Month: June 2020

Today’s quick review: Superman: Unbound. When Superman (Matt Bomer) defeats a robot from outer space, his cousin Supergirl (Molly Quinn) recognizes it as a probe sent by Braniac (John Noble), the cyborg who attacked Krypton shortly before its destruction. Superman ventures into space to find and defeat Braniac. But when the cyborg proves too much for the Man of Steel to handle alone, Supergirl must face her own deepest fears to save her adopted home.

Superman: Unbound is an animated superhero movie based on characters from DC Comics. Superman: Unbound introduces Braniac, one of Superman’s greatest foes, as well as Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin and fellow Kryptonian refugee. The film also touches on Superman’s relationship with Lois Lane (Stana Katic). Superman: Unbound has enough in the way of action and story to please fans of the genre, but it lacks the robustness to stand out from the crowd.

Superman: Unbound earns points as a classic Superman story. The film doesn’t shy away from the more outlandish parts of the Superman mythos, such as the Bottle City of Kandor, making it a sci-fi adventure that feels true to the spirit of the comics. Superman: Unbound features a worthy villain in Braniac, a powerful cyborg on a mission to catalog the universe. Its plot isn’t too elaborate, but it does have a few nice touches regarding Braniac and Krypton.

The downside to Superman: Unbound is that it only goes so far. The universe feels empty, with only four characters of note and a bare minimum of world-building. The movie doesn’t neglect its universe, touching on everything from the Daily Planet to Krypton to Smallville, but it lacks the level of detail found in most live-action superhero movies and more recent animated ones. It works as a standalone action movie but offers little else.

Watch Superman: Unbound when you’re in the mood for a fun, self-contained superhero adventure. Superman: Unbound offers nothing that can’t be found in DC’s other animated offerings, save its particular choice of ally and villain. But the film’s decent execution quality and classic Superman storyline make it a fine pick for fans of the genre. Newcomers to animated superhero movies may want to start with something more substantial.

For another Superman story of similar caliber, try Superman vs. The Elite. For one with more polish and a better story, try The Death of Superman. For an even broader look at Superman continuity, try All-Star Superman. For another animated adventure from DC, check out Justice League: War or Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths.

6.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for some good action and a decent, if minimalistic, story.

Today’s quick review: Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman – Rage of Atlantis. After an embarrassing mission with the Justice League, Aquaman (Dee Bradley Baker) makes matters worse by handing over the throne of Atlantis to his treacherous half-brother Oceanmaster (Trevor Devall). Now Aquaman must redeem himself by helping the Justice League defeat Oceanmaster and his new ally Atrocitus (Jonathan Adams), the leader of the rage-fueled Red Lanterns.

Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman – Rage of Atlantis is an animated family superhero comedy set in a Lego version of the DC Universe. Rage of Atlantis mashes up two distinct corners of the DC Universe: Atlantis and the Green Lantern Corps. The team-up between Oceanmaster and Atrocitus gives the movie an excuse to work in plenty of DC concepts and characters, but it also stuffs it to bursting. The result is a messy watch that lacks polish.

The personal side of the movie revolves around Aquaman’s attempts to prove that he’s a useful member of the Justice League. This incarnation of Aquaman is a bumbling joke. He works well enough as a kids’ movie protagonist, but the movie leans too heavily on the character’s spotty reputation. Another subplot follows the same pattern: rookie Green Lantern Jessica Cruz (Cristinia Milizia) tries to overcome her stage fright and become an effective hero.

As far as humor goes, Rage of Atlantis is only a partial success. The comedy follows the Lego formula: cheap, kid-friendly jokes with a couple of rewarding details for DC fans. But the movie tries to do too much and doesn’t focus on any one thing, resulting in half-baked writing, a meandering plot, and jokes that aren’t supported by the scenes around them. There are some laughs to be had, but the movie misses as often as it hits.

Fans of the superhero genre, and of DC in particular, may want to give Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman – Rage of Atlantis a shot. Its unconstrained premise lets it show off a broader slice of the DC Universe than most adaptations, and it has the self-aware humor and bouncy tone of most Lego adventures. But the combination of childish humor and mediocre writing mean that the film won’t have anything to offer for most fans.

For a live-action, big-budget version of Aquaman, try the movie Aquaman. For another animated take on the character, try Justice League: The Throne of Atlantis. For a more focused entry into the series with better execution, try Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash.

5.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for humor that doesn’t quite hit the mark.