I know you guys were excited to hear about this one! I’m a little late about it. Straight to Blu-ray or DVD movies don’t always get such an in your face kind of advertisement as movies in the theaters do for their release. Our writer McEric reminded me that it had just been released, so I hopped right the heck on it. Let’s talk about the newest DC animated release: THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN.
Warning! This review is full of spoilers!
THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN is adapted by very long comic book story that was divided into three arcs “Doomsday!”, “Funeral for a Friend”, and “Reign of Supermen”. I’ve heard a few mixed ideas about what the full comic arc was actually supposed to be: that it appeared to be DC’s subtle attempt to test for a new Superman by giving us a few to try out and see how it goes over with the fans (which they hated every one), or that this was only a publicity stunt. THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN appears to adapted the first arc, and absorbed parts from the second. We’ll probably see more parts of the second comic arc and the third arc absorbed fully in the planned animated sequel REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN.
THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN follows Clark Kent (voiced by Jerry O’Connell of SLIDERS) in a time where he is dating Lois Lane (Rebecca Romijn), and she still hasn’t figured out that he is Superman. Clark is in debate of whether or not he should tell her the truth so that they can take their relationship to the next level. Batman is on his fourth Robin, Damien, in this movie. So it would seem that Clark has been stringing along Lois for a very long time.
Meanwhile, our villain an alien machine of destruction, dubbed Doomsday, falls from the sky and proceeds to wreck the place.
Doomsday is relatively a flat character in THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN, but we may see that change in the sequel. Nonetheless, Doomsday absolutely destroys Superman’s shit, and it’s pretty shocking to watch. Is it wrong for me to say it’s also fun to watch? I guess it’s easy to feel that way, knowing that he’s just going to be brought back in some manner. They often make out Superman to be some kind of space Jesus, we all know that he comes back.
Lex Luthor sulks in the background of a lot of the story, amusingly voiced by Rainn Wilson (THE OFFICE), but things get real when he decides to try to take out Doomsday himself. Let’s say that didn’t work as as he planned, even in his most vulnerable moment staring at death in the face, he still clings to his ego and detachment from reality as though that will somehow save him. Oh, that Lex.
So let’s talk about Lois for a second. Dating Clark Kent, she never puts together that he’s Superman. Eventually Clark decides to tell her, and even then she still needs more convincing. So what does he do? Clark quickly checks over his shoulder at the restaurant they are sitting in, after deciding it’s safe: he takes off his glasses and tells her “look at my face”. I may have been losing it at this point. All he had to do was take off his glasses for Lois to finally realize who he really is.
THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN has a lot of loose ends and side stories that don’t go anywhere, but surely they will be continued in the sequel.
I enjoyed this animated feature, and would say it’s definitely worth checking out. You won’t regret seeing Superman's ass get handed to him or how he “makes the villain’s head spin”! You know the entire movie that Superman is going to die, but they did a great job building up to an emotional and moving scene when it happens. I say definitely give it a watch!
~Big Eyes
