Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Two-Disc Special Edition DVD cover art
Directed by	Lauren Montgomery Sam Liu
Produced by	Bruce Timm Bobbie Page Alan Burnett Sam Register
Written by	Dwayne McDuffie
Starring	William Baldwin Mark Harmon Chris Noth Gina Torres James Woods Bruce Davison Josh Keaton
Music by	James L. Venable Christopher Drake
Studio	Warner Bros. Animation Warner Premiere DC Comics
Distributed by	Warner Home Video
Release date(s)	February 23, 2010 (2010-02-23)
Running time	75 minutes
Language	English
Box office	$5,204,658

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is a 2010 original direct-to-video animated film released on February 23, 2010. It is based on the abandoned direct-to-video feature, Justice League: Worlds Collide, which was intended as a bridge between the then-concluding Justice League animated television series and its then forthcoming sequel series Justice League Unlimited. The movie project was shelved because of insufficient staff to produce the movie and the TV show simultaneously. Crisis on Two Earths was reworked from the Worlds Collide script to remove references to the TV series' continuity.

The premise of Crisis on Two Earths is borrowed from the 1964 Gardner Fox-scripted Justice League of America #29–30 entitled "Crisis on Earth-Three!" as well as the 2000 Grant Morrison JLA: Earth 2 graphic novel, with a heroic Lex Luthor from an alternate universe coming to the Justice League's universe for help against the Crime Syndicate, but it is not an adaptation of either story. The film is the seventh in the line of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line released by Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Animation. The film is not a DCAU production in any way, despite being based on a DCAU script, nor is it connected in any way to the previously released Justice League animated film; Justice League: The New Frontier.

The two-disc special edition also includes an animated short featuring the Spectre as well as "A Better World", a 2003 two-episode tale from the Justice League television series which featured the Justice Lords.

Plot

The movie begins in an alternate universe where Lex Luthor and a heroic analogue to The Joker named The Jester are stealing a device from the Crime Syndicate headquarters. After securing the "Quantum Trigger," Luthor and The Jester attempt to escape. The Jester sacrifices himself to allow Luthor a chance to get away, killing J'edd J'arkus (the Martian Manhunter's opposite) and Angelique (Hawkgirl's counterpart) in the process. Lex Luthor is confronted by the remaining Syndicate members, only to activate his dimensional travel device and escape to the Earth of the heroic Justice League.

Once there, he turns himself over to the police, who he knows will think he's the evil Luthor and thereby summon the Justice League. Superman's x-ray vision confirms Lex Luthor's reversed organs mean that he's from a parallel Earth, and that Lex Luthor is still in the Stryker's Island prison, so the League agrees to hear Lex out. Lex tells his story and asks the League for help: his Earth is being extorted by the Syndicate, who have taken control of all crime on Earth and systematically eliminated Luthor's League members. The only thing holding them in check is the threat of a nuclear response. While waiting outside the League's meeting room, he hides the Quantum Trigger. All members of the League agree, except for Batman, who argues that the League is spread too thin for the problems of their own world, let alone Luthor's. Luthor transports the remaining members of the League to his universe, while Batman stays behind to finish building the Watchtower.

Arriving at Justice League headquarters on Lex's parallel Earth, they find the Syndicate and must soon retreat. Regrouping at Jester's base, they make plans to attack Syndicate targets, and they even capture Ultraman. However, United States President Slade Wilson orders his release, to the outrage of Lex and the Justice League. Wilson explains that he didn't "roll over" for the Syndicate, and that acceding to the Syndicate's demands saves millions of lives. His daughter, Rose, regards him as a coward. J'onn J'onzz inadvertently reads her mind and explains that Wilson isn't, that as a military man he actually holds life more dear than others. J'ohn Jones later saves Rose's life during an assassination attempt, and they start to fall in love.

