Fans know that Aquaman is a terrific character, but he doesn't have that kind of reputation among mainstream audiences. (Thanks for nothing, Entourage.) Casual observers see him as a one-note superhero with powers that aren't too useful unless he's conveniently near a large body of water or an aquarium. Justice League: Throne of Atlantis feels like it was specifically made to combat that perception.
The latest entry in DC's long-running series of animated films, Throne of Atlantis follows up on last year's Justice League: War, which rebooted the animated movies New 52-style. That movie introduced the Justice League to one another for first time, setting up their respective roles and highlighting how they've changed — and what's stayed the same — from their original incarnations.
Throne of Atlantis picks up where War left off, with the newly-formed League still trying to figure out whether or not they even want to work together. Superman and Wonder Woman are starting a romance, while Cyborg is trying to get used to life as a man who's part machine. Both of these character arcs are given quiet little beats between all the fist-flying action.
The real star of the show is Arthur Curry, though, the once and future Aquaman. Like all of the DC animated movies, Throne of Atlantis uses the comics as its source material, but fans may be surprised to find how much of the story is new, created just for this film. Aquaman gets the full spotlight treatment in this "team" movie, as we follow his development from aimless misfit to fulfilling his destiny.
The plot finds an aimless, searching-for-meaning Arthur swept up in a conflict between the surface dwellers and the staggering might of Atlantis. Only a man with a foot in both worlds can stand between the two sides. Of course, it isn't as simple as a misunderstanding; there's some nefarious warmongering afoot from Aquaman's traditional enemies Ocean Master and Black Manta.
When he was created, Aquaman was originally based on the King Arthur legend (even down to his name), with Atlantis serving as his Camelot. This is strongly apparent in Throne of Atlantis, which really gives Arthur the mythical kind of foundation he deserves.
The animation isn't the best you'll ever see, but it's far from the worst. Like all of the DC animated movies, Throne of Atlantis looks like it came out of the world of Batman: The Animated Series, using the same simplistic line drawing kind of visuals. That's not a criticism; its sharp, clear nature works well for the material.
Returning from War are Christopher Gorham as Flash, Shemar Moore as Cyborg, Jason O'Mara as Batman and Sean Astin as Shazam. Joining them are some newcomers that might surprise you. Taking over as Superman is Jerry O'Connell, who manages to play the part with zero irony. Nathan Fillion makes a sardonic Green Lantern without satirizing himself, while Rosario Dawson is a commanding presence as Wonder Woman. Matt Lanter — known to Star Wars: The Clone Wars fans as Anakin Skywalker — joins the gang as Aquaman, while the always-reliable Sam Witwer creates a wonderfully wicked villain as Orm, aka Ocean Master.
Frederik Wiedmann's cinematic-quality score elevates the material, and in a nice touch Wiedmann gets his own half-hour featurette as part of the disc's extras, showing how he does what he does. Other extras include closer looks at the psychology behind the film's two villains, the full Throne of Atlantis panel from New York Comic-Con 2014, some campily classic WB cartoon shorts starring Aquaman, and peeks at what's to come in future DC movies.
While the world continues to wait to see DC Comics brought to life on the big screen in live-action movies — starting with 2016's Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice — you could do a lot worse than Justice League: Throne of Atlantis. Its story is smarter than you might expect, and it's especially nice to see that DC's animation division is growing ever more confident enough to take liberties with the source material and tell the stories that are right for this format.
Overall:
★★★★☆
