MovieChat Forums > Justice League of America (1997) Discussion > I was angry watching this...

I was angry watching this...

posted 20 years ago by quixote-9
20 replies | jump to latest

I am a HUGE fan of the JL when Keith Geffen ran it. What made it great was the interaction of the heroes and how human they were. Blue Beetle dealing with weight problems, J'onn dealing with his mild addiction to Oreos, Batman dealing with Guy...everyone for that matter dealing with Guy.

But when I saw this, they totally f-d up the characters. What was the deal with Atom!!!??? He wasnot even a part of the team and he was some fat nerdy guy rescuing cats. And not only was Guy Gardner The green lantern a nice loving caring (ick) guy his costume was not even green. (that is what I saw on the Kazaa version I downloaded anyways) I am so glad I could not download the rest of the movie to see David Ogden Steirs as J'onn. I like him as an actor but I just can't see him wandering around painted green and bear chested in a blue cape...***shudder*** They were this far from getting some golden retreiver to play G'nort.

What I really would have liked to see Mr. Miracle (My favorite). The costume probably would have put them over their K-mart account budget though.

Damn you Felix Enriquez Acala
I loved John Doe but JLA pissed me off.

Q

[–] balkaster 20 years ago

Your experience of the Justice League comics appears to be very limited. The details you mention stem from a three year period in the early 1990's when Keith Giffen (NOT "Geffen") was writing it. Ray Palmer (The Atom) has been a member off and on since the 1950's. Guy Gardner's costume in this 1997 TV adaptation is pretty close to the one the character has been wearing since the late 1980's (the only bits missing are the bootstraps and the white ribbed turtleneck collar).

As for the liberties taken with the characters' personalities and backgrounds, it goes without saying that that is why the concept didn't fly. Apparently the powers at CBS had some sense that comics fans would be appalled and the ratings would stink. That's why it didn't air in the US.

But as for "who should be in it", that's a question that plagues anyone who tries to adapt a long running comic about a group of characters. The same thing happened (and is still happening) with the "X-Men" franchise. Even the four or five animated versions that preceded the live action film got grief over which characters were included and which were excluded.

So get over the petty whining. This adaptation didn't work because the planners behind it think comic books are for kiddywinkies and don't deserve serious treatment. Not because of who was or wasn't in it or how closely the costumers matched your faulty memory of what the characters should look like. If this was produced for Saturday morning TV, it probably would have been as popular as Power Rangers. But for primetime, it's simply poor TV. If they don't believe in the material, they shouldn't be allowed to turn out this drivel.

[–] bluekitty678 19 years ago

I've never seen this show...movie?...but I love the Jutice League. Is this a cartoon or what? Please tell me. I need to know!

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] jdbartlett 19 years ago

You can read more about it and see some movie stills here:
http://www.ohthehumanity.com/review.php3?ID=416

[–] sylvain_archambault68 19 years ago

I have a few copies left if you are interrested contact me

[–] libra113 18 years ago

Yeah sylvain_archambault68 I would LOVE a copy IF you still have any. What are the terms and what is the format, I don't a VCR anymore so if it's a tape that wouldn't work.

Thanks

http://dawnofthedeadfanfiction.bravehost.com/index.html

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Hazzer_99 18 years ago

Dude! What the hell are you on about? The reason this film sucked was because instead of taking one of many available and serious villains from the JL universe, they went for the evil frickin' weatherman approach. They made it into an absolute joke - not even kids wanted to watch it. Kids want the serious cartoons based on comics aimed at older teens, where words such as "kill" are replaced with "destroy", but still follow a more mature theme. This film was comedy value for its crapness, and even if it was shown in the mornings kids would take the toons over it any day.

And don't tell other people to stop whining - that is what Internet Boards were designed for.

Go to the loo, 'cause all the *beep* is coming out your mouth instead of your a-hole...

[–] nny12001 18 years ago

While we're on the subject of whining...

Why didn't we get any GTS stuff with The Atom? That would have ALMOST made the movie worth my time!

Snootchy-Bootchies!
My DVD Collection: http://www.dvdaficionado.com/dvds.html?id=toxic_offender

[–] Hazzer_99 18 years ago

Good question.

Go to the loo, 'cause all the *beep* is coming out your mouth instead of your a-hole...

[–] nny12001 18 years ago

Good thing the animated stuff has been really picking up the slack with that...

The piggy is smelly!
http://www.dvdaficionado.com/dvds.html?id=toxic_offender

[–] LordMorpheus 18 years ago

the Weather Wizard IS a legitimate DC villain, and has been around for many years.

----
She probably didn't even know I was there. But I'll always love her. All my life.

[–] Hazzer_99 18 years ago

I know he is legitimate, but he is way more hardcore in the comics. And it's been a while since I saw the film, but doesn't he try to use a TV station or something to create hurricanes or a tidal wave or something? In the comics I think he just flies around and zaps stuff with lightning, and actually kills people.

Go to the loo, 'cause all the *beep* is coming out your mouth instead of your a-hole...

[–] quixote-9 18 years ago

Ok dude..if we are going to get picky about details, Guy had a black ribbed turtle neck...but nitpicking would be petty like pointing out someone's spelling while he is ranting...oh I'm sorry..whining?

This version of JL had NO Atom. Yes I am well aware that he was a member. And no I have not been reading this book for just the three years you assume. This version of JL is what started me in comic books, art, writing, etc. Legends was the intro to this JL version with Booster, BB, the rest of the gang. I followed this group for years as a kid, up until they brought in JLTask force. By then I just grew out of it and focused on other things.

So I am sorry if you think I am whining but I have the right. That's why they make these boards. But I guess it also gives you the right to be a blowhard know-it-all who thinks he is enlightening the masses.

I'm sorry but I got cheesed off reading your entry after revisiting this post...what ...two years later?

I've said my piece.

[–] gothamite27 16 years ago

To be honest...

I didn't think it was THAT bad. I mean, yeah, it was bad, but it was still fun. I've seen worse superhero movies/TV.

The whole thing felt a lot like Friends-meets-the later (sillier) seasons of Lois & Clark. It had that feel to it; that the comradeship and the banter between the characters was more important to the action.

Unfortunately, the suits and a lot of the dialogue were tacky and embarassing. If this show had tighter, more subtle costume designs and less cheesy dialogue, it could have been a winner. Also, Guy Gardner should obviously have been called Hal Jordan.

[–] iron_falcon 18 years ago

well duh, fire is green! even when she does that johnny storm "flame on" thingy, she is green all over inzstead of red or orange or whatever

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Skippy_P 18 years ago

While I thought they picked a good group of characters to use, the characterization was just too off.

It felt a lot like the live-action version of The Tick, only not intentionally cheesy.

[–] dregj 11 years ago

it says 97 but looks like 87?
ive found this with a lot of American stuff
They seem to take a while to catch up with the fashion
Reminds me of all the dodgy mullets and blow waves on Babylon 5
around the same time
Time warp nation on telly

[–] 16 years ago

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