superman batman apocalypse dvd

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SUPERMAN/BATMAN: APOCALYPSE
(***)

DVD Movie Review by:
Jim "Good Old JR" Rutkowski

Directed by:
Lauren Montgomery

Written by:
Screenplay by Tab Murphy, based on the story by Jeph Loeb

Starring the Voices of:
Andre Braugher, Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly

Running time:
75 minutes

Released:
09/28/10-direct to dvd

Rated PG-13 for violence and brief sensuality

"...the animation is well staged and equal to the quality of the previous DC Universe films."

Following a streak of well-received direct-to-DVD animated features, DC Universe takes its series in a slightly new direction with Superman/Batman Apocalypse. That title is somewhat misleading, though. The focus isn't on Superman, Batman or even the planet Apocalypse (known as Apokolips in the comics). No, this is essentially an adaptation of the "Supergirl from Krypton" storyline from the Superman/Batman comic series. That's right, this is the origin story of Kara Zor-El (voiced by Summer Glau of Firefly and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles fame), Superman's teenage cousin and the eventual Supergirl. Didn't expect that, did you?

That's not to say the story is bad or uninteresting, if you know what you're in for. Kara's arc is solid, from the moment she arrives encased in an asteroid – confused, disoriented and not in control of her powers – to her final acceptance of her destiny. Glau is perfectly cast, giving the character complex layers of strength and vulnerability. Kara could have easily come off as a whiny adolescent, but Glau gives her a depth beyond that single dimension. Her struggle to find herself is a complete, and relatable, journey. Unfortunately, every other character seems to be there merely to pull her in one direction or another.

Batman (voiced once again by fan-favorite Kevin Conroy, possibly one of the best voice actors to interpret the Dark Knight), is the first to encounter Kara, shortly after her arrival on Earth. He's naturally cautious and wary of her power, potentially greater than even Superman's. This causes some tension between Batman and Superman (once again voiced by Tim Daly, last heard as the Man of Steel in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies), who has more compassion for his cousin's between-two-worlds dilemma, and seeks to help her adapt to the life of an Earth teenager (which seems to involve merely taking her shopping and buying her a hot dog).

Clark is overruled, however, when Batman and Wonder Woman agree that what Kara really needs is to be trained properly amongst the Amazons on Themyscira. But just as Kara is beginning to feel like she's found a place where she belongs, Darkseid (flatly voiced by Andre Braugher) sends an army to abduct her, intending to use her power for his own malevolent purposes.

That's pretty much all there is to the plot. The film is padded out with fight scenes, some of which (like the final one) go on far too long and become repetitive after a while. The filmmakers know that audiences expect it, but this film is not really about action, it's about character development. There seems to be more than one identity crisis going on here. At least the animation is well staged and equal to the quality of the previous DC Universe films.

Beyond the film itself, though, there's plenty of other entertaining goodies to be found on the Superman/Batman Apocalypse Blu-ray. The first thing you'll want to check out is the latest in the DC Showcase series of animated shorts. Following the high bar set by the previous shorts, "The Spectre" and "Jonah Hex," this one puts "Green Arrow" front and center.
Neal McDonough (misspelled in the credits as Neil McDonough) lends his voice to the Emerald Archer here. He'd actually be a decent candidate for a live-action Green Arrow movie (as long as it didn't conflict with his playing Dum Dum Dugan over in the Marvel Universe). McDonough has just the right amount of gravitas to make the character work, and does a good job handling the few comedic moments he's been given.

The story, such as it is, finds Oliver Queen heading to the Star City airport to pick up his girlfriend (comic fans should know who that is, though she's not revealed until the end) with plans on proposing, but his errand is interrupted by the arrival of a young princess from Vlatava, who is targeted by assassins, including Green Arrow's old adversary Merlyn (suitably voiced by Malcolm McDowell). A few other familiar faces show up before the showdown is over, but there's not much more to this than a standard run-fight-run sequence. And there doesn't need to be. It's just the right length, a fun little green-tinged adventure (seriously, this airport seems to be really green) that doesn't overstay its welcome.

The two-disc DVD/Blu-ray combo pack also includes some standard features, like "The Fourth World: The New Gods," which focuses on Darkseid as the ultimate villain in the DC universe. There's also a sneak peek at All-Star Superman, the next upcoming title in the series, a must see for Supes fans. As usual DC has also thrown in four TV episodes, this time from the animated Superman TV series, guest starring Supergirl and Darkseid. As with the last few releases, though, the extras concentrate more on the characters and how they fit within the larger comic universe rather than anything specifically related to the making of this particular film. It's a bit of a disappointment, but not a deal breaker. DC Universe has yet to put out anything truly awful or unworthy of your time, and that trend continues here. It's just a shame that they seem to feel the need to hide what the movie is really all about.

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