"justice league: the new frontier"

"justice league: the new frontier" is based on a mini-series created by darwyn cooke.  the story takes place during the cold war and super heroes are being hunted by the government and are either on the run or retired.   there are a few that remain and try and work with the government but, they are sometimes exploited.

the movie focuses mainly on hal jordan, a former fighter pilot during the korean war who was shot down just as the war ended by korean soldiers who did not heed or did not know that the war was over. 

david boreanaz is green lantern!!

  
jordan lands only to be confronted by a hostile enemy that he has to kill to survive.  after serving and spending some time in a hospital he needs a job.  he gets work at ferris aircraft and eventually learns that he's training for a secret mission to mars.  the reason: a martian has transported to earth and is living amonst us as we speak.  the government can't locate him and want to go to the planet to find out if the martians are hostile or friendly.

the martian in question is j'onn j'onzz, also known as the martian manhunter.  MM is accidently teleported to earth by a scientist hoping only to communicate with mars.  stranded here, MM tries to fit in.  he can alter his appearance and begins work as a police detective.  MM finds out about the mars mission and hopes that that is his way home.  but as he tries to sneak onto the ship he is discovered and captured.

miguel ferrer voices the martian mahunter

the mission is a failure and hal jordan is once again grounded and lost.  space was his redemption.  but just as he despairs he is transported unwillingly to the location of a fallen member of a galactic police force known as the green lantern corps.  he is given a ring with unlimited power and a second chance.


the heroes of earth have to come together to defeat a being known as the centre.  the centre is a massive island-like being that spews dinosaur-like creatures and is determined to destroy mankind.  with the help of the new heroes in green lantern, the flash, and martian manhunter the existing heroes of batman, superman and wonder woman work to save the world.

this animated movie is one of my favourites in the DC animated original movies.  it may not follow the comic (also, a fave) exactly but it's a perfect adaptation.  the art style is very much like that of creator, darwyn cooke.  the script is smart and concise and the voice talent is very well chosen and directed.


david boreanaz ("angel", "bones") is hal jordan, NPH is the flash, lucy lawless is wonder woman, kyle maclachlan is superman and jeremy sisto is batman.


overall, the movie is just incredibly done.  the timeline of the 50's and 60's of JFK's "new frontier" it takes place in really fits with the emergence of a new frontier of heroes.
the animation is kind of a throwback to the kirby era and works perfect with the time frame.


bottomline:
4 outta 5.