Flashpoint
Episode #23 - Flashpoint
Original Airdate - July 2nd, 2005
To avenge a fallen comrade, Superman declares war on Cadmus.
Review by Bird Boy
Media by Bird Boy
Pans by Borg4of3 |
Credits:
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Directed by Joaquim dos Santos
Music by Lolita Ritmanis
Animation Services by D.R. Movie Co., LTD.
Voices:
Carl Lumbly as J'onn J'onzz
George Newbern as Superman
Michael Rosenbaum as Flash
Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor
CCH Pounder as Amanda Waller
Kin Shriner as Green Arrow
Jeffrey Combs as The Question
Chris Cox as Captain Atom
Amy Acker as The Huntress
Nicholle Tom as Supergirl
Robert Forster as President
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Review
This season
of Justice League Unlimited has been epic: epic in story, epic in
characters, epic in animation and epic in direction. It’s been such a great
season and I hate to see it come to a close. At the same time, the curiosity
of what happens next wants me to flash forward to next week.
This was the perfect companion to last week’s episode. It picks up right
where it left off and the battle between Captain Atom and Superman was
great. The key point to remember in this fight was that Superman didn’t want
to fight Atom; this is made even more evident at the end, when Superman
tells the Cadmus guards and doctor to “back off! He’s Justice League.” The
look on Superman’s face as she scoops up his friend emotes exactly what he’s
feeling: he just beat the crap out of one of his best friends.
Another revelation in this episode was the true face of The Question, which
looks a lot like his “Fearful Symmetry” appearance. The Huntress / Question
relationship deepens and there’s a few touching scenes. Say what you will
about McDuffie’s writing, but I’ve yet to dislike any of his Justice League
Unlimited stories and the past two have been nothing short of amazing.
The music took another step up in this one as well. Ritmanis delivers
another very orchestral sounding (as opposed to the sometimes noticeable
synthesized sounds we’re used to) score to the episode. The music carried
the scenes along brilliantly. I hope Warner releases a soundtrack to these
shows someday; theres so much music I’d love to hear without the dialogue,
action or sound effects over it.
Animation was superb in this episode. I was a bit annoyed at the
shaky-camera fights, as Joaquim dos Santos seems to use those in every
episode since Cat and the Canary. True, it makes you feel like you’re in the
action, but it still feels gimmicky. One really nice camera move I enjoyed,
however, was Superman’s dive off the Watchtower bridge and out into space.
There’s a real nice, delayed camera swoop over the edge of the bridge that
follows Superman.
Overall it was another great episode in the arc. I know I said it last week,
but no matter the outcome of this story—cheap or a sweet payoff—the lead up
to it has been freakin’ amazing. |
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