DTA.
Don’t trust anybody.
That’s the lesson the Teen Titans learn in the new Warner Brothers Animation/DC Universe Original Movie, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract, which hits Blu-ray/DVD this Tuesday.
In this adaptation of the beloved 1984 storyline by Marv Wolfman and George Perez, Starfire, Robin, Blue Beetle, Raven, Terra, and Beast Boy are joined by Nightwing to track down a growing cult led by the maniacal Brother Blood. Meanwhile, the mercenary Deathstroke has been been by Blood to capture the Titans, who will be used to power a machine through which Brother Blood will absorb their powers. Unbeknownst to the Titans, there’s a traitor in their midst, looking to bring them down.
The latest entry into the growing DC Animated Universe features some outstanding voice work, most notably from the late Miguel Ferrer, who passed away this winter and whose work as Deathstroke stands as the actor’s last performance. Christina Ricci voices Terra, while Taissa Farmiga is Raven.
Though the film is a relatively brisk 84 minutes, writer Ernie Altbacker manages to give the core Titans some solid character moments, and there’s a sense of humour contained that the live-action DC films haven’t been able to nail quite yet. The highlight in The Judas Contract is the action scenes, specifically when both Nightwing and Robin (in this case, the Damien Wayne version of the character) throw down with Deathstroke. It’s the sort of scene one hopes to see come to life sometime in the not too distant future.
While Teen Titans: The Judas Contract does take some liberties with the original Wolfman/Perez story, for fans of the Titans and the characters, consider this another solid animated DC adventure.
