Justice League: New Frontier (DVD)

It's time to return to the golden age of comics as the world's finest superheroes gather to stop a great evil threat.

Produced by Bruce Timm, the man responsible for the Batman, Superman and Justice League animated series, comes the realisation of best-selling graphic novel by Darwyn Cooke, Justice League: New Frontier.

The New Frontier is set in the fifties during McCarthyism and the Red Fear. Superheroes are being hunted down and killed by the government.

Superman and Wonder Woman have signed loyalty contracts with the US and Batman is a wanted fugitive. It's a time of suspicion when people are willing to give up friends and family to protect themselves. Even the superheroes question what is right and wrong.

There's a lot of good stuff: the animation is excellent and of a similar style to the television animated series.

It features the voices of well known TV actors like Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), Lucy Lawless (Xena) and David Boreanaz (Bones).

The film starts off promisingly with a mysterious artist depicting the beginning of the planet, the death of the dinosaurs and the great flood. He goes on to talk about a being called 'the centre', and how it will bring about the end of humanity.

The story focuses mainly on Hal Jordan - who becomes the Green Lantern - and Martian Manhunter, and the birth of the Justice League.

After 40 minutes, things start to come undone. A low point is Superman's rallying speech that comes off as insincere.

Justice League: New Frontier is due for release on February 26.