The latest installment from DC Universe is "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies." I've enjoyed the other DC Universe animated features I've watched lately, and I'm a big fan of Batman, so I figured there was no way I wasn't going to love this movie. And, I was right, it is terrific.
Just to warn you, there will be more plot discussion than normal in this blog. Hopefully I'm not giving too much away. If you are concerned, skip the next 2 paragraphs. This will also further confirm my nerd status.
The movie opens with Lex Luthor becoming President of the United States. The U.S. was going through an economic crisis, and Lex swooped in to take advantage of the situation and become President. One of his first acts as President is to bring super heroes in to the government, reporting directly to him...sort of like super powered czars. Conspicuous by their absence are Batman and Superman.
When Earth is threatened, Lex reaches out to Superman, but when Superman rebuffs him, Lex turns public sentiment against Superman by offering a large sum of money to whoever brings in Superman. This brings all kinds of super villains out of the wood work to try to capture Superman, and the only hero to stand by Superman is The Dark Knight himself, Batman. The rest of the movie involves the attempts to evade capture and save the earth from impending doom.
This animated feature was really well done. The animation style is different than previous DC animated films, and a definite break from the Justice League series. I liked the new animation style overall. I've read some other reviews that didn't like it, but it worked for me. Most importantly, the key players were all voiced by the familiar voices from series past. Kevin Conroy voiced Batman. Conroy has been the voice of Batman going all the way back to the early 1990's. Tim Daly voices Superman, and Clancy Brown voices Lex Luthor. Both had previously done voice work in DC cartoons. Allison Mack, who is Chloe in "Smallville," provides the voice for Power Girl, which was a nice touch.
I thought the movie stayed very true to the characters. I liked the little bit of edge that they gave Superman. As always though, the key for me in these movies is Batman. I thought they portrayed him perfectly. Batman is aware of the impending doom for the planet early on, and is already working on a solution. Throughout the movie, there are glimpeses that he is still working on things, and when it comes time to save the planet, Batman has a plan all figured out. He also solves a murder on the way that helps them gain allies, and helps Superman through many battles. Batman holds his own, and defeats his super powered foes with cunning and skill...perfect for a Batman junkie like me.
One really entertaining feature in the movie is the dialogue between Batman and Superman. It's quippy and revealing at times. But, you get the feeling that the 2 heroes really do like each other. This movie is rated PG-13. There is language, and some more grown up themes. If you're a super hero fan like me, you can't pass this one up. This was 5 stars all the way!
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