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COVERAGE - ANIMATED FEATURE REVIEW

Superman Versus The Elite
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: June 12th, 2012

Synopsis: In Superman vs. The Elite, Superman's effectiveness as a super hero comes into question when a new group of super powerful crusaders, known as "The Elite," appear on the scene. As super heroes, the Elite know no bounds, and are more than willing to kill, even on a massive scale, to stop villainy -- putting them on a collision course with the ever-ethical, yet preferably non-lethal Man of Steel.



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Superman Versus The Elite Feature Review
By James Harvey

You needn’t worry about Superman Versus The Elite, though I have a feeling this might be an animated feature that many will overlook mainly due to its’ overall character design and animation. If you’ve read the source material - Action Comics #775 – then you know what to expect – basically, whether Superman’s approach to crime fighting is still relevant. While the movie stays admirably true to the source material, it alters and expands upon it, allowing room to breathe and to actually tell a complete story. It all pays off and results in what actually feels like a full, well-rounded movie.

In the film, Superman's effectiveness as a super hero comes into question when a new group of super powerful crusaders, known as "The Elite," appear on the scene. As super heroes, the Elite know no bounds, and are more than willing to kill, even on a massive scale, to stop villainy -- putting them on a collision course with the ever-ethical and decidedly non-lethal Man of Steel.

Adapting a special over-sized issue of Action Comics from over a decade ago, Superman Versus The Elite is a solid action drama, full of excellent performances and an interesting moral debate that drives the story. Sure, we know Superman will win out at the end of the day, but the journey there is overflowing with intriguing commentary, harrowing action, some genuine jaw-dropping moments, and stunner of a finale showdown that should give goosebumps to a few folks.

Joe Kelly’s script is very strong albeit a bit flawed, which I’ll touch upon later, but he serves up a surprisingly balanced movie. Kelly shows his versatility, be it scathing satirical jabs at political pundits, the frustrating realities of what Superman’s code does and does not allow, and some surprisingly touching character beats. There’s two instances where I actually found myself getting a bit misty – Clark and Pa Kent discussing whether Superman is still relevant and what Superman wrote on his note to Lois – that actually caught me by surprise. The reveal for that note is so pitch-perfect, absolutely perfect. It hits the viewer right in the gut, but then takes on a whole new meaning when the following scenes kick in. I’m trying to be vague to avoid any spoilers, but Kelly deserves a few kudos here.

What really works for this movie is actually the source material. The previous Superman animated film All-Star Superman was good, but it suffered from its jumpy narrative, the result of adapting a 12-issue comic into a 75 minute movie. Here, the movie adapts a single double-sized comic, roughly 40 pages into a 75 minute movie...and it works beautifully. You’re not lamenting what was skipped over or left out, but enjoying a completely fleshed-out story. As a result, we get a film that ... well... feels like a film.

George Newbern gives his best performance as Superman to date, without question. He is absolutely chilling during the climactic battle, but also manages to bring real weight to his words regardless of the situation, whether debating the merits of The Elite with Lois or looking for comfort from his Pa. He did a great job during his run on Justice League, but here? Just a flawless performance. Pauley Perrette brings a quirky Margot Kidder-feel to her turn as Lois Lane, and is a great foil to Newbern’s Clark. I’d definitely like to hear her reprise the role down the road. Robin Atkins Downes deserves a nod for his role as Manchester Black, bringing some surprising depth to the character, even when Black comes a bit two-dimensional in the final moments.

If there is any strike against the movie it is, I’d have to say it’s the quality of animation. Now, it may not actually have a lower budget than any of the other DC Comics animated features, but it does looks .... cheaper. The animation just doesn’t seem as strong as previous features. Watch the likes of Justice League: Doom or Batman: Under the Red Hood, and then turn back to this one. There is a noticeable step down. Some character designs just don’t work because the animation doesn’t seem as slick or flexible as we’re used to, which is a shame since the designs actually should work. There is some stellar design work here, though the jury is still out on ol’ Supes. It’s just that the quality of animation provided just can’t support it. These exaggerated designs need to be able to move smoothly and comfortably, but that doesn’t really happen. We get a few great moments of fluidity, usually during some of the more harrowing action sequences, but the rest of the time it doesn’t feel up to snuff. It doesn’t kill the movie, but it does harm it a little.

Also, be warned, this film does go a little overboard with some of the sexual innuendos, especially with Menagerie – the bat-winged, reptile-esque female member of the Elite. There are a couple tasteless moments that are definitely cringe-worthy. I find it odd that it’s okay for Menagerie to get pretty suggestive, but writer Joe Kelly mentions that he couldn’t show Superman and Lois Lane – who are married – talking together in bed. Weird.

The gripping story makes up for any shortcomings, though I have a feeling this could be a movie that divides a lot of the fans. I can definitely see why some would view this as one-sided and heavy-handed. The film does dip a little too far into one side of the morality debate, especially in the third act, but the material is so strong that it’s easy to forgive. It also doesn’t help that the film takes a bit of the easy way out and just makes The Elite into out-and-out villains in the finale, which again disrupts the balanced discussion the film is attempting to create. But the story...the story is just excellent, and is actually pretty thought-provoking. Personally, this is likely my favorite animated Superman film to date, and one I know I will be revisiting quite a bit. See, Warner Bros.? This would be a great live-action movie right here!

Just to note, Robert Kral returns to the DC Comics Premiere Movie line with Superman Versus The Elite, having provided the score for Superman/Doomsday (among other titles) a few years ago. He brings back a few of the same themes from Doomsday to great effect. It brings a nice consistency to the movie and actually feels welcoming to hear those familiar tunes again.

Superman Versus The Elite is probably one of the best efforts to come from the DC Comics Premiere Movie line in awhile. It’s focus on shorter source material allows the adaptation to become more than a simple retelling, but instead a full-fledged story. Yeah, it does have a couple problems, but nothing that breaks a really riveting story. I found that I was just sucked right into this movie when The Elite appeared and the debates started flying. The more intense the discussions got, the closer I crept to the television screen. It really is a great story that stays true to the source material, but also manages to bring something new to the table. That being said, many folks will likely disagree with the discussions and dilemma presented, and which side the movie falls on and how they’re resolved (to an extent). Personally, I was hooked, and I sincerely hope people give this film a shot. Hopefully folks will look beyond the animation and find themselves fully absorbed in the story like I did. This is such a solid film and it’s be a shame to see it overlooked and dismissed. Highly Recommended – A Must Own!

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