10 Best DC Animated Movies, Ranked

When most people think of superhero movies, they usually think of live-action Marvel-related properties. Superhero movies based on DC Comics have consistently disappointed fans for many years, but many superhero fans would be pleasantly surprised if they delved into the high-quality library of animated films DC has produced.

Many of the best superhero movies of all time have been produced by DC’s animated studios. Sadly, due to most of their films not getting theatrical releases, many of the masses have overlooked their animated films. DC’s animated movies are not only better than their live-action counterparts but are also superior to most of Marvel’s movies.

10 Justice League: War Gave a Grounded Retelling of How the Justice League Formed

After the reboot that occurred as a result of Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, there needed to be a story in the newly formed DC Animated Universe that showed how the Justice League came to be. Unlike previous films and series up to this point, Justice League: War takes a lot of time to focus on character dynamics and realistic dialogue to showcase the unification of the greatest superhero team.

Banter is one of the better-done aspects of Justice League: War, especially the synergy between Batman and Green Lantern. The two engage in one of the more believable and plausible battles with Superman, which is also highly entertaining and unpredictable in its ending. While Darkseid is dispatched too easily due to a short runtime, it’s rewarding to see the Justice League unite and use their combined attacks to vanquish one of the biggest villains in the DC universe.

9 Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths Featured one of the Scariest Versions of Batman

A clash between the Justice League we all know and love and an alternate version where they are an authoritarian group is the primary basis for Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. Despite its short runtime, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is highly efficient and starts things off quickly with Lex Luthor and The Joker presented as the good guys on this strange alternate Earth. There is a lot of fun in the interpretations of the “bad” versions of the Justice League and how they’re still able to retain important aspects of their personalities that make them feel somewhat familiar with the “good” versions.

Batman occupies a lot of the best scenes, especially since his counterpart, Owlman, has the most profound and haunting dialogue. Owlman is fully nihilistic and is looking for a way to go a step beyond the evil Justice League’s plans and destroy everyone. Batman also has a tense fight scene with Superwoman, mixing in lustful tension with Superwoman’s ruthlessness. A simple scene like a Superwoman snapping Batman’s ribs with a tiny push makes the viewer squint in pain. The only downside is that a lot of the other characters in the Justice League feel underdeveloped.

8 Justice League: The New Frontier was a Perfect Snapshot of Super Heroes in the 1950s

A throwback to the Silver Age of superheroes, Justice League: The New Frontier has one of the most eye-popping aesthetics of any DC Animated film. The character models are distinct with sharp, blocky textures for their faces, and the use of full colors balanced with dark shadows creates a striking visual style. The costume design is particularly fun, as many of the heroes have more classical looks, such as Batman adopting his Golden Age and Silver Age costumes.

Surprisingly, Justice League: The New Frontier is incredibly gruesome. There is a strong emphasis on the American and Soviet military, with many characters meeting shocking deaths, such as trying to blow themselves up with grenades to kill giant monsters. While Superman and Wonder Woman take a major backseat, and there is a forced Aquaman cameo, Justice League: The New Frontier has possibly the best adaptation of Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) to date.

The Batman Beyond series takes place decades after the end of Batman: The Animated Series. Batman fans watched the series without ever knowing why Bruce Wayne was in isolation. What happened to Robin? Batgirl? The Joker? Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker answers these questions while putting Terry McGinnis in the hardest fight of his career.

There are some disturbing scenes, some of the darkest in the DC Animated Universe. Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker doesn’t pull any punches with Joker’s twisted schemes. The plot of the film feels like an alternate telling of the legendary comic “Death in the Family,” with its dark explanation of what happened to Robin. The only drawback is that the connection between Batman Beyond and Batman: The Animated Series is so intriguing that it’s easy to overlook Terry McGinnis in his own film.

6 The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 and 2 were as Gritty as the Original Graphic Novel

One of the more accurate adaptations of a classic Batman story, The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 and Part 2 show what happens when a retired Batman wants to come back to action. While the film doesn’t quite have the same tempo and vibe as the comic, its quality animation and pacing can be considered improvements in some parts of the story.

