Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Director:	Lauren Montgomery Sam Liu
Producer:	Bruce Timm
Writer(s):	Dwayne McDuffie
Release Date:	February 23, 2010
Running Time:	75 minutes
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Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is the second animated film in the Justice League film series. It is loosely based on the 2000 Grant Morrison JLA: Earth 2 graphic novel.

Plot

The movie begins in a alternate universe where heroic analogues of Lex Luthor and The Joker, called The Jester, are stealing a device from the Crime Syndicate, an evil of the Justice League, Headquarters. After securing the unknown device, Luthor and The Jester attempt to escape, but the Jester has to sacrifice himself to allow Luthor a chance to get away, killing J'edd J'arkus (the Martian Manhunter opposite) and Angelique (Hawkgirl's counterpart). Lex Luthor is then confronted by the remaining Syndicate members, only to escape to the Earth of the heroic Justice League.

Once there, he turns himself into the police. The Justice League is called in and confronts the heroic Lex Luthor. Once Superman's x-ray vision confirms this Lex Luthor is from another Earth and his nemesis Lex Luthor is still at Stryker's Island, the League agrees to hear Lex out. After telling the team his story back at the Watchtower, Lex recruits them to help save his Earth from the Syndicate, who have taken control of all crime on Earth and systematically eliminated Luthor's League members. After quick debate, the League decides to help Luthor, despite their misgivings. Batman argues that the League is spread too thin to even solve the problems of their own world, let alone Luthor's. Luthor transports the remaining members of the League to his universe, while Batman stays behind to finish building the Watchtower.

The League encounters a parallel world where Slade Wilson is President of the United States. The world is being extorted by the Crime Syndicate, and the only thing holding them in check is the threat of nuclear retaliation against their base on the Moon.

Owlman is building a weapon, the Quantum Eigenstate Device or QED, which the Syndicate intends to use as the equalizer to the nuclear threat. When pressed by Superwoman, Owlman admits the weapon can destroy entire worlds. Operating under the theory that there are many parallel Earths, and that each one develops from our choices, he begins seeking Earth-Prime, the first Earth. Owlman, a nihilist, believes that destroying all of the Earths is the only action that would have any purpose. Owlman plans to destroy Earth-Prime causing a chain reaction that will erase every reality in the multiverse. Superwoman notes that even as a "murdering psychopath", she thinks Owlman is much crazier than she is.

Owlman is stopped by Batman at the last moment, who sends him to an uninhabited world that is harmlessly destroyed. Owlman has the opportunity to disarm the QED before it explodes, but in the end, he only smirks and does nothing, saying "It doesn't matter".

Back in the Crime Syndicate's world, Johnny Quick (Flash's counterpart) dies when he creates the portal out of himself that allowed Batman to stop Owlman's plan, and the rest of the Syndicate (Ultraman, Superwoman, and Power Ring) are arrested by the U.S. Marines (brought by the Martian Manhunter), who are led personally by President Wilson.

Wilson thanks the Justice League for giving them back their world and they are sent back to their own dimension. When they return, Wonder Woman keeps the still-cloaked plane that she stole from Owlman. Because of the League's forces being spread too thin, Batman thinks about a membership drive and opens the door to the heroes (Aquaman, Red Tornado, Black Lightning, Firestorm, and Black Canary) that he had summoned for help earlier and keeps them around to start expanding the League.

Cast

• Mark Harmon as Superman
• James Woods as Owlman
• Chris Noth as Lex Luthor
• William Baldwin as Batman
• Gina Torres as Superwoman
• Nolan North as Green Lantern and Power Ring
• Bruce Davison as President Slade Wilson
• Vanessa Marshall as Wonder Woman
• Josh Keaton as The Flash and Aquaman
• Jonathan Adams as Martian Manhunter
• Brian Bloom as Ultraman
• James Patrick Stuart as Johnny Quick and The Jester
• Freddi Rogers as Rose Wilson
• Carlos Alazraqui as Breakdance
• Richard Green as Jimmy Olsen
• Jim Meskimen as Captain Super and Archer
• Andrea Romano as Watchtower Computer and Reporter
• Bruce Timm as Uncle Super and Captain Super Jr.
• Kari Wuhrer as Model Citizen and Black Canary
• Cedric Yarbrough as Firestorm and Black Lightning

Non-Speaking Cameos

• Lex Luthor (Justice League Earth)
• Angelique
• Aurora
• Black Power
• Extruded Man
• Gypsy Woman
• Harley
• J'edd J'arkus
• Olympia
• Red Tornado
• Sai
• Scream Queen
• Vamp
• Warwolf
• Saul Erdel

DCAU elements

The film is based on the abandoned direct-to-video feature Justice League: Worlds Collide, which was reportedly intended to tie together Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. Despite a heavy rewrite, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths still contains some elements that bridge the gap between the series finale of Justice League and the revamping of the show:

• The Justice League has six core members, as it was after Hawkgirl left the team in "Starcrossed, Part III".
• The League is assembling a new Watchtower following the destruction of the original in "Starcrossed".
  • They have also just finished building and testing the teleporters, which were not featured in Justice League but were present and operational in the first episode of Justice League Unlimited.
• Wonder Woman addresses Batman by his real name. The League's secret identities were revealed to each other in "Starcrossed, Part II".
• Wonder Woman keeps Owlman's jet, which gets stuck in "chameleon mode". It is almost identical in appearance to the Invisible Jet she used in Justice League Unlimited.
• Batman explains to Superman how they are "understaffed." He brings in Aquaman (in his traditional costume), Black Canary, Red Tornado, Black Lightning (who wasn't featured in Justice League Unlimited but in its comic adaptation) and Firestorm to fight Superwoman and company aboard the Watchtower and keeps them around to start expanding the League.
• Flash very clearly appears to be Wally West, specifically based upon the DCAU version; his character model and facial expressions are very similar, despite the different animation styles.
• Green Lantern mentions that Flash has a car, which appeared in earlier episodes of Justice League.
• The Javelin fighters are briefly seen in the Watchtower's hangar.

Gallery

Concept art