Warner Home Video presents

Justice League Unlimited: Saving the World (2005)

"Those monsters you don't fight? They tend to step on little guys."- Batman

Stars: George Newbern, Kevin Conroy, Susan Eisenberg
Other Stars: Phil LaMarr, Carl Lumbly, Michael Rosenbaum
Director: various

MPAA Rating: Not Rated for (nothing objectionable)
Run Time: 01h:09m:40s
Release Date: 2005-02-15
Genre: animation

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
B+	B+	A	B	C

 

DVD Review

Growing up an avid comic book reader, it didn't take me long to realize that there were two distinct groups of comic book fans in the 1980s: those who loved Marvel Comics and those who leaned towards the DC Comics superheroes. I was in the Marvel camp, but I snuck quite a few DC comics into my daily readings too. Shh! Don't tell my Marvel-loving buddies, as I might be branded a traitor.

My favorite of the DC comics were the Justice League titles. I don't know if it was the feeling that I was getting more superhero bang for my buck by reading about many heroes in one book or not, but the fact that these great beings could actually team up and fight crime was astounding to me. Having the likes of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc. on the same comic book pages was a kid's dream come true.

Naturally, when the show Super Friends premiered, this wonderful concept had been taken one step further. However, that show aired decades ago, but today's kids still have the chance of watching this crime-fighting group kick butt on TV with the new, animated show, Justice League Unlimited. Most of the same superheroes who were in the original, comic book version of the Justice League are on board for this show, with a few minor exceptions. Fortunately, one of those exceptions is the annoying (although loved by many) Wonder Twins.

Warner Home Video's first DVD collection of Justice League Unlimited includes three episodes from the show. This set, Saving the World, is a great first effort from Warner, introducing these beloved characters to a new generation of aspiring crimefighters. It's just too bad that they didn't come right out and release these shows in a seasonal format, since it's almost inevitable that we'll be getting boxed sets if this initial release is a successful seller.

In the meantime, these episodes are a great introduction to an excellent new look for the Justice League. Comic book fans both young and old will instantly be drawn to this series, simply due to the appearance of all of your favorite superheroes. Sure, some of these heroes' new looks will take some getting used to, but the dialogue is never overly cheesy and the storylines are very engaging and action-packed.

Justice League Unlimited: Saving the World features the following episodes:

Initiation: The Justice League reforms with new recruit Green Arrow. He is immediately asked to help Green Lantern, Captain Atom, and Supergirl fight a nuclear monster in China. Hawk and Dove: Two brothers join Wonder Woman on a mission to stop a war in the country of Kaznia.Kid Stuff: Mordred has banished all adults from Earth, so Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern must turn themselves into 8-year-olds to save the planet.

Rating for Style: B+
Rating for Substance: B+

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	1.33:1 - Full Frame
Original Aspect Ratio	yes
Anamorphic	no

Image Transfer Review: Each of these episodes look the same, if not better than they did when they first aired on TV. The color scheme used here is vast and breathtaking beautiful. The reds and blues of Superman's costume are true to his original incarnation, and the same can be said for all of the "veteran" heroes. The detail of the animated characters is exquisite, and there isn't a single flaw in this gorgeous presentation.

Image Transfer Grade: A
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
DS 2.0	English, Spanish	yes

Audio Transfer Review: The Dolby Digital 2.0 track is solid, yet nothing extravagant. All of the action stays with the front speakers, but there are a few times where the rears spring to life. This action packed series calls for quite a few sound effects, and each of these made the transfer to DVD flawlessly. There is just enough depth in the mix to heighten the action's impact, resulting in an overall excellent mix for 2.0.

Audio Transfer Grade: B 

Disc Extras

Static menu with music
Scene Access with 3 cues and remote access
Subtitles/Captions in English, French, Spanish with remote access
1 Other Trailer(s) featuring Tom & Jerry: Blast Off to Mars
Packaging: Snapper
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single

Extra Extras:

1. Justice League Watchtower Database: This feature allows you to read the bio of and watch action footage of the following Justice League members: Green Arrow, Captain Atom, Supergirl, Hawk, and Dove.
2. Save Gorilla City: This interactive game has you, as The Flash, to use your DVD player's remote control to dodge oncoming cars and catch a runaway van. This is the first of many tasks you must perform to save the city.
3. Bonus Cartoons: Keepin' Up with the Joneses: an eight minute short about a family of superheroes.

Extras Review: The extras here, while not exactly high in quantity, aren't exactly the fluff material you would expect from a "greatest hits" TV release like this. The Save Gorilla City game is quite fun and involving, and the Keepin' Up with the Joneses short is a good little knock-off of The Incredibles.

Extras Grade: C
 

Final Comments

The new Justice League Unlimited series is a great way to keep this group of superheroes going for the new millennium. Hopefully, Warner Home Video will ditch this "greatest hits" DVD release format soon and come up with some seasonal boxed sets.

Chuck Aliaga 2005-03-16