‘Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One’: A Better ‘Justice League’ Film Than The Actual DC Film [Non-Spoilery Animated Film Review]

At first glance, you might think that Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One is the title of a piece of fanfiction. But no, this is honestly and truly an official crossover between DC’s and Rooster Teeth’s works. What’s more, it’s a shining example of how to do a crossover story right. On top of that, it’s also a much better Justice League film than the one DC gave us back in 2017. Heck, I’d even say that it’s better than what Zack Snyder gave us in 2021. What more could you ask from this animated film?

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One ~ Details

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One is an animated direct-to-video superhero film. This is the result of an official collaboration between Rooster Teeth and Warner Bros. Animation/Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. And for the record: this animated film has nothing to do with the DC comic book series RWBY/Justice League (2021) aside from the general premise, featuring its own original story separate from the comic.

Kerry Shawcross is the director of Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One, with Sam Register, Michael E. Uslan, Laura Yates, Angela O’Sullivan producing. Meghan Fitzmartin is the writer for the animated film.

As for the voice cast for Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One, let’s start with the RWBY side. The RWBY side of the cast features the voices of Lindsay Jones as Ruby Rose, Kara Eberle as Weiss Schnee, Arryn Zech as Blake, and Barbara Dunkelman as Yang Xiao Long.

Other notable voice cast for the RWBY side include Miles Luna as Jaune Arc, Samantha Ireland as Nora Valkyrie, and Neath Oum as Lie Ren. Now for the Justice League side: the film features the voices of Chandler Riggs as Clark Kent/Superman, Natalie Alyn Lind as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, and Nat Wolff as Bruce Wayne/Batman.

Other voice cast from the Justice League side include Ozioma Akagha as Mari Jiwe McCabe/Vixen, Tru Valentino as Victor Stone/Cyborg, Jeannie Tirado as Jessica Cruz/Green Lantern, and David Errigo Jr. as Barry Allen/The Flash.

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One released on April 25, 2023. You can purchase it from digital or physical form from content providers like Amazon.

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One ~ Synopsis

Normally, this would be where I give you an overall plot summary of Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One. However, this review is the non-spoilery edition. Thus instead, you will all be getting the official synopsis for this film. You can check it out below:

The Justice League faces off against a new horror — adolescence! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern, and Vixen are surprised to find that not only have they materialized on a strange world called Remnant, but they’ve also been transformed into teenagers! Meanwhile, the heroes of Remnant, Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang, find their world has been mysteriously altered. Can the combined forces of the Justice League and Team RWBY return Remnant, and the Earth’s Super Heroes, to normal before a superpowered Grimm destroys everything they know?

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One ~ The Good

There’s are multiple reasons why I’m calling Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One a shining example of how to do a crossover right. The first reason: the story. This film manages to perfectly meld the themes and characters of both RWBY and Justice League. A big part of this is due to how the story de-ages the Justice League members back into teenagers. Not only are they physically younger, but they’re also mentally and emotionally younger as well. They’re less able to control their emotions, and thus find themselves wracked by insecurities that they’re able to suppress as adults. It makes them perfect counterparts to the RWBY cast, who are themselves teenagers.

Personally, I think their interactions allow both sides of the cast to grow as people. Heck, it might even do the Justice League cast some mental good in the long run to air out their insecurities instead of repressing them. Maybe the Justice League are even better able to handle the villains who like to mind-screw with people? I do honestly hope that’s the case when we eventually see Part Two of this. This is also why I think Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One is the best Justice League film I’ve ever watched. Certainly much better than what DC Films gave us.

That’s not even going into the battle scenes. Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One has the kind of well-choreographed and just plain fun battle style that RWBY is known for. With various characters pulling off crazy combo attacks with each other, you’ll definitely be laughing in delight at the sheer ridiculousness of the combo attacks, but in a good way. It even helps that the entire film is animated in the 3D style RWBY is famous for.

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One ~ The Bad

Honestly, my one complaint about Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen Part One has absolutely nothing to do with the story or characters. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it’s a complete YMMV for everyone else. See, my complaint is that the film is apparently trying to ship Clark Kent with Weiss Schnee. My stance on that ship is a bit…iffy. Overall, while their relationship does seem fairly wholesome, the subtle hints of romance between them are a bit uncomfortable. Mostly due to the big age gap between the adult Bruce Wayne and the teenaged Weiss Schnee.

It’s not even going into the fact that I ship Weiss with Ruby, but that’s just a personal taste for me that has no bearing on this film. Again though, your mileage here may vary. Do tell us if you agree with this ship or not in the comments section.