Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes and Huntsmen Part One’ on Max, a Fun, Frenetic Crossover That Reimagines Classic Heroes

When it comes to crossovers, the comic world has just about every other form of media licked. Comic storylines can bring together Archie and Predator, so why shouldn’t they unite the heroes of the Justice League and RWBY?

In Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes and Huntsmen Part One, we see the animated adaptation of the comic series that melds two very different worlds: the heroes of Rooster Teeth‘s animated action series RWBY and the familiar DC heroes of the Justice League: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and the rest of the crew.

In this anime-inspired adventure, the Justice League finds themselves suddenly much younger, transported to a mysterious world where they meet the quartet RWBY. As they become acclimated to their new lives for the time being, they must team up with RWBY to get themselves out of their current predicament and, hopefully, find a way back home.

JUSTICE LEAGUE X RWBY: SUPER HEROES AND HUNSTMEN PART ONE: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: RWBY is an animated series that follows young warriors called Huntsmen and Huntresses who train to protect the world of Remnant from creatures called Grimm. The Justice League, on the other hand, is the very same that you may or may not know from DC’s stable of comics. These are two very different sets of heroes, you’ll note, who don’t seem like they’d work well together, but here we are.

The Justice League is suddenly transported to the fantasy realm and discover that not only are they now much younger, but their powers and abilities are different as well. Nevertheless, they must work together with the RWBY team to stave off the evil affecting Remnant so they can ultimately go home.

But that can’t happen before the two teams learn how best to work together using their differing strengths. Of course, this is a much more difficult task than you might think. These are two different groups who must work to understand why things have happened the way they were, with the potential understanding that perhaps the Justice League may or may not go home when it’s all over — and maybe they won’t want to.

While the Justice League is there on Remnant, however, they’ve got plenty of interesting and different abilities to help them navigate this situation, and that’s part of the fun you’ll see unfold as the first half of this sprawling adventure marches on. The RWBY crew is at their best here as well, so fans of both parties will find plenty of things to appreciate about the fast, frenetic combat on display.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: If you’re a fan of the typical DC movie stable, you’ll find plenty to enjoy about this crossover. The story beats may not be completely the same, but the heroes are familiar and comfortable for anyone who’s a fan of super hero stories. That’s what this adventure feels closest to, and of course you might want to check out some of the individual Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman animated adventures if you end up wanting more when this one’s over. There’s also RWBY as a series, too.

Performance Worth Watching: With the loss of Kevin Conroy as Batman, it was difficult to picture someone else playing the Caped Crusader at first in terms of animated versions of the hero, but Nat Wolff did an excellent job as the character in this feature. Wolff is a believable Batman and a courageous one, and gives a fantastic performance.

Memorable Dialogue: “You got any special tricks for beating monsters on your world?” Superman asks while fighting with Ruby. It hasn’t registered yet that he isn’t someone who actually lives on Remnant, as she asks incredulously “Your world?” It’s a pivotal reveal that ends up turning into something much, much bigger.

Sex and Skin: Neither the Justice League nor RWBY are interested in showing some skin or getting up to anything inappropriate in this flick, so if that kind of stuff squicks you out, don’t worry. You don’t see any of it here.

Our Take: Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes and Huntsmen Part One doesn’t seem like it could work well on paper. The two teams seem too different, their worlds too jarringly dissimilar. But when these characters come together, they play off of each other quite fascinatingly. RWBY’s influence is all over the Justice League, turning these beloved characters into a part of the Rooster Teeth series’ team, and to great effect.

That’s because RWBY is a beloved property on its own with plenty of personalities that shine and help them to stand out from the rest of the pack, where Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the others need some changes here and there to remain appealing and roll with the punches of modern storytelling. That was easily done here and both teams were given a reliable and believable way of interacting with each other without seeming too hamfisted. It doesn’t feel like a silly cash grab.

Plus, the Justice League characters being paired off with their most similar RWBY counterparts is a fun, playful decision, and there are plenty of mischievous and exciting battles to watch everyone do their thing. But the story isn’t without its emotional moments too, all of which is explored within a non-bloated runtime. It’s rare for some comic-centric movies to achieve this, but this film does it in a surprisingly succinct way.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Whether you’re a DC fan and can’t get enough of the Justice League or you’ve been following RWBY for years, there’s a little something for both crowds and then some here. It’s an exciting, action-packed, and well-animated adventure that should please either camp and perhaps invite some new fans as well. While you’ll have to wait for the second part to complete the narrative, this half is well worth investing in as a devotee to either set of characters – or both.

Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over a decade for publications like G4, Popular Science, Playboy, Variety, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, GameSpot, and more. When she’s not writing or gaming, she’s collecting retro consoles and tech. Follow her on Twitter: @MolotovCupcake.