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 (091220)
With
Justice
League: Apokolips War, the longstanding New 52 continuity that has kept DC’s
animated films running in place came to a welcome end. And that’s both good and
bad news for the latest entry in the catalog, Superman: Man of Tomorrow, which
arrives as both a palate cleanser but also a suggestion of things to come. Now
is as exciting a time for DC and Warner Bros. Animation as there has ever been,
and this film, a return to the early days of Clark Kent’s crime-fighting career,
is as pointedly not a start of a new shared universe as it is a very solid,
charming little film in its own right.
Its secret weapon is getting Superman just right, understanding that the key
enduring aspect of his personality is the fact he’s a giant dork, crippled by
indecision about what’s best for his loved ones, Metropolis, and the wider world
in general. Darren Criss is doing the voice now and takes a while to get used
to, but he does a fine job of letting Clark’s predicament quiver in his tone; he
can and does take charge when he needs to, but most of the time he’s turning to
Martha (the ageless Bellamy Young) and Jonathan (Neil Flynn) Kent for help,
advice, and a fancy costume.
That costume, hewn out of the fabric Clark was swaddled in for his journey from
Krypton, is explicitly a rip-off of that Batman guy’s outfit Martha keeps seeing
in the papers. It’s those kinds of charming little details that feel about right
for Supes, a late arrival to both Earth and the superhero game who recognizes
that his own powers come with a certain responsibility but can’t quite figure
out who that responsibility is to. He has little time to ponder, though, since a
go-getter Lois Lane (Alexandra Daddario), fresh from very publicly taking down
Lex Luthor (Zachary Quinto), plans to write a tell-all exposé on the so-called
Superman just as Lobo (Ryan Hurst) arrives on the hunt for the last Kryptonian
along with a placid, informative Martian Manhunter (Ike Amadi).
Directed by Chris Palmer and written by Tim Sheridan, Superman: Man of Tomorrow
knows exactly which beats to hit, and does a respectable job of delving into
Clark’s interiority. This isn’t an “origin” in the sense of covering Clark
coming to Earth and being raised by the Kents; we get snippets of that but
mostly fast-forward through it to a more crucial turning point, with Clark
having dabbled with saving the day but finally realizing he has to decide once
and for all whether or not he’s going to commit to it. We know he will, but that
deliberation process is relatively ripe territory for DC’s animated line, which
tends to favor a Superman at the height of his powers or slightly off the rails.
The best Superman origins always reflect the times its set in and that is
perfectly on display here. Much attention is drawn to the fact that Superman and
other aliens like him are unknown variables with possibly questionable motives,
but more than that are just not human. A big theme of the film is humanity’s
fear of the unknown and the generalizations that can be made on what is
different with Clark looking for ways to rise above them. While Martian
Manhunter is extremely hesitant to humanity’s tolerance or Lois thinks Superman
is looking for some angle for himself, Clark always prefers to see the positives
to humanity. It’s a big part of his character that is examined throughout the
film and ends up becoming one of the best iterations of Superman in animated
form.
The animation, which is smooth and vibrant, a far cry from the muddy look and
self-serious tone and weird collars of the New 52 aesthetic, feels designed in
part to prove a point about these films veering off in a new direction now. As
has been incorrectly reported and subsequently corrected all over the place,
Superman: Man of Tomorrow isn’t the beginning of a shared universe in the way
that 2014’s
Justice League War
was, but instead a standalone offering that
might have elements taken forwards into subsequent releases. For current
purposes, that hardly matters. Palmer has delivered a Superman tale that
understands and appreciates the character’s nerdy essence and pure values; a
look at the Man of Steel’s whirring inner workings. For now, that’ll do nicely.
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