{"id":24896,"date":"2017-04-06T19:59:26","date_gmt":"2017-04-06T23:59:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=24896"},"modified":"2017-04-13T15:00:55","modified_gmt":"2017-04-13T19:00:55","slug":"teen-titans-the-judas-contract-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2017\/04\/06\/teen-titans-the-judas-contract-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Sam Liu\u2019s \u201cThe Judas Contract\u201d is both a sequel to \u201cJustice League vs. Teen Titans,\u201d and an adaptation of perhaps one of the most iconic storylines in comic book history. And, I\u2019ll just say it: The animated series of \u201cTeen Titans\u201d accomplished this storyline so much better. With \u201cThe Judas Contract\u201d we\u2019re given literally eighty four minutes to know, understand and empathize with the Teen Titans and perhaps feel a twinge of shock when they\u2019re betrayed by a close ally. With the animated series, we were given so much more build up and time to understand the betrayal of Terra, as well as dodge all the creepy pedophilia overtones between villain Deathstroke and his assistant. The animated series allowed for a lot of build up and when Terra does make her descent in to the dark side it stings so much that even levelheaded Raven begins to shed a tear.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Judas Contract\u201d is another in a series of mopey, dark and unpleasant DC animated movies that thrives on letting us know that this isn\u2019t your daddy\u2019s superhero movie. It\u2019s just another in a line of adaptations in which DC seems to be so intent on shedding their awe inspiring image that they opt for a lot of weird and inexplicable adult themes. With \u201cThe Judas Contract\u201d we follow the Teen Titans as they\u2019re now on the track of a cult leader named Brother Blood. He has a devious plan and they\u2019ve been tracking him for over five years. We meet the Titans five years in the past, and then in modern times where Nightwing and Starfire lead the team of young heroes, which also includes the obnoxious Damian Wayne. Brother Blood has an ace of up his sleeve when he begins working with Deathstroke, and soon the team is systematically hunted by him.<\/p>\n

After Robin learns that fellow Titan Terra is a double agent working with Deadshot, and is captured, Nightwing steps up his mission to stop Brother Blood and Deathstroke once and for all. There\u2019s a lot of unnecessary filler, including the introduction of Starfire, the flashback to five years prior, and of course the flashbacks to Terra\u2019s back story. Not only does it fail to help us empathize with her circumstances, but it makes her scene of her trying to seduce Slade feel uncomfortable and pointless. The animation is sharp as always, and I enjoy how the voice acting so much better this time around. Christina Ricci is very good as Terra, while the late great Miguel Ferrer lends Deathstroke a menace and focused intensity that makes him a perfect villain who amorality is despicable. Sean Maher is also very good reprising the role of Nightwing.<\/p>\n

That said, \u201cThe Judas Contract\u201d is filled with action, and drama, but is never fun or exciting. I\u2019m not entirely sure who \u201cThe Judas Contract\u201d is even intended for, at the end of the day. It\u2019ll be marketed to tweens, but the movie has so much droppings of the word \u201cShit,\u201d \u201cAss,\u201d and \u201cHell,\u201d a ton of graphic violence, not to mention a ton of sexually suggestive dialogue. \u201cThe Judas Contract\u201d feels so much like it\u2019s going through the motions and the audience is never given enough time to engage with the characters before Terra reveals herself as a turn coat. The animated series had this storyline down pat, while \u201cTeen Titans: The Judas Contract\u201d is just another mediocre animated entry in the DC\/Batman movie library.<\/p>\n