Review of Justice League: The New Frontier (2008) by Van C — 25 Feb 2008

An absolutely stunning film to look at and incredibly engrossing to watch, New Frontier is possibly just about the best animated superhero flick this side of The Incredibles with Darwyn Cooke's book done justice at least once every 3 or 4 seconds.

Taking place outside of the last sixteen years of animated DCU fare, New Frontier is a superbly written tale of heroism at the height of the McCarthy-era, going to the relatively new area of exploring the subject from the perspective of superheroes. It's a great perspective to see it from and logistically it makes complete sense, in an era when paranoia was high, who could take more flak than someone with almost godlike powers? Superman and Martian Manhunter are by definition aliens, and it's that sort of prejudice and public perception that kick the narrative into a far more adult level than we're used to with these flicks.

New Frontier has such an accomplished voice cast that at first it almost seems like a prank, these aren't actors we're used to seeing do animated flicks and in some cases they are extremely radical casting, but every one of them works, making the roles very firmly their own - especially geek-favorites David Boreanaz as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern and Neil Patrick Harris as the hysterical and superbly written Barry Allen/Flash.

Aside from it's more adult tone though, the film is also worthy of note for it's scope. With George Miller's live-action Justice League movie just around the corner, New Frontier gives me a shred of hope because if it's even half the movie that this is then it could be frankly astounding. That's part of the genius of New Frontier from the offset, it's very easy to forget most of the time that you are in fact watching an animated film. To that end, what you're left with is a 1950's-set superhero epic that you just can't help but be taken aback by. It's touching, it's deep, it's moving, it's everything comic book fans have ever wanted to see in a film and if the appearence of good ol' Aquaman doesn't give you a damn tingly feeling than it's worth checking your pulse cos frankly you'd have to be dead inside to not get it.

New Frontier is without a doubt a new high point for the superhero movie genre and one that - despite being animated - I sincerely hope is used as a benchmark for even live-action work from now on. Pure undeniable gold.