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Justice League: War
Justice League: War is a 2014 direct-to-video animated superhero film featuring the DC Comics superhero team the Justice League, and an adaptation of the story Justice League: Origin by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee, the first story in DC's 2011 DC Universe relaunch. It was directed by Jay Oliva, scripted by Heath Corson. It is the 18th film from the DC Universe Animated Original Movies series that is a part of a new shared continuity, the DC Animated Movie Universe. The film was released for downloading on January 21, 2014 and was released on Blu-ray and DVD formats on February 4, 2014. It had its world premiere at the Paley Center for Media on the same day. On August 11, 2015, Warner Home Video re-released the film on a combo pack, which includes a DVD and Blu-Ray copy, a digital copy, and the graphic novel it's based on. The film depicts an invasion of Earth by the alien and demon titan Darkseid and the subsequent formation of the titular superhero team to counter it, which includes Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Cyborg and Shazam. A stand-alone sequel, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, was released in January 2015. The film also begins a story-arc which is revisited in Reign of the Supermen and concludes in Justice League Dark: Apokolips War.
A series of abductions have occurred in Gotham City; Batman is implicated due to video footage. Green Lantern stops a kidnapping before attacking the kidnapper, a Parademon, and is almost defeated when Batman appears. The Parademon attacks them both; Batman and Green Lantern chase it into the sewers, where it charges a Mother Box and explodes. They examine the box, deduce it is of extraterrestrial origin, and decide to ask Superman for an answer. Another Mother Box, supplied by Flash is being studied at S.T.A.R. Labs by Silas Stone, father of Victor Stone.
Superman, who fought with a Parademon previously and believes Batman and Green Lantern are working with it, fights with them; the two are hopelessly outmatched, with the battle only stopping when Batman calls him "Clark" and Superman discovers Batman is Bruce Wayne. The trio begin to work together against the Parademons. On the planet Apokolips, Darkseid orders Desaad to begin an invasion of Earth in response to the superheroes' discovery of his plans. Victor and Silas argue over Silas' belief that metahumans are more important than football. Superman, Batman and Green Lantern realize an invasion has begun when the box activates and several Boom Tubes appear throughout the world.
Justice League: War received a mixed response. According to the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 50% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 6 reviews, with an average rating of 5.75/10. IGN gave a total score of 8.8/10, calling it a "great modern origin story that will win you over with its action and humor." CraveOnline gave it a rating of 9.0/10.
Conversely, Brian Lowry of Variety believes it did not reach the high standards of other DC Animated Movies; he wrote, "the interplay yields its share of moments but ultimately proves too frenzied and chaotic to deliver more than a few revisionist thrills". Additionally, Scott Mendelson of Forbes' Magazine called the film a "dry run for Justice League". He criticized the plot, describing it as "monotonous".
It earned $5,219,941 from domestic home video sales.
