Until very recently with the release of James Wan’s Aquaman, the film side of the DC Universe has had patchy track record to say the least. Warner Bros are clearly still finding their feet, while also chasing the tail of their Disney competitors. On the animated side of the spectrum however, things have always looked a little brighter. DC have always been comfortably reliable in terms of their animated output, dating all the way back to the critically acclaimed Batman series of the 90’s. Now, Warner Animation have taken another stab at the renowned ‘Death of Superman’ comic storyline.
The well-documented and heavily-adapted plotline of the early 90’s is something even casual audience members will have an awareness of by now. It was previously given the spotlight in 2007’s ‘Superman: Doomsday’, and infamously rushed as part of the controversial ‘Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice’. Thankfully, it has now finally been done justice (pun intended) as a two-part extravaganza.
As per usual, the animation is spectacularly brought to life with some truly beautiful visual displays of DC’s finest heroes in all their glory. There are even moments of spectacle and aw-inspiring action that surpass the their live-action, CGI-filled counterparts. The biggest fight sequence of the two films undoubtedly comes from the brutal clash between Superman and Doomsday. This does feel somewhat weighed down by the fact that we are fully aware of the battle’s outcome. But, the emotional impact somehow manages to hit much harder than when Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel bit the dust.
While both parts are superbly written, ‘Reign of the Supermen’, the concluding chapter of the two is the far more interesting story. A true exploration of a DC world without its greatest hero, is something audiences have been sorely lacking in the media. It was attempted on the big screen, but squandered by a hasty, rushed death and poorly-conceived resurrection. ‘Reign of the Supermen’ convincingly examines that world, while also exploring how the Justice League, Lex Luthor, and Lois Lane would function.
The majority of the cast are seasoned veterans of their characters, after voicing them for a number of films now. This adds an extra layer of confidence to their performances that makes this universe feel well established and lived in. The only small, niggling issue is that, barring Jason O’Mara’s Batman, the Justice League all sound strikingly similar when they are in the same room. This is a similar problem to watching Lois and Wonder Woman share the screen, as they are both drawn to look almost identical. This is something that shouldn’t happen after Gal Gadot perfectly embodied the character on the big screen. Therefore giving animators no excuse to design her as a white american anymore. Although, one could also argue that a post-Aquaman world shouldn’t include the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Atlantean of old either.
Cameron Monaghan (Gotham’s Jerome) and Cress Williams (Black Lightning’s Cress Williams) are clear highlights. Fresh off their recent DC television outings, both actors are clearly enjoying their time as comic book characters. Unfortunately, one negative aspect of the film’s are Rainn Wilson’s Lex Luthor. An extremely talented actor in his own right, Wilson doesn’t deliver a bad performance by any means but, its clear that the former ‘Office’ star has been severely miscast here. As the punchline of many of the gags, it’s sad to see that Luthor (Superman’s greatest nemesis) has once again become a bit of a joke.
The majority of the time, both films successfully juggle humour and heart. For some strange reason it seems that animation has allowed DC to poke fun at themselves, in a way that the big screen outings have only very recently embraced. This creates a great sense of lighthearted fun, that will easily make these films re-watchable in years to come. Both parts are also littered with wonderful Easter eggs to previous Superman films, such as Christopher Reeve’s iconic portrayal, and even the criminally underrated ‘Smallville’. If you ever had any doubts, then ‘The Death of Superman’ and ‘Reign of the Supermen’ will definitely make you remember why you love DC’s heroes.
‘The Death of Superman’ and ‘Reign of the Supermen’ are now playing in UK cinemas.
