MOVIE REVIEW: Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons

If there“s a single villain in DC“s library that deserves a solo movie, it“s Deathstroke the Terminator. Deathstroke is easily one of the most complex and morally ambiguous characters in the DC Universe, and he operates on every side of the moral spectrum. He“s effective both as a villain, having started off as the Titans“ greatest enemy, as well as an anti-hero who kills greater evils. Slade is a dangerous man in an amoral world, taking money in exchange for blood. So when I discovered that Deathstroke had his own animated feature, Knights & Dragons, I was immediately curious about how well they would adapt him.

The answer is, unfortunately, somewhat of a mixed result in this case. To be fair, the movie does correctly identify the core elements of Deathstroke. it“s the human aspects of Slade Wilson that make him a worthy character to explore in a film, and Knights & Dragons does its best to reflect that. Writers like Marv Wolfman and Christopher Priest have been the most successful because they understand the core truth about Slade Wilson: he may be the world“s greatest assassin, but he“s also the world“s worst father. Deathstroke is, for better or worse, defined by his dysfunctional relationships with his family, largely caused by Slade“s own actions: the wife he betrayed, the sons he failed, the daughter he abandoned. J.M. DeMatteis, who understands the landscape of comics extremely well, properly grasps these elements as well, and he hits those notes quite effectively. Using a tale of the Shining Knight (a character known to Stargirl fans) as a framing device for that human drama is likewise a clever creative decision. Setting up the Jackal as Deathstroke“s adversary here likewise works; Jackal is a character that goes all the way back to Marv Wolfman, but given far more depth by DeMatteis, and he“s largely a credible enemy for Slade in this film. There“s just enough to like to keep you watching if you“re a Deathstroke fan, and if you“re new to the character, this film tells you what you need to know.

Unfortunately, while I respect J.M. DeMatteis tremendously as a writer, this script tries a little too hard to be clever with its reversals, and it also takes too many liberties with the source material at times. It“s clear that DeMatteis grasps the nuanced layers of Slade“s past, and that he carefully read Wolfman to inform his own take on Deathstroke. At times, it works marvelously when the ideas land, such as when Wintergreen informs Slade and Adeline during an argument that they“re the reason he remained a bachelor for years. The human moments between the Wilson family are easily the best part of this film, whether it“s Joe“s relationship with Rose, Slade owning up to his mistakes with his own sacrifice, or Adeline offering Rose a place to stay with the family. However, the plot twists try too hard to misdirect, and they don“t feel true to the Deathstroke family from the comics. Rose is definitely a troubled young woman who“s made mistakes, but working with HIVE is not one of them. Joe“s decisions to go back and forth between helping Slade and turning his back on him are a bit too convenient, frequent, and plot-dependent than anything that flows organically from character. Joe is conveniently overpowered in a way we“ve rarely seen in the comics, and it seems mainly a plot-driven interpretation. Even Slade at times comes across as a little too moralistic early on, and he“s usually far more callous to the suffering of others than is presented here. Also, much as I like the basic interpretation of Jackal, he comes across as far too omniscient, never truly making a mistake until very late in the film. In fairness, these issues are not deal-breakers so much as moments that might cause eye-rolling reactions for some comics fans, and the larger narrative works appropriately.

In terms of the direction and performances, they“re generally solid if not exceptional. While I“m not familiar with the work of Sung Jin Ahn, he brings an intriguing visual style and the action is powerful and kinetic. Each blow has real impact on the screen during the action scenes, and the film never shies away from spilling blood. Using an Asian-influenced style for this movie works, and Ahn makes Slade Wilson look like a brutal assassin. The art design could have been somewhat better; Slade“s costume is a bit too overcomplicated, but it works for the movie and he“s recognizable as Deathstroke. In terms of the acting, Michael Chiklis is a good choice for Slade Wilson; he understands action heroes and he“s also good with family drama, as he“s shown on Fantastic Four and No Ordinary Family. While I“m not familiar with the supporting cast, they“re all effective in the sense that they disappear into their roles and manage to make each of them sound believable. The cast works as a strong ensemble, and the whole succeeds in outweighing the sum of its parts.

Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons is a reasonably enjoyable animated film, though your enjoyment may depend on what you bring into it. Casual fans who don“t know much about Deathstroke will probably have a better time than hardcore Deathstroke fans will. That said, this film is worth the time if you“re curious about the character, especially if you“re not deeply read on the comics. I hope that DC will do more with Slade Wilson, since he“s a fascinating villain who can easily hold a series, and this movie gives a solid glimpse of what he can do as a protagonist.

Score: 3.7/5

Executive Producers: Sam Register, Greg Berlanti, and Sarah Schecter
Director: Sung Jin Ahn
Screenwriter: J.M. DeMatteis
Cast: Michael Chiklis, Sasha Alexander, Colin Salmon, Chris Jai Alex, Faye Mata, Griffin Puatu, Panta Mosleh, Gilbert Hunt

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Steve Sellers

Steve Sellers had been a fan of superheroes ever since Superman: The Movie. But it took the JSA, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Dragonlance, Lord of the Rings, Twilight Zone, and Chris Claremont's legendary run on the X-Men to make him a writer and a longtime fan of comics, fantasy, and science fiction. Steve is the co-creator of WHITE DRUID & MICHAEL NERO and GUARDIANS OF ELAYIM for Omen Comics, and he is also the creator of BLITZ and SHOCKWAVE for Revelation Comics (an imprint of Omen Comics).