Today’s quick review: Superman: Man of Tomorrow. Clark Kent (Darren Criss), the last survivor of an alien world, was raised by his adoptive parents in Kansas. Now a young man living in Metropolis, Clark adopts the heroic persona of Superman and uses his powers to keep the city safe. But as his good deeds make headlines, Clark finds himself in the crosshairs of Lois Lane (Alexandra Daddario), a hotshot reporter looking for her next expose.
Superman: Man of Tomorrow is an animated superhero movie from DC Comics. Man of Tomorrow is a modern retelling of Superman’s origin story, following Clark Kent as he takes the first steps of his superhero career. This version of Clark is young, fallible, and something of an outsider. His attempts to find a place in the world give the movie a unique angle, one that plays up the character’ hope and determination rather than his indomitable strength.
The cost of these changes is that they throw the old dynamic out of balance. Clark is usually behind the curve, whether in his job at the Daily Planet or going up against foes like Lobo (Ryan Hurst) or Parasite (Brett Dalton) as Superman. To a certain extent, this leads to better drama, since Superman is more vulnerable and more reliant on others. But it also robs the character of some of his classic qualities, including his confidence and leadership.
In general, Man of Tomorrow accomplishes what it tries to do. The art style works well in motion and has a bright color palette, although the details of the character designs and setting are a little off. The action shows off characters like Martian Manhunter (Ike Amadi), Lex Luthor (Zachary Quinto), Lobo, and Parasite. And while the logic of the story breaks down in a few places, it’s a satisfying origin story that covers quite a bit of ground.
Superman: Man of Tomorrow holds a specific kind of appeal. Fans who want to see a fresh take on the character will enjoy it, thanks to its new themes, solid craftsmanship, and less invincible iteration of Clark. Fans of the established character may find that it changes too much, cobbling together a story from a grab bag of characters and playing down some of Clark’s best traits. Either way, Man of Tomorrow is worth a watch for anyone interested.
For a more dramatic retelling of Superman’s origins, try Man of Steel. For a more conventional telling of Superman’s origins and legacy, try The Death of Superman and Reign of the Supermen. For another animated adventure that touches on similar themes, try Superman: Unbound. For an alternate history of Superman, try Superman: Red Son.
[6.4 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11079116/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a new variation on a classic story.