Season Review: The Guardians of Justice Season One

Something completely different from the typical assortment of blockbusters, sitcoms, and dramas has arrived on Netflix. The Guardians of Justice title card stands out like a sore thumb amongst the big-budget usuals of the popular streaming service. Appearing to be a cross between a Bollywood rip-off and a 1980s Roger Corman low-budget exploitation film, this new Netflix original is sure to stir up intrigue from the ride-or-die superhero adaptation fanatics.

Such curiosity is sure to send many potential viewers down the rabbit hole of internet research in hopes of deciding whether this cheesy looking series is worth the three-and-a-half-hour investment. Truthfully and upfront, there is no simple answer. The Guardians of Justice withholds some quirks and creativeness that is sure to land a niche cult following. However, to call the off-beat comic book rip-off good in any way would be a long stretch.

The most straightforward breakdown of the series would be to title it a dollar store counterfeit Justice League. The story circulates around the in-universe Superman seemingly committing suicide. The carbon copy Batman, Knight Hawk, leads the investigation into the mysterious death, which brings heroes and villains alike into the suspect fold. Meanwhile, the loss of the iconic boy scout hero has thrown the world’s political climate into a hurricane of potential nuclear destruction.

If this kind of subversive comic book reimagining piques your interest, it is most likely because it is a near replica of the plot to another famous comic book/blockbuster film, The Watchmen. And much like how the superhero knock-offs are dressed and performed in C-rate effigies, The Watchmen rewrite is as equally difficult to bear.

But.

The Guardians of Justice is not the unwatchable dribble that it sounds like on paper. In fact, much like a Roger Corman cult hit, the series has a lot of charm and takes many exciting and unique approaches. Enough so that all the misguided representations become apparent intentional failures.

The most impressive and interesting thing about The Guardians of Justice is its use of mixed media to create Frankenstein’s monster of a television show. Perhaps this should have been explained earlier, why this live-action series is being reviewed on a website about animation. But The Guardians of Justice utilizes a collection of film techniques to portray its story, including computer-generated, stop motion, and traditional 2D animation.

Surprisingly, this melange of styles is not the jumbled mess that would be expected. There is a fluidity to the constant transitions established in the first scene when a cybertronic Hitler rampages through Europe. The animated scenes help to fill out expensive set pieces, elaborate action sequences, and, at times, spice up dull exposition. None of which seems out of place as there is consistently subtle animations and captions throughout the live-action moments.

Openly, the animated sequences are more often the highlight of the series. Where the terrible acting and lacklustre dialogue could be considered B-reel at best, the animation is of the highest quality and captures the imagination. The high action moments that animation fills out specifically upgrade the entire series. Equally, the humorous tidbits give an otherwise ordinary superhero show much-needed depth and complexity.

Every individual component to the series mixes into a creative stew offering something dynamic and original from anything else available on television. As corny and terrible the delivery can be at times, it does come off as intentional for the most part. Yet some moments and choices are so awful that it seems as if they are trying to make up for it.

That truly is the mystery of this series. Is it so bad that it is good like the aforementioned cult classic Roger Corman films? Or is the show so good at being bad that it comes off as honest? Not to say that what is bad about it makes it good. Rather than being bad was the intention and therefore makes the series good. If you follow.

Still, here comes the challenging part, rating and recommending this series.

On the one hand, the show is originally conceived, goes against the grain, and is captivating (in its own right). On the other hand, it is a derivative filler that feels like failed comic book writers wanted to take a stab at writing their favourite heroes. The result is a terrible knock-off of The Watchmen with unoriginal characters.

Is The Guardians of Justice ahead of its time, and critics and audiences won’t understand it for years to come? Or is it too late now that the superhero genre has already been explored up, down, and sideways?

Truthfully, The Guardians of Justice is an enjoyable binge-watch for those looking for something out-of-the-box from the standard streaming options. However, it is undoubtedly not for everyone. It is a very niche crowd that this show is appealing to, and if you don’t think that you are one of those viewers, don’t waste your time. Additionally, the outstanding animation sequences are worth a few bonus points here.