Justice League: Gods and Monsters

Movie review by Brian Costello, Common Sense Media
Justice League: Gods and Monsters Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 13+

Engaging noir tale is dark and violent; some cursing, nudity

PG-13 2015 72 minutes
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Parents say

age 12+

Based on 3 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 1 review

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Justice League: Gods and Monsters is a 2015 movie that is a more "noir" story featuring the well-known superheroes Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. These aren't the pure-hearted superheroes many parents grew up with in the cartoons and on the TV shows of their youth; rather, in this version, the superheroes are conflicted and wrestling with inner demons as well as larger external issues such as unchecked power and whether or not the ends justify the means in fighting crime. There is constant violence -- battle scenes, shootings, explosions, neck bites by demonic monsters, and, in one instance, a death via a sword through the chest. These superheroes curse ("s--t," "bastard," "bitch") and display a cynical attitude toward the world around them. Some innuendo. A woman is described as being "orgasmic" over receiving some news. Wonder Woman wears a revealing top that barely covers her breasts. A female android is fully nude, and her breasts are visible. For those who enjoy the darker side of these superheroes, this movie is very enjoyable; it even puts new twists on the origin stories. For families looking for more lighthearted fare, this is not the best choice.

Community Reviews

djtripmix
djtripmix Adult
August 5, 2019
age 10+

This title has:

Great messages
Matthew St Vincent S.
Matthew St Vincent S. Adult
September 4, 2017
age 15+

BluRay Review (Australia)

I purchased this film as a blind buy after receiving a JB Hi Fi gift card as an early Christmas along with many other DC animated films on BluRay. I was very impressed at both how great it was and how original it was. The story is, in an alternate universe Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman are getting framed for the murder of several important scientists and are out prove their innocence before and all out war. It's set in an alternate universe where Superman's dad was actually General Zod and when he was sent to earth he was raised by Mexican's instead of Americans, Batman is actually vampire after he tried to cure himself from a disease and Wonder Woman is the widow of Darkseid's son. The film was great with really good voice acting from Benjamin Bratt, Michael C. Hall and Tamara Taylor. The story was well executed despite the ending feeling cliché and tacked on. The characters are extremely likeable and have good chemistry together, they have scenes that make you really feel for them. The BluRay is as per 99% of BluRay's a 1080p transfer and looks fantastic. It is honestly quite hard to stuff up a BluRay release of an animated film, video quality wise, but even for an animated film on BluRay it looks extremely good. It has the perfect colour balance, great contrast and deep blacks. This somehow looks even better than the BluRay of "Justice League: Throne of Atlantis". The sound is so good, it blew me away. I had my speakers up on my home theatre system and pressed play and boy was I almost blown out of my house. It's your standard 5.1 DTS-HD audiotrack but even for that it sounds almost as good as some of the 7.1 DTS-HD audiotracks that I have heard on other BluRay's before. The extras are pretty good too as they include a sneak peak into their next film, a few featurettes and a couple of movie trailers. All up I would strongly recommend this product as it is a really good DC animated film on a well presented and beautiful looking BluRay. I'd give the movie a 7.4/10.

This title has:

Great messages
Too much violence
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In Metropolis, Superman (Benjamin Bratt), Batman (Michael C. Hall), and Wonder Woman (Tamara Taylor) have formed the Justice League, in which vigilante justice is served above and beyond the law, with the government more or less looking the other way, so long as the ends justify the means. However, many citizens are wary of their unchecked power and begin to protest. As the protests increase, a group of esteemed scientists is murdered one by one, and the Justice League is clearly being framed for the killings. When the President orders their arrests, the three heroes/antiheroes must find a way to prove their innocence, fight the very people they've been trying to protect, and justify their existence in Metropolis.

Is It Any Good?

Fans of the more "noir" characterizations of the familiar superheroes Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman will find much to enjoy here. These versions are cynical, conflicted, and not all that nice. Themes of unchecked power, justice, and whether or not the ends justify the means are fully explored here, as are the origin stories of these three heroes/antiheroes. The result is fully developed characters, complex stories, and engaging action.

As in the other dark versions of these superheroes we've seen in recent years, this movie is not for families wanting more lighthearted fare or for parents expecting the more kitschy versions of these heroes they grew up with. But for those who welcome more "adult" versions of these immortal characters, this is one of the best stories out there.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in movies. Did the violence seem necessary to the overall story, or did it seem gratuitous?

  • How are these versions of the well-known superheroes Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman similar to and different from other versions you've seen in movies and on TV?

  • What were some of the issues this movie addressed? What are your thoughts on these issues?

Movie Details

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