Owlman (Batman's counterpart) is building a weapon, the Quantum Eigenstate Device or QED, which the Syndicate intends to use as the equalizer to the nuclear threat. When pressed by Superwoman (Wonder Woman's counterpart), Owlman admits the weapon can destroy entire worlds. Operating under the theory that there are many parallel Earths, and that each one develops from the choices that every single person makes, he begins seeking Earth-Prime, the first Earth. Owlman, a nihilist, believes that destroying all of the Earths is the only action that would have any purpose, as it is the only action that would not result in another alternate universe where a different choice was made. Owlman plans to use his weapon to destroy Earth-Prime, causing a chain reaction that would erase the entire multiverse. Superwoman notes that even as a "murdering psychopath," she thinks Owlman is much crazier than she is. When the League eventually arrives at the moon base of the Crime Syndicate, it becomes a free-for-all fight as everyone is matched up against their alternates and, in some cases, have to help each other gain the upper hand. Eager to put his plan into action, Owlman initiates the QED and takes it to Earth-Prime. Batman deduces which universe holds Earth Prime, but without a way to get there, it appears that everyone is doomed. A plan is hatched in which Johnny Quick (Flash's counterpart) uses his speed to eventually match the temporal vibration, opening another portal to Earth-Prime so that Batman can engage Owlman.

Owlman and Batman are mental equals, but Owlman has clear advantages: his powered exoskeletal suit, and Batman's injuries from fighting Superwoman. However, Batman outwits Owlman at the last moment, sending him and the QED to an uninhabited world just before the bomb detonates. Owlman has the opportunity to disarm it in the last seconds, but in the end does nothing, saying, "It doesn't matter."

Back on the Crime Syndicate's world, Johnny Quick dies after the vibrating caused him to age rapidly. Batman had anticipated that, which is the real motive behind claiming Flash was too slow. The remaining members of the Syndicate (Ultraman, Superwoman, and Power Ring) are arrested by the U.S. Marines, led personally by President Wilson after J'ohn .

Wilson thanks the Justice League for giving them back their world and they are sent back to their own dimension. When they return, Wonder Woman keeps the still-cloaked plane that she stole from Owlman. Because of the League's forces being spread too thin, Batman thinks about a membership drive and opens the door to the heroes (Aquaman, Red Tornado, Black Lightning, Firestorm, and Black Canary) that he had summoned for help earlier and keeps them around to start expanding the League.

Cast

• William Baldwin as Bruce Wayne / Batman
• Mark Harmon as Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman
• Chris Noth as Lex Luthor
• Gina Torres as Superwoman
• James Woods as Owlman
• Jonathan Adams as J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter
• Brian Bloom as Ultraman
• Bruce Davison as President Slade Wilson
• Josh Keaton as Wally West / The Flash (credited), Aquaman (uncredited)
• Vanessa Marshall as Princess Diana / Wonder Woman
• Nolan North as Hal Jordan / Green Lantern (credited), Power Ring (uncredited)
• Freddi Rogers as Rose Wilson
• James Patrick Stuart as Johnny Quick (credited), The Jester (uncredited)
• Carlos Alazraqui as Breakdance (credited), Secret Service Agent (uncredited)
• Richard Green as Jimmy Olsen
• Jim Meskimen as Captain Super (credited), Archer (uncredited)
• Andrea Romano as Watchtower Computer (credited), Reporter (uncredited)
• Bruce Timm as Uncle Super (credited), Captain Super Jr. (uncredited)
• Kari Wührer as Model Citizen (credited), Black Canary (uncredited)
• Cedric Yarbrough as Firestorm (credited), Black Lightning (uncredited)

Line-ups

The Justice League in the feature originally consists of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, and Martian Manhunter. They later ask the help of Aquaman, Black Canary, Black Lightning, Firestorm, and Red Tornado.