Technically, The Dark Knight Returns consists of two different movies, though Part 1 is likely the stronger one, as it improves more upon the comic. Batman is engaged with the Mutant Leader in one of the most ferocious fights in animated history. The fight choreography captures street fighting, catch wrestling, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu perfectly, alongside the right amount of quips from Batman. While Batman’s eventual fight with Superman doesn’t translate as well as it did on paper, it is still a very faithful adaptation of one of the best Batman stories of all time.

5 Batman: Under the Red Hood Shows the Weakness of Batman’s One Rule

Batman’s relationship with his Robins is one of the more morally questionable tropes, and it’s highlighted in Batman: Under the Red Hood. Jason Todd comes back as a gun-slinging vigilante who doesn’t play by as many rules as Batman. The Red Hood uses an alternate and plausibly more effective method for fighting crime than Batman, aiming to become the kingpin of Gotham and regulate it.

While watching the Red Hood’s rise to the top is engaging, the most fascinating aspect of Batman: Under the Red Hood is the three-way dynamic between Batman, the Red Hood, and the Joker. Batman’s “rule” of never killing someone, no matter what, is put to the test when the Red Hood challenges Bruce to avenge him for the Joker’s murderous act on a member of the Bat Family.

4 Constantine: City of Demons Demonstrated Horror Unlike any Other DC Animated Film

While DC films are not afraid of violence or dark themes, they rarely explore the world of horror. Not many animated films capture the creepiness of the occult like Constantine: City of Demons does. Constantine: City of Demons should be seen in league with the best animated horror movies.

There are jaw-dropping scenes in Constantine: City of Demons, such as a moment where a band of demons uses human bodies as instruments to make music. A demon bashing a person’s head into a drum, or a woman hanging on a harp, yelling from electrocution made for surprisingly authentic horror. Other hostile scenes, like watching a gigantic demon crash a metal concert, slaughtering hordes of people.. Constantine: City of Demons isn’t just all about visual horror, it stays true to John Constantine’s character, ensuring that despite his victories, there are always reasons for him to be brought back down to his pessimistic lifestyle.

3 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Paved the Way for Future Animated Superhero Films

While Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was a box office bomb, it proved that animated superhero films in the straight-to-home market were more than viable. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is a continuation of Batman: The Animated Series, and it does the highly-rated show justice by giving Batman an original touch while still respecting the source material.

Out of the many Batman origin stories, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm explores whether Bruce Wayne would have become Batman if he had found happiness earlier in his life. There are as many heartbreaking scenes in Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm as there are thrills. The set pieces are marvelous, with hand-drawn character designs and colors making it look unique compared to most modern animated superhero films.

2 Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Showed Batman Likes Pizza too

Clashing the zany, light-hearted, sci-fi-influenced world of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with the dark, brooding, detective world of Batman couldn’t have been easy, but Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles manages to do it successfully. What makes Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles so impressive is not only how it perfectly captures the personalities of a gigantic roster of characters, but also how the interactions between characters like Shredder and Ra’s al Ghul or Batman and Mikey feel authentic and plausible.

In addition to being a perfect homage to two legendary franchises in terms of understanding the character dynamics, Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesfeatures incredible fight choreography. Batman’s battles against Shredder are well-executed, showcasing both characters effectively while having them realistically utilize their arsenals.

1 Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox was the Perfect Ending and Start to a Universe

The first film in the DC Animated Movie Universe was the best one. Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox was the longest film DC Studios made at that point, and it was one of the few times the movie was better than the comic it was based on. Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox manages to balance different subplots and characters without ever relegating its protagonist, The Flash, to the background.

One thing Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox did was establish how cool Aquaman was. Years before Jason Momoa hit the scene, this movie portrayed Aquaman as a ruthless and powerful monarch. The war between the Atlanteans and Amazons was a believable apocalyptic scenario that provided a valid excuse for humans to band together in a chaotic war. Nearly all the plot points were balanced and synergized, making Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox a gold standard for future animated films.