LEGO Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom! Blu-ray Review

A vastly entertaining all-ages LEGO movie starring the Justice League

As the world waits with baited breath for next year’s mega-blockbuster Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, WB Animation has filled the gap for parents and younger children with LEGO Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom! It is a gloriously fun homage to Super Friends done in LEGO form for the children of today. The animated feature pits the classic line-up of the Justice League against their arch-nemesis from their Super Friends’ days, the Legion of Doom. It comes on the heels of the earlier LEGO Justice League Vs. Bizarro League animated movie, which came out early in 2015.

The simple superhero adventure does not stray far from classic comic book storytelling, if softened a bit around the edges for younger children. The Justice League has successfully shut down all crime in Metropolis and across the globe. Teaming Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern and token new member Cyborg together has given the heroes an unfair advantage against villainy. That is highlighted when they easily dispatch second-string villain the Trickster, excellently voiced by Mark Hamill. Their biggest battle is deciding which hero should lead them at the Hall of Justice.

Evil mastermind Lex Luthor decides he needs his own squad of villains to combat their might, forming the Legion of Doom. Joining forces with villains like Black Manta, Sinestro, Gorilla Grodd, Captain Cold and Cheetah, Luthor hatches a plan against the Justice League that will exile the heroes from Earth. What ensues is a roaring comic book adventure told in seventy-seven crisp minutes, fun for all ages.

The greatest thing about Attack of the Legion of Doom! are the sheer amount of in-jokes peppered into the comedic story. It has a great deal of fun with both Batman and Superman, spoofing their iconic personalities. A cute rivalry develops between the Flash and Green Lantern. The LEGO brand of movies has always been silly and that continues with a lot of physical comedy you couldn’t get away with in a normal movie about these characters. Seeing LEGO versions of popular characters is entertaining on its own accord. LEGO Deathstroke, need I say more?

The voice acting is superb across most of the cast. Khary Payton has been voicing Cyborg for years on the Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!, his signature role. He continues his enthusiastic rendition of the character for this movie. Mark Hamill doesn’t get to do his legendary ‘Joker’ voice but instead does double-duty voicing both the Trickster and Sinestro very well. Horror legend Tony Todd actually voices a character in a surprise cameo that plays into the plot.

The light humor and in-jokes keep it fresh for inclined adults looking for a bit of nostalgia…

LEGO Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom! is some of the most fun I’ve had at the movies this year. As a child that once grew up on Super Friends and DC’s classic line-up of superheroes, it’s a funny, smart tribute in LEGO form that should entertain children and adults alike. The light humor and in-jokes keep it fresh for inclined adults looking for a bit of nostalgia, while the dazzling LEGO action and famous superheroes will entertain its intended younger audience. A word of caution to parents, your younger children may demand to see it over and over again. After a couple of weeks your kids will know all the dialogue by heart.

There are possible plans for a big-screen film starring LEGO Batman from The LEGO Movie. That sounds like a funny idea which will likely get watered down for foreign audiences. There is little chance that movie is funnier and more entertaining than LEGO Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom!

Movie 

This Blu-ray is simply reference-class video that dazzles with its clarity and vibrant color palette. The CGI animation has been natively rendered at 1080P resolution in pristine resolution. WB Animation’s normal style of traditional animation in their more mature films doesn’t compare in pure animation quality to this three-dimensional LEGO-style effort. It is an absolute marvel that favorably compares in picture quality to theatrical animation. One of the best-looking Blu-rays released this year or any year on the format.

The flawless digital transfer is presented in its native 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio. The 1080P presentation receives a perfect AVC video encode averaging 19.24 Mbps. The striking primary colors have incredibly rich saturation. Perfect black levels render the deepest black backgrounds possible. What separates this CGI animation is its incredible depth. Superman practically flies off the screen, creating a tremendous sense of projection for a normal Blu-ray that isn’t done in 3-D.

I love the LEGO designs used by WB Animation for its DC Comics’ characters. With a nod toward the past and combining a clean graphic design, the familiar heroes and villains are instantly recognizable to fans. I am sure the LEGO collectors are going nuts for these mini-figures.

Video 

The audio is a rather bombastic 5.1 DTS-HD MA soundtrack. It is a loud, overpowering mix with aggressive dynamics and excellent channel separation. Like most animated films, recording clarity is perfect with crystal-clear dialogue. If I had one complaint, these LEGO movies tend to be overcooked in the audio department. While children will likely enjoy the constant stimulation and chaotic sound design, their parents may want to dial the volume down. The score is fairly generic but serviceable.

WB includes enough dubs to satisfy most of the developed world. This Blu-ray includes French, German, Spanish (Latino), Spanish, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, and Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital options, all at 640 kbps. Companion subtitles are included for each language as well. The subs display in a white font.

Audio 

This combo set comes with two different UV codes. One redeems for this movie and a second UV code redeems for Justice League Adventures: Trapped In Time, a direct-to-video effort from last year that never hit Blu-ray. Both codes redeem in full HDX quality. That is a nice perk you don’t see too often. The combo set includes a DVD copy of the movie. The limited edition gift set will include a cool mini-LEGO figure for the Trickster. A cardboard slipcover is available.

While the special features aren’t particularly heavy, the two digital copies and a mini-LEGO figurine make up for it.

Click, Zap, Boom! Creating the Sound Design (19:51 in HD) – An extended featurette that acts as a very comprehensive look into creating the sound design for this specific movie. Producer Brandon Vietti and the main Foley artist go in-depth on making the famous LEGO sounds for LEGO Justice League. This is a really nice look behind the scenes with recording studio footage and interviews that go beyond fluff. It is definitely one to see for aspiring sound designers. I haven’t seen such a solid explanation of the process before.

LEGO Justice League Vs. Bizarro League Trailer (01:35 in HD)

Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem Trailer (01:43 in HD)

LEGO Dimensions Video Game Trailer (02:32 in HD) – Precedes the main menu.

Scooby-Doo! and KISS: Rock and Roll Mystery Trailer (01:33 in HD) – Precedes the main menu.

Extras 

Click on the images below for full resolution screen captures taken directly from the Blu-ray. Images have not been altered in any way during the process.