Injustice

That was like the goriest episode of Marvel's What If...? ever.

We have some things to talk about. For sure. Not all of these things will be good. But on the whole, my opinion was favorable. Before I tell you the larger reasons why my opinion is favorable, let's get the elephant in the room out of the way, and tell you why I don't like the premise or the myriad similar premises to this DC has done over the years. Superman going nuts and turning into a killer fascist whenever Lois Lane dies is problematic in every circumstance. It wouldn't be if the different Supermans in different Universes processed that loss differently. But somebody kills Lois, Superman turns into a murderer and / or a monster. If that happens in every single Universe Lois is killed, it suggests that deep down in OUR Universe, Superman is secretly crazy. This movie tried to mitigate that some by bringing in "Earth-1" Superman to suggest an emotionally healthy Superman for contrast. The problem is Earth-1 Superman would probably be doing the same thing if his Lois was killed. So he's not actually emotionally healthy. That's my problem with the premise.

For the record, they should have gotten Darren Criss to voice Earth-1 Superman. It's such a no-brainer it is actually a missed opportunity.

I'll tell you why I liked the movie though, and why I'd sing its praises before the totally overrated and in actuality lousy Justice League Dark: Apokalips War. As bleak as the scenario was, the Universe was still there at the end for the heroes to pick up the pieces. The movie left behind survivors having to deal with what happened like adults, instead of having Flash travel back in time to reboot the Universe. There is fall-out, it is real, and treated as such.

Very few of these projects use Green Arrow. Mr. Terrific was in the DCAU Fatal Five, but he's rare too. Plas is kind of a first.

The Quiver is WAY better than Arrowcave. Somebody at DC needs to trademark that. Now.

Let me offer an unusual opinion: I have stated elsewhere that there is not a single actress who has voiced Harley Quinn besides Arlene Sorkin who has done a good job. Kaley Couco is adequate, but that's as far as it goes. Her voice is also one I'd only really accept for that one specific TV-MA project. I personally think Margot Robbie sucks as live-action Harley too. But whoever thought to cast Community's Gillian Jacobs as Harley in this project deserves a medal for DC Animation. Frankly, Jacobs needs to replace the overworked (and overpraised) Tara Strong as the "House Voice" for Harley in DC Animation going forward. She's amazing. And she lost herself so into the role that I didn't recognize it was Jacobs until I saw the credits. Let me also offer a sad prediction: This will be a one-and-done role for Jacobs. DC doesn't tend to appreciate good things when it finds them. Otherwise Lucy Lawless would have been cast as Wonder Woman multiple times after Justice League: The New Frontier and James Denton would have been Superman many times over after All-Star Superman. But considering how crappy almost all Harley voice actors are besides Sorkin, were I DC, I'd take a LITTLE freaking notice here. Just this once.

Finally, while I do find Superman's morality disgusting in the movie, none more-so then when he murders a club full of kids for the crime of being stupid, let me offer a potentially contrary opinion to perhaps the rest of fandom. When Superman kills the Joker, that was the right move. Whatever else Superman did past that point was overkill bordering on evil. But frankly, considering what the Joker has done in the past, Batman should have put a Batarang in his brain long ago. The fact that he didn't means to me at least, Batman's stance in the film is not 100% right. It's mostly right, and gets more and more right as it goes along. But the Joker still being alive means it's not 100%.

Also should point out that Damian Wayne is a little turd and always has been. I don't understand why DC writers want to always portray him that way, but I've always hated the character and the writers crazily think it's interesting, instead of stupid to essentially make Batman's son DC's version of Joffrey from Game Of Thrones. I don't understand the logic there. At all.

Diana nurtured a monster and is shocked it turned on her. Diana is probably one of the most unlikable characters in the movie. It could be argued Superman would have slowed his roll earlier on without her giving him positive feedback for every psycho thing he did. When she's appalled about the murdered kids I'm like, "You did that too, Diana. It wouldn't have happened if not for you. Little late to distance yourself from it." I thought her trying to kiss him was way creepy and added some unpleasant subtext to her nurturing his dark impulses. Ick.

As an idea Deadwing is equally lame and cool. I couldn't tell you which it was more. I'm 50/50 on it.

So in conclusion, a decent movie exploring every moral inch of a frankly terrible premise. I think DC REALLY needs to do some Elseworlds where Lois is murdered, and Superman does the Jim Gordon thing from The Killing Joke instead, and have her loss make his virtue even more entrenched. Until they do that, I'm thinking every Superman everywhere is secretly a dirtbag and a monster deep down. ****.