Where to watch Justice League: The New Frontier
3 1/2 Stars
Adapting the award-winning DC Comics miniseries DC: THE NEW FRONTIER by Darwyn Cooke, Justice League: The New Frontier spins a tale of the DC Universe in the 1950s, focusing on test pilot Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) and the Martian Manhunter. The story also features other DC characters, including Barry Allen (the Flash), Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and many more.
Justice League: The New Frontier is another excellent animated feature, the second for the newly formed DCAU division of Warner Bros. Studio. This story takes place during the post-Korean War and its effects on the offbeat members of the Justice League. Internal conflicts between members lead to dysfunction, which is worsened by the appearance on Earth of a new powerful enemy force. The film has a sleek animation style with vivid imagery and an eye-catching color palette.
With only an 80-minute running time, Justice League: The New Frontier struggles to give equal screen time to all the characters; Batman doesn’t appear until the 25-minute mark, and Wonder Woman is absent for long stretches, while Hal Jordan dominates the story. However, the 1950s setting works surprisingly well, and the era’s collective fear of further nuclear war is nicely woven into the narrative.
Directed by: Dave Bullock
Written by: Stan Berkowitz, Darwyn Cooke (additional material), Darwyn Cooke (graphic novel)
Starring: David Boreanaz, Miguel Ferrer, Neil Patrick Harris, John Heard