Written by Chad Derdowski
Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom! is the latest original LEGO movie to feature the stalwart heroes of the DC Universe, now updated to reflect their current New 52 status. Which pretty much just means that Superman wears his underwear on the inside now and Cyborg has been promoted to being a full-fledged member of the League, just like in the Super Powers cartoons from 30 years ago. I guess comic books and their animated counterparts really are cyclical, huh?
Speaking of the Super Powers show, Attack of the Legion of Doom! is chock full of references to DC’s animated efforts from days gone by. From the Hall of Justice and the Trouble Alert to the opening segment of the movie, which is highly reminiscent of Challenge of the Super Friends, and the Legion of Doom’s swamp headquarters (also a throwback to Challenge). And then there’s Luthor’s assemblage of bad guys, which… well, come to think of it, the whole thing is pretty much just Challenge of the Super Friends with LEGOs. Which isn’t a bad thing; Challenge is, after all, the gold standard of Super Friends cartoons and LEGOs are the gold standard of toys. And it never hurts to have a little nostalgia thrown in to give the adults something to chuckle at when they’re watching this stuff.
The unfortunate truth of this film, along with any of LEGO’s direct-to-video efforts, is that as hard as they might try, they’re just not The LEGO Movie. While they’re filled with the same sort of goofy humor that casts more than a few knowing winks to the intellectually superior audience, the vast majority of the jokes fall a little flat and after an hour or so, you’ve had your fill. They’re not necessarily bad; they’re just sort of ho-hum and redundant. Unless, of course, you happen to be among the intended audience for these things: a kid. In that case, the whole thing is hilarious and since the laughter of a child tends to be pretty infectious, it’s a fun way to spend quality time with your kids doing something you’d probably do anyway – watch superhero movies!
LEGOs, superheroes, you and your children. That’s like the when the chocolate meets the peanut butter, only it’s crunchy peanut butter and then somebody gives you a beer afterward. That’s not just the best of both worlds, my friends, that’s the best of all possible worlds, even if the jokes are a little stupid.
The premise of Attack of the Legion of Doom! centers around a group of villains who are fed up with a string of individual defeats at the hands of the Justice League. Led by Lex Luthor, the villains form a team to wreak havoc upon a top-secret government site and accomplish what they couldn’t do on their own – defeat the Justice League. As the story progresses, the focus is on Cyborg, the League’s newest member, as he goes through the trials and tribulations of proving himself worthy of his membership card. Oh, and the heroes all get fancy new costumes, the Flash saves some kittens, and everybody has a good time. Pretty standard stuff, only this time, it’s done with the industry leader in plastic construction toys.
Attack of the Legion of Doom! is presented in 1080p high definition and Dolby Digital sound. It clocks in at around 77 minutes and has one extra feature about creating the sound design for the movie. The Combo Pack includes the movie on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital HD UltraViolet code.
There’s really not a whole lot more to say; if you’re familiar with previous LEGO movies, you know what you’re in for with this one. And if you’re not, here’s the scoop: if you’ve got kids who love superheroes and LEGO, it’s a no-brainer.
LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom! is a surefire success for your household. You may not come back for multiple viewings, but your kids definitely will. Mine have already watched this thing several times and I’m sure there’s another viewing in the near future, probably right around the time I get finished typing this review.
