My introduction to the wider DC Comics universe beyond Superman and Batman was Challenge of the Superfriends, which pitted DC’s best heroes and villains against each other.
For old school fans like me, Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom is a fun throwback to more innocent days of DC heroes and will make a perfect introduction for younger viewers. And any movie that can effortlessly work in disco missiles, a robot monkey army, and know-it-all-Lego Batman is all right by me.
DC Entertainment is wisely not trying to make their direct to video projects for all ages any longer. That wasn’t going to work as the more comic-book based animated projects had become too mature and violent for every demographic.
Unfortunately, that meant the films aimed at younger viewers, like the previous LEGO Justice League film Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League, were significantly dumbed down and goofy. Thankfully, that’s largely not the case here.
Attack of the Legion of Doom still errs too often on the side of silly, but the characters are a lot more likable this time out.
Flash (James Arnold Taylor) and Green Lantern (Josh Keaton) are constantly trying to one-up each other, Superman (Nolan North) is a bit of a doofus, Batman’s (Troy Baker) paranoia is over the top, and Cyborg (Khary Payton) is a superhero fanboy, while Wonder Woman (Grey Griffin) is spared the buffoonery, coming off far better than her portrayal in the more adult-themed Justice League: War.
The character portrayal for the League members feels more like a forced attempt to give every character some comedic material. Instead of simply exaggerating existing quirks, which is so successfully done with Batman, they’re given out of character traits, which rarely works and is the one element that still needs improving.
James Krieg’s (Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox) script is smarter than previous Lego DC offerings, and there’s some good humor for DC fans of all ages. Krieg even works in some sly comic references that older fans will appreciate, like a gag on the new 52 and Deathstroke the Terminator being a cool, unstoppable warrior.
The opening sequence provides a nice tip of the hat to the 1978 cartoon complete with sound effects and introduction.
After the combined might of the Justice League repeatedly proves to be too much for any one villain to overcome, Lex Luthor (John DiMaggio), Black Manta (Kevin Michael Richardson) and Sinestro (Mark Hamill) decide the only way to succeed in their schemes is to form a team of their own — the Legion of Doom.
Defeating the Justice League still proves challenging until the Legion of Doom gets a secret weapon in the form of Martian Manhunter (Dee Bradley Baker), who helps turn popular opinion against the League before realizing he’s backing the wrong side.
As usual for these Lego DC projects, the animation is well done and the level of detail on the textures and Lego blocks is superb. The animation definitely conveys the sense of being in a Lego world, particularly in the action scenes when items shatter into assorted Lego pieces.
Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom is a lot of fun and is a welcome change from previous efforts intended for younger fans. This is one that will prove enjoyable for all ages.
Rating: 8 out of 10
If the movie has you fiending for some Legos, there’s some sets available now at Amazon that were heavily featured in the film:
LEGO Superheroes Gorilla Grodd Goes Bananas
