"Superman/Batman: Public Enemies," the latest animated feature based on the DC Universe, arrives on shelves today.
Based on the first story arc from Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness "Superman/Batman" comic book series, "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies," chronicles Lex Luthor's rise to power in the White House and his scheme to put Superman and Batman on the wrong side of the law (including a $1 billion bounty on their heads that has every villain in the DCU looking for them).
The film also features a who's who of voice actors from DC's animated (and video game) history. Kevin Conroy, who has become the voice of Batman over the last decade in various animated series featuring Bruce Wayne's alter ego (as well as the "Batman: Arkham Asylum" game), reprises his role as the Dark Knight. He's joined by actor Tim Daly, who returns to voice the Man of Steel once again after doing so in both the "Superman" animated series and various animated features.
THE GOOD: When it comes to voicing Superman and Batman, Daly and Conroy continue to prove they're (to paraphrase a Marvel line) the best at what they do—and what they do is capture the tone of each character perfectly. However, one of the biggest strengths of the film could be the fact that it's more than just Superman, Batman and Lex Luthor in the spotlight.
Comic book fans who enjoy playing "name that B- or C-list character" should have a field day with "Public Enemies," as the film includes a surprisingly large cast of characters (mostly villains) making cameos at one point or another. Along with the footage we've already seen of Silver Banshee (not exactly a top-tier character herself) and the team of ice-wielding villains that includes Captain Cold and Dr. Freeze, a host of other lesser-known characters find their way into the film. (In one particular scene, Tigershark, Catman, Deadshot, Kestrel, Eclipso, Despero, Bane and Parasite all join in a battle with Superman and Batman.)
While the film's storyline veers off from the original comic book series at several points, most of the changes serve to tie up loose ends that the series created to advance future story arcs or spin off new characters and events—so in this case, they're the good kind of changes. There's also a lot of great dialogue between the two title characters (some of it lifted from the comic book series), including a funny little exchange after Superman asks Batman why he'd rather use his grappling hook than have Superman fly him over a building.
"Between you and me, I hate that," Batman tells Superman.
THE BAD: Once you get past the voices of Superman and Batman, the voices for much of the film's massive cast of characters tend to blend together—making it a bit confusing at times if you're not paying very close attention to which character is speaking, visually, at any given moment. There doesn't seem to be many voice actors who play dual roles in the film, so I'm not quite certain why things sound so confused. In the end, it could just be an indication of the tipping point between the size of an animated cast and the ability to tell all of the characters apart.
On a personal note, the animation style for "Public Enemies" leaves a bit to be desired, as it seems to have moved into a slightly more anime-influenced style than that of previous DC animated features like "Green Lantern: First Flight" or "Wonder Woman." Some fans might prefer this style, but I found it difficult to feel the intended level of threat from a Lex Luthor with the cute, oversized eyes and cheekbones typical to anime/manga characters. The same goes for Mongul and some of the other villains Superman and Batman faced.
THE VERDICT: "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" is a great introduction to a much wider universe than previous DC animated features. While "Green Lantern: First Flight" did offer up the entire Green Lantern Corps, "Public Enemies" still felt like it was the doorway into a much bigger world. With "Crisis on Two Earths" next up, it will be interesting to see whether the dimension-spanning storyline will expand the animated DCU even further.
However, along with that wider plot came a hefty dose of confusing plot points and cameos that occasionally seemed like they were crammed into the story unnecessarily. It's worth pointing out that the original "Superman/Batman" comic book series was often criticized for feeling a bit scattered, too—so the problems with the animated adaptation might be a product of the source material more than anything else.
Overall, anyone who enjoys DC's line of animated features thus far will likely enjoy "Superman/Batman," too. It offers the best elements of its source material balanced with the sort of changes that should be made for such an adaptation. It feels like its creators invested just the right amount of loyalty to the characters and their histories, while also taking the time and energy to see it done right.
"Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" arrives today, September 29, on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Planning to pick "Superman/Batman" up? Let us know what you think in the comment section or on Twitter!