the Crisis, but that it is up to the Speed Force to determine his fate. Barry is then sent back to the moment he gains his powers and has an epiphany. He appears as a vision to Batman when he was trapped in the Warlord illusion of Warworld, telling him to go back to before "the beginning".[e] Barry then vanishes as he dies. On the space station, Supergirl realizes that the heroes have changed history when she sees her friends from the Legion of Super-Heroes, including her boyfriend Brainiac 5, fade from existence.
Part Two
editWhen Krypton was destroyed,[f] Kara Zor-El's escape pod hit the Monitor's Satellite. Reluctantly at first, the Monitor rescued and took her in, feeding and educating her. But when it became clear that Kara had lost her memory, he decided not to tell her of her home world's fate. Eventually, Kara discovered her escape pod in the Satellite's hangar and learned of her planet's demise. Enraged at the Monitor for refusing to prevent Krypton's destruction and withholding the truth, she goaded him to reveal that her cousin Kal-El was alive on Earth, prompting her to find him.
The Monitor continued to observe her, including her training with the Legion of Super-Heroes. When Kara, now Supergirl, returned to Earth in search of Superman and Batman, the Monitor approached her to help him prevent the anti-matter wave from destroying reality. He then gifted her some of his power, transforming her into Harbinger and sending her to gather the heroes.
Years ago on Earth-2, Psycho Pirate interrogated a codebreaker, his Earth's Doctor Fate. To get Fate to talk, he explained his background. Believing that Psycho Pirate had a role to play in the Crisis, Doctor Fate gave him the ability to travel between universes. After his plan to use the Atlanteans to attack the United States under the alias of Advisor failed,[g] he used his new ability to leave Earth-2 and escape capture by Earth-1's Flash. He traveled the multiverse, trying and failing to take over various Earths, before being recruited by Harbinger and brought to the Satellite with the heroes.
Time has passed since the anti-matter wave hit Earth-1 and what was thought to be a single wave has turned out to be a series of anti-matter waves. Many heroes are placed across the multiverse to operate, maintain, and protect the vibrational towers, while the Monitor's council tries to find a long-term solution. To keep the Earths' populations calm, they use the Satellite's technology to broadcast Psycho-Pirate's empathic control across the planets. Struggling with the mental strain of the task, Psycho-Pirate persuades the Monitor to give him some of his power to make it easier. Shortly afterward, Psycho Pirate is abducted by an entity calling itself the Anti-Monitor, the source of the anti-matter waves. It offers him a new smaller world to control in exchange for his service.
After a weaker anti-matter wave passes over the Earths, shadow demons appear and attack all the towers simultaneously. Superman leads the Justice League to defend Earth-1, Batman defends Earth-2 with the help of a Multiversal Bat-Family, and Wonder Woman fights on Earth-43, an Earth ruled by Amazons. Though they discover that the shadow demons are vulnerable to strong light, their attempts to fight them are undermined by Psycho-Pirate, who uses his enhanced abilities to increase the heroes' hatreds and rivalries, causing them to fight each other before teleporting away to another Earth. Due to the shadow demons and Psycho Pirate's interference, not all of the towers are online when the next anti-matter wave hits and many Earths, including Earth-43, are destroyed. Amid the chaos, a furious Supergirl murders the Monitor when her resentment toward him is exacerbated by Psycho Pirate's powers.
While defending Earth-1, John Stewart encounters the homeless man and fights him. During their fight, the homeless man remembers his identity as the sorcerer John Constantine. As more shadow demons arrive, Stewart overloads his Green Lantern's battery, using it as a light bomb to destroy the shadow demons attacking Earth-1's tower. In response, the shadow demons coalesce into a single giant figure, revealing that the shadow demons were the Anti-Monitor's minions and are of one mind, which proves resistant to the heroes' light attacks. Powerless, they watch in horror as the Anti-Monitor prepares to destroy Earth-1.
Part Three
editWhen the Monitor died, he released the cosmic energy within him into the Satellite. This gave the heroes enough power to transport the surviving Earths and their Suns into a dimension between the universes called "the Bleed", preventing Earth-1's annihilation. Eight months later, Hawkgirl and Earth-2's Superman recover Wonder Woman's body in space, having survived Earth-43's destruction due to her immortality. Whilst they are safe from the Anti-Monitor, the Bleed has different laws of physics, natural disasters occur daily, and beings from the Earths' pasts, presents, and futures have started appearing all at once, straining their collective resources.