When the League first arrives on Earth-2, they face alternate versions of the Outsiders and Justice League Detroit. During the scene where Luthor shows the League a computer file on all of the Crime Syndicate members, alternate versions of Cyborg, Red Tornado, Power Girl, Blue Beetle, and Zatanna can be seen on the monitor. Alternate versions of Black Canary, Lobo and Green Arrow are briefly shown at various points in the movie.

On Earth-2, the President of the United States is Slade Wilson (Deathstroke the Terminator). In this parallel he is a famous war hero who is missing his left eye. His daughter Rose Wilson is a well-adjusted woman who has a healthy and loving relationship with her father, who cares for her deeply.

The alternate Earth's Justice League included Lex Luthor, The Jester and his trained monkey sidekick, Harley.

DCAU elements

Justice League: Worlds Collide was reportedly intended to tie together Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. Despite a heavy rewrite, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths still contains some elements that bridge the gap between the series finale of Justice League and the revamping of the show:

• The Justice League has six core members, as it was after Hawkgirl left the team in "Starcrossed, Part III".
• The League is assembling a new Watchtower following the destruction of the original in "Starcrossed";
• They have also just finished building and testing the teleporters, which were not featured in Justice League but were present and operational in the first episode of Justice League Unlimited.
• Wonder Woman addresses Batman by his real name. The League's secret identities were revealed to each other in "Starcrossed, Part II";
• Wonder Woman keeps Owlman's jet, which gets stuck in "chameleon mode". It is almost identical in appearance to the Invisible Jet she used in Justice League Unlimited.
• Batman explains to Superman how they are "understaffed." He brings in Aquaman (in his traditional costume), Black Canary, Red Tornado, Black Lightning (who wasn't featured in Justice League Unlimited) and Firestorm to fight Superwoman and company aboard the Watchtower and keeps them around to start expanding the League.
• Flash very clearly appears to be Wally West, specifically based upon the DCAU version; his character model and facial expressions are very similar, despite the different animation styles.
• Green Lantern mentions that Flash has a car, which appeared in earlier episodes of Justice League.
• The Javelin fighters are briefly seen in the Watchtower's hangar.

Soundtrack

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (Soundtrack from the DC Universe Animated Original Movie)
Film score (Digital download) by James L. Venable with Christopher Drake
Released	February 23, 2010
Label	New Line Records

1. "Break In" (3:13)
2. "Finish What the Jester Started / Main Title" (3:24)
3. "Only Surviving Member / Police Station / Of Course We'll Help" (3:09)
4. "Headquarters Battle" (4:07)
5. "Battle in the Sky" (3:59)
6. "QED Monologue / Crime Syndicate / Made Men / Flash and Jon Shipyard Battle" (4:53)
7. "Sup and Lex Fight Jimmy and Ultraman" (3:07)
8. "Owlman Multiverse Monologue / President Office Monologue" (2:25)
9. "Rose Garden and Ultraman Intimidation / Superwoman Toys with Bats / Batman Pissed at Luthor / Sniper Red Archer / Owlman Gets Quantum Trigger" (4:31)
10. "Perimeter Breach Watchtower" (5:10)
11. "Rose and Jon Mindmeld / Owlman's End / Batman Owlman Fight" (4:44)
12. "Moonbase Intro / Is This Just a Little Too Easy / Moonbase Battle" (6:25)
13. "Teleport" (3:10)
14. "Jon Says Goodbye / Johnny Burns Out / Cavalry" (3:37)
15. "Ending / End Credits" (4:04)

Reception

Like the other DC Universe Animated Original Movies before it, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths has received very positive word of mouth. The World's Finest, one of the first sites to review the movie, said, "...the film ranks up there as one of Dwayne McDuffie's better works in the animated DC world and even though it’s reminiscent of stories we’ve seen in animation before, the brilliant work done by Moi, the directing by Sam Liu and Lauren Montgomery, and story make it more than worth watching again." Ain't It Cool News also gave the film a positive review.

External links

• Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths at the Internet Movie Database
• Official website
• Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths @ The World's Finest