Today’s quick review: All-Star Superman. Tricked by Lex Luthor (Anthony LaPaglia) into absorbing too much solar radiation, Superman (James Denton) finds that his powers have tripled but that the overload is killing him. With only weeks left to live, Superman sets out to forge a lasting legacy, first by revealing his secret identity to Lois Lane (Christina Hendricks) and then by saving the Earth from Luthor’s final plan.
All-Star Superman is an animated superhero adventure based on the graphic novel by Grant Morrison. All-Star Superman is a love letter to Superman, embracing all the peculiar lore that the character has accumulated over the years. Far-flung science fiction and thoughtful takes on Superman, Lois, and Lex make the movie a solid choice for superhero fans. However, its eclectic style of storytelling will not suit everyone.
Underneath the colorful trappings of Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, his robotic assistants, and his bewildering array of alien technology, All-Star Superman is a study of Superman and his relationships with Lois, Lex, and the world. The movie takes pains to show how each piece of Superman’s life fits in, from his clumsy alter ego as Clark Kent to his larger-than-life heroics to his rivalry with the brilliant but delusional Lex Luthor.
The downside of All-Star Superman’s take on the character is that it requires even greater suspension of disbelief than usual. Instead of limiting the extent of Superman’s powers, All-Star Superman pushes them farther than ever. The result is a world that is enjoyably imaginative but not very consistent, and which makes no attempt to explain how elements like time travel and superpower serums fit with Superman’s apparent mortality.
How much you get out of All-Star Superman will vary greatly. For those who come at the movie with a critical eye, All-Star Superman is an eclectic story that makes up the rules as it goes along, to the detriment of focus and consistency. But for those willing to roll with the punches, the movie is a whirlwind tour of the farthest reaches of Superman’s canon, all wrapped around an insightful take on the character’s central themes.
For a similar confrontation with Lex Luthor, check out Superman: Doomsday. For an alternate take on Superman that also pushes the limits of his abilities, try Superman: Red Son. For another examination of Superman’s core values, try Superman vs. the Elite.
[6.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1699114/). I give it a 7.0 for interesting ideas with a hit-or-miss world.