After Batman is exposed to Scarecrow's fear gas while fighting Nazi soldiers, he remembers an old man telling him to go back to before "the beginning", who he now realizes was a dying Flash. Batman's theory is proven true by Doctor Fate, who confirms his theory that the solution to the Crisis lies before the multiverse was created. Stewart tells the others about Constantine, who claimed to be from then. Batman, Fate, Stewart, and Wonder Woman leave the Satellite to find Constantine. Using Fate's magic to restore Constantine's memories, they discover that Constantine's Earth was ravaged by Darkseid.[h] To restore his Earth, Constantine instructed his Earth's Flash to travel back in time and kill Darkseid when he was vulnerable as a child.
Earth-10's Lex Luthor arrives on the Satellite, warning them that the Anti-Monitor has found the Bleed and forced its way inside. After it destroys Earth-146 and Earth-2, Question and Earth-1's Lois Lane deduce that Luthor revealed the Bleed's location to the Anti-Monitor in exchange for Earth-10's survival. Luthor explains that he and his Earths' team of villains have correctly concluded that life in the Bleed is unsustainable, so they captured Psycho Pirate and tortured him into contacting the Anti-Monitor. However, Luthor's true goal was to bring the Anti-Monitor to the Bleed so that they could study its weaknesses, kill it, and return to the regular universe safely. After sacrificing Earth-AD to the Anti-Monitor to see its abilities in action, Luthor suggests that Earth-1's Superman could absorb the power of all the Earth's Suns and channel it into a blast strong enough to destroy the Anti-Monitor. Despite knowing that this act would kill him, Superman agrees only for Supergirl to take his place while guilt-ridden over killing the Monitor. Returning to the universe, they are aided by a new Green Lantern Corps and Martian Manhunter[i] commanding the Warworld, whose energy blasts weaken the Anti-Monitor enough for Supergirl's sacrifice to destroy it, though her death leaves her cousin saddened and grieving.
As the heroes and villains gather in the Warworld, Batman explains Constantine's hand in the Crisis and that Darkseid was a fixed point in the universe. However, his death shattered the universe into two halves instead of fixing his Earth, creating a reality with Darkseid and one without him. The multiverse has been dividing infinitely on similar decision points ever since. Because reality is not able to cope with this many universes, the Anti-Monitor was created as its immune response, killing off universes to prevent its total collapse. An army of Anti-Monitors approaches the Satellite and begins killing Earths that are similar to Earth-508, Earth-12, Earth-2003, and Earth-10.
Constantine suggests fusing the multiverse into a single "Monoverse" that reality could cope with and Batgirl suggests using the Miracle Machine, which Supergirl had hidden in a pocket dimension before she died. After Nightshade teleports the Miracle Machine to the Warworld, Wonder Woman sacrifices herself to provide enough energy to recharge the machine and create the Monoverse. Watched on by the Spectre, the assembled heroes and villains walk into their new universe except for Question who rejects this "false reality" on principle. Though Constantine braces himself for the Spectre's punishment for ending the multiverse, the latter offers him "hope" instead of "justice". As the Spectre leaves, Constantine considers going into the Monoverse only to instead decline and follow the Spectre to an unknown fate as the multiverse is ultimately destroyed.
In the Monoverse, a young Diana of Themiscyra plays on a clifftop. Her mother Hippolyta urges her to step away as even princesses are not immortal.
Voice cast
editCameos
editAppearing in all three parts without dialogue are:
- Atom, Batwing, Black Lightning, Blackhawk, Blue Devil, the Challengers of the Unknown, Creeper, Elongated Man, Firestorm, Guy Gardner, Hawk and Dove, Katana, Mento, the Metal Men, Metamorpho, Negative Woman, Nighthawk, Red Star, Red Tornado, Speedy, Star Sapphire, Swamp Thing, Tempest, Tomahawk, and Zatanna from Earth-1.
- Members of the Justice Society of America (Doctor Mid-Nite, Hourman, Jade, Obsidian, Starman, and Wildcat) from Earth-2.
- Peacemaker from Earth-4.
- Captain Marvel Jr., Mary Marvel, and Uncle Marvel from Earth-S.
- Uncle Sam, Doll Man, Ray, and Black Condor from Earth-X.
- Thunderer from Earth-7.
- Aqualad of Earth-146.
