Source: comicsalliance.com
1. Justice League: The New Frontier (2008)
Yep, it’s the second-ever DC Animated film, and for my money, also the best.
I have referred to New Frontier as the best-ever Justice League story many times, and this adaptation does it justice (no pun intended). The tale sets the formation of the League against the real world political climate of the 50s and 60s. And so New Frontier is about superheroes, but it’s also about war and racism and the space race and communism.
The comic is, I would argue, the most novelistic thing DC’s published since Watchmen, and the movie streamlines it to produce an excellent film. The cast is amazing, with Kyle MacLachlan as a surprisingly good Superman, David Boreanaz as a badass Hal Jordan, Lucy Lawless playing Wonder Woman as she was born to do, and featuring Keith David as the menacing Centre. Plus, Neil Friggin’ Patrick Friggin Harris as the Flash. It’s like all my favorite things came together.
New Frontier is meaningful and powerful and a classic of superhero cinema. There’s no question which DC Animated film is the best, because it’s very clearly this one.
And there you go, the ten best DC Animated films. Pretty much all of them are great, though, so just pick one and get watching. And if you pick Killing Joke or Flashpoint Paradox, just, like, pretend you didn’t see it and pick again. Look, two stinkers out of 30 movies isn’t a bad track record.
