Justice League Dark

While the name suggests an evil version of the superhero team made up of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and others, Justice League Dark is actually a comic book series featuring an alternative team of characters whose powers are more supernatural than super. Filmmaker Jay Oliva's animated movie version re-imagines the team's origin. When citizens start seeing demons in the streets, Batman (voiced by Jason O'Mara) seeks out help from stage magician Zatanna and freelance supernatural investigator John Constantine (Matt Ryan, reprising his role from the live-action TV series). They pull together a team that includes Deadman (a spirit who can inhabit living bodies), Etrigan the Demon (a genuine demon from Hell who speaks in rhyme), Black Orchid (a shapeshifter), and Swamp Thing (an elemental plant creature), who help the original Justice League defeat Destiny, a villain who plans to use the magical Dreamstone to take over the world. This is one of the darkest animated films from the DCU Animated Original Movie series, with a corresponding visual palette, magical battles with morphing imagery, and some gruesome violence. It puts relatively obscure characters in the lead, with Constantine taking charge from Batman (who is out of his depth in the supernatural world). Overall, it's a well-made entry with an engaging story and an intriguing cast, likely to appeal to superhero comics fans. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)