Production
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In July 2023, it was announced an animated film trilogy based on the storyline Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985–1986) by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez was in development for the Tomorrowverse story arc, which fully concludes the DC Animated Movie Universe that started back in 2013.[2]
An official trailer and the voice cast was revealed on December 5, 2023.[1]
Casting
editIn January 2024, it was confirmed that Part Three will posthumously feature Kevin Conroy as the DC Animated Universe version of Batman who debuted in Batman: The Animated Series, having completed his voice work before he died in 2022.[3] In February 2024, it was announced that Will Friedle would be reprising his role as Terry McGinnis from Batman Beyond in Part Two.[4] It was later confirmed that the film would also feature the last time Mark Hamill reprises his role as the Joker from Batman: The Animated Series after previously announcing his retirement from voicing the character following Conroy's death.[5]
Jason Spisak also reprised his role as Razer from Green Lantern: The Animated Series and Young Justice, while Jennifer Hale voices Aya, taking over for Grey DeLisle from the former series.[5]
Release
editPart One was released on digital in the U.S. and Canada on January 9, 2024, and on Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray on January 23. It was dedicated to Pérez.[1] Part Two was made available for online streaming on April 23, 2024. Part Three was made available for online streaming on July 16, 2024.[citation needed] It was dedicated to Conroy.
Reception
editReviews
edit| Film | Reviews | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One | 88% | [6] |
| Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Two | 17% | [7] |
| Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three | 20% | [8] |
Critical response
editRafael Motamayor, writing for Inverse, praised the film, writing: "Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One Finally Gets the DC Crossover Event Right", calling it "A worthy adaptation focusing on heart and character".[9] Mae Abdulbaki, in a review for Screen Rant, also gave the film a positive review, praising its faithfulness to the source material.[10]
Hayden Mears of IGN rated the film a 7 out of 10, with the verdict: "Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One knows what it is and strives to do right by its source material. There's no depth, no moral murk, no optional profundity for the insight-hungry. Just good, clean, marginally sensical fun. The action and performances are nothing to shake a Batarang at, but it never loses sight of its stakes and (mostly) prioritizes character over plot".[11] Jennifer Borget of Common Sense Media gave it three out of five stars, praising its story but commenting that "The constant jumping between alternate Earths can make it feel like a time-traveling treadmill at first, and the action scenes might trigger a bit of déjà vu from other superhero tales."[12]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Previously depicted on Earth during the events of Justice League: Warworld (2023).
- ^ As depicted in the post-credits scene of Batman: The Long Halloween (2021).
- ^ Hal Jordan later joins the Justice League sometime before the events of Green Lantern: Beware My Power (2022).
- ^ As depicted in Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020) and the short film Constantine: The House of Mystery (2022).
- ^ As depicted during the events of Justice League: Warworld.
- ^ As depicted in Legion of Super-Heroes (2023).
- ^ As depicted in Justice Society: World War II (2021).
- ^ As depicted in Justice League Dark: Apokolips War.
- ^ Martian Manhunter was revealed to have survived the explosion of Warworld in Justice League: Warworld.
- ^ Credited in Part One as "Homeless Man".
References
edit- ^ a b c Vejvoda, Jim (December 5, 2023). "Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One: Exclusive Clip and Voice Cast Reveal". IGN. Archived from the original on December 5, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ Hargrave, Sam (July 22, 2023). "DC Announces 2 More Superhero Movies Releasing In 2024". The Direct. Archived from the original on December 5, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ Stedman, Alex (January 30, 2024). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Isn't Kevin Conroy's Final Batman Performance". IGN. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ Burlingame, Russ (February 21, 2024). "Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Two Home Video Details Released". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
- ^ a b Stedman, Alex (February 29, 2024). "Exclusive: Kevin Conroy's Batman and Mark Hamill's Joker Will Appear Together One Last Time in Upcoming Animated Film". IGN. Archived from the original on March 1, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
- ^ "Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Part One". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
- ^ "Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Part Two". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
- ^ "Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Part Three". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
- ^ "DC Just Quietly Released the Best Superhero Crossover Movie of the Year". Inverse. January 9, 2024. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ^ Abdulbaki, Mae (January 10, 2024). "Justice League: Crisis On Infinite Earths – Part One Review – DC Animated Movie Is Superhero Royalty". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ^ Mears, Hayden (January 9, 2024). "Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One Review". IGN. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ^ "Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One Movie Review". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
