Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes and Huntsmen: Part 1 review: The most inexplicable crossover

2.5/5

Story: Members of the Justice League, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Cyborg, and Green Lantern, are transported to a mysterious new world. They have no recollection of how they got there, and their quest for answers leads them to team Rwby (Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang). However, team Rwby, despite being natives of the world Remnant, they are also struggling to piece together their memories. The teams decide to join forces to solve the mystery, battling the mindless yet deadly creatures called the Grimm.

Review: DC animated films have endured mixed fortunes in recent years, and there has been a noticeable dip in the number of compelling animated features of the same ilk as Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, and The Dark Knight Returns, among others. While there have been a handful of acclaimed DC animated films in recent years, the DC animation studios have been in a rut. The latest addition is the crossover Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes and Huntsmen: Part 1, where the Justice League meets team Rwby from the popular online TV series Rwby. Unlike the DC’s Justice League, Rwby caters to a niche but strong fan base. But the film is not a crossover anyone would have envisioned, considering fans have been clamouring for major crossovers for years – a Marvel vs DC crossover being one, albeit it being very unlikely.

To the credit of those who came up with the idea of this particular crossover, a lot of thought has been put into setting these characters in situations where there is plenty of intrigue and mystery. However, the overall film is a blend of underwhelming animation, repetitive action sequences, and voice acting that fails to capture the essence of the Justice League. The more obvious character traits are certainly evident, but a younger version of the Justice League trapped in another reality has already been done before with great success in the Justice League Unlimited episode featuring Mordred and Morgaine le Fey. The episode titled Kids' Stuff featured a much younger version of the DC heroes than those portrayed in the new film but delivered a far more compelling story.

Teenage angst, vulnerability, and anxiety are one of the central themes of the story, and it is primarily explored through the characters of Jessica Cruze Green Lantern. The choice of not using Hal Jordan or Jon Stewart as the Green Lantern is probably the correct creative decision. But some of the other creative choices such as Batman having second thoughts about returning home or Cyborg’s petty rivalry with some of the Nora and Lei created inconsistencies in the narrative. The film’s climactic scenes hint at what to expect from Part 2, but not enough to keep one invested in how the story will unfold.

Verdict: Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes and Huntsmen: Part 1 has a few bright moments, but it is bogged down by poor animation, an uninspired story, and unconvincing casting choices.