As DC's streaming service, DC Universe is a fantastic resource for fans looking to consume thousands of stories featuring some of the greatest heroes and villains ever. When it comes to comics, the service is not lacking in quality or quantity, but the same cannot be said for its catalog of movies or series.
With the majority of the DCAMU's releases confined to HBO Max and a number of notable absent titles such as Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, DC Universe's collection of animated films is far from comprehensive. Be that as it may, the streaming service still has a decent selection of flicks waiting to be sat through. Which ones are the best?
10 Batman Ninja
With the Caped Crusader headlining most of DC Universe's animated films, Batman fans are somewhat spoilt for choice. Batman: Hush and Gotham by Gaslight are disappointing adaptations of great source materials, while Mystery of the Batwoman and Bad Blood struggle to leave much of a lasting impression; comparatively, Batman Ninja is at least unique in its mediocrity.
Batman and a few DC villains find themselves in Feudal Japan, with the latter quickly establishing themselves as feudal lords. Left with no choice but to become a ninja, Batman assembles an array of side-kicks to take down the antagonists in gloriously over the top encounters. Batman Ninja is a shallow but entertaining film, one that stands out due to its anime aesthetic and unique setting.
9 Green Lantern: Emerald Knights
Split into five loosely connected segments centering around characters such as Abin Sur, Kilowog, and Laira, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights serves as a respectable snapshot into this universe. Newcomers to the Green Lantern mythos will find little to enjoy beyond decent animation and a couple of memorable fights, but pre-existing fans should feel right at home as they are told five stories that are generally of decent quality.
While Green Lantern: Emerald Knights' episodic nature does not lend itself to an especially satisfying movie experience, the individual parts work well in isolation.
8 Batman: Assault on Arkham
Despite its title, Batman: Assault on Arkham is really the Suicide Squad's story rather than the Dark Knight's, which permits the film to develop its own identity. Six of DC's worst are "hired" by Amanda Waller to infiltrate Arkham Asylum and retrieve an item from the Riddler. Things get complicated when Batman ends up also visiting Arkham to try and learn the location of a dirty bomb planted by the Joker.
Assault on Arkham embraces the vicious insanity of its protagonists. The Suicide Squad's members are given the freedom to be their most dangerous selves, making for an incredibly entertaining ride.
7 Wonder Woman: Bloodlines
It took almost until the end of the DCAMU for Wonder Woman to earn a solo outing, but Diana Prince did at least receive a solid film. Wonder Woman: Bloodlines moves at a frantic pace, serving as an origin story for Wonder Woman and Silver Swan while also throwing in as many villains as feasible. Due to its refusal to stop for a second, Bloodlines' emotional beats largely fall flat, with Silver Swan's transformation from an angsty teenager to a killing machine suffering the most.
As flawed as the movie might be, Bloodlines is saved by Wonder Woman's innate charm and an explosive third act that delivers action in spades.
6 The Death Of Superman
The Death of Superman adapts the famous '90s comic storyline with the same name, with Reign of the Supermen serving as a follow-up. As part of a DCAMU that produced three Batman and five Justice League films before killing off the Man of Steel in his first solo outing, The Death of Superman has to do a lot of groundwork to establish this version of Clark Kent, including his relationship with Lois Lane.
Although it does feel a touch rushed at times, The Death of Superman is still an exemplary adaptation of an iconic storyline. The film showcases Superman's importance in this world and the impact left by his death.
5 Superman: Red Son
An Elseworlds tale, Superman: Red Son imagines a "what if" scenario that drops a baby Kal-El in the Soviet Union rather than Smallville. Spread over decades, Red Son covers Superman's childhood, his rise as a Soviet hero, and his eventual campaign to enforce peace onto the world.
While this version of Kal-El goes down a much darker past than the normal version, Red Son works because it does not turn Superman into a traditionally evil villain. At his heart, this is still the same character, just one whose humanity has not been nurtured quite as much.
4 Batman: Under The Red Hood
Released in 2010, Batman: Under the Red Hood builds upon a defining moment in the comics: Jason Todd's death. Years after the Joker killed Robin, Gotham finds itself home to a new force called Red Hood, who has a score to settle with both Batman and the Joker.
Under the Red Hood is drenched in Batman lore and does its characters justice, with the sole exception being perhaps the Joker's voice. As a standalone tale about revenge, grief, and guilt, Under the Red Hood delivers in every area.
3 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Frank Miller's Batman storylines can be difficult to adapt, with Year One's animated version failing to match the quality of its respective comic. The Dark Knight Returns, Miller's magnum opus when it comes to the Caped Crusader, fared much better.
Split into two-parts, The Dark Knight Returns takes Batman's arc to its natural conclusion. Forced out of retirement due to Gotham's decrepit state, this Batman is vicious, broken, and alone. This is a dark, gritty tale that questions the need for Batman and whether his presence actually makes the world a better or worse place.
2 Justice League Dark: Apokolips War
The 15th and final entry in the DCAMU, a timeline inspired by the New 52, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War presents a suitably epic adventure packed with pain, action, and characters. Focusing on the final conflict between Darkseid and the Justice League, Apokolips War imagines a universe where the former has won. It is as devastating and tragic as it should be.
Apokolips War is naturally not meant to be experienced in isolation, as it pays off character arcs and relationships established in previous entries in the DCAMU. The film does an incredible job of balancing its many pieces.
1 Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm
Batman: The Animated Series remains to this day one of the greatest comic adaptations of all time, and that extends to its 1993 movie. For the longest time, Mask of the Phantasm represented Batman's crowning theatrical achievement, and time has done little to lessen the story's emotional depth.
Along with delivering a gripping mystery revolving around a new vigilante, Mask of the Phantasm works as an exploration of the Batman mythos and, more importantly, Bruce Wayne's psyche.