Superhero movie mixes cartoon violence, positive messages.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Products & Purchases
a lot
Tie-in to vast quantities of related merchandise.
Violence & Scariness
some
Lots of fighting, ranging from old-fashioned punching to arrows, laserblasts, bullets, and assorted other fantasy weapons. There are also threats ("I'm going to kill you," "I'm going to beat you to death," etc.), characters screaming in pain, and some blood. Some minor characters die.
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Lex Luthor appears naked (no sensitive body parts shown). Superwoman kisses two men and flirts heavily with them, with the promise of some rough "playing." J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, kisses a human woman.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
The movie centers on two strong themes. The first is about standing up to bullies. Several characters make good arguments why they shouldn't, but the end result is that not standing up to them gives them more power and allows them to win. The other theme is free will. Villain Owlman believes that since every choice made results in an alternate reality, nothing matters -- but the heroes don't agree with him.
Positive Role Models
some
Most of the heroes show positive attributes. Batman initially refuses to join the heroes in their quest to stop the bullies but eventually comes around. He also calls for help when he needs it. Wonder Woman is the most outspoken champion of doing the right thing and stepping up to help. Superman asserts that standing up to bullies isn't an easy choice even for him. Over the course of the film, there are many examples of teamwork.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this animated superhero adventure is heavy on fantasy violence, with lots and lots of fighting -- as well as weapons, some blood, and minor characters' deaths. There's also some mild language ("ass," "crap," etc.), flirting, kissing, and innuendo. Although it's edgier than the Justice League TV show, this story about Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Lex Luthor, and more does have strong messages about teamwork, helping others, and standing up to bullies, as well as a more complex subplot about free will. Older tween and teen superhero fans should get a kick out of it, but it may be a bit much for some younger viewers. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths - PG-13 - 2010
What's the Story?
On an alternate Earth, Lex Luthor (voiced by Chris Noth) is actually a hero, trying to stop an organization of super villains from taking over. As a last resort, he travels to "our" Earth to recruit the Justice League (Superman, Wonder Woman, J'onn J'onzz, Green Lantern, and the Flash) to help. Catching the bad guys is one thing, but convincing the president to take a stand against them is something else. Meanwhile, Batman (William Baldwin) has stayed behind, believing that it's foolish to meddle in the affairs of alternate Earths. But when one of the villains, Superwoman (Gina Torres), breaks into Justice League headquarters, he realizes that he must help after all. Can they all stop Owlman (James Woods) from blowing up not just one Earth, but all possible Earths and everyone who ever lived?
JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS is an exciting animated movie with excellent pacing and lean, crisp action sequences. Coming from the makers of Superman Batman: Public Enemies, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern: First Light, and it features a bevy of superhero characters, and even within the movie's relatively brief running time, they all seem to come equipped with some genuine personality. The movie also effortlessly juggles some complex ideas and several themes.
With so little time for character development (or even introductions), it helps if viewers already know these heroes and villains. But even so, most characters get at least one moment to shine, especially the Flash (Josh Keaton), who's the comic relief here and has some funny lines. The constant fighting -- with fists, guns, and other fantasy weapons -- may be a bit much for younger viewers, but older tweens and up are sure to be entertained.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting, or did it make you feel anxious?
Is it ever OK not to stand up to bullies? Is it OK to use violence on bullies?
Sometimes it takes a lot to ask your friends for help. What makes us afraid to ask for help? Would you help your friends if they asked?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.