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Superman vs. The Elite (2012)
Warner Home Video
Blu-ray Disc Released: 6/12/2012
All Ratings out of
Movie:
1/2
Video:
1/2
Audio:
1/2
Extras:
Review by Mike Long, Posted on 6/18/2012
I believe I've mentioned this in other reviews, but I'll say it again: I'm not a fan of Superman. The character simply lacks the complexity which I like in comic book characters. Being invulnerable offers little opportunity for drama...save for the fact that he can suddenly be hurt when it's convenient for the story. Having said that, I have enjoyed Superman's appearances in other mediums. 1978's Superman: The Movie set the template for the modern superhero movie and its effects are still felt today, and last year's animated All-Star Superman offered a deep and compelling story. Still, his appearances in the animated Justice League movies haven't been as impressive. How will the Man of Steel do in his latest outing Superman vs. The Elite?
While taking place in the DC Comics universe, Superman vs. The Elite is set in a world much like our own where crime and foreign wars dominate the news. Superman (voiced by George Newbern) does a fine job protecting the citizens of Metropolis (and the world), but others feel that more can be done. At a meeting of the United Nations, Superman clearly states his feelings that most people are good and that killing is unjust. When the violence escalates between two small countries, Superman goes to help and he encounters a group of superheroes who call themselves The Elite; The leader, Manchester Black (voiced by Robin Atkin Downes) is a powerful telepath; Coldcast (voiced by Catero Colbert) is a hulking brute who can project energy; The Hat (voiced by Andrew Kishino) is a sorcerer who can conjure dragons; and Menagerie (AKA Pam) (voiced by Melissa Disney) can fly and produce eels which will attack others. The four work with Superman and he's glad for the assist. Superman speaks with Manchester Black, learns of the man's past, and agrees to work together. However, Superman soon learns that The Elite follow no moral code and that they are willing to kill those who they see as their enemies, even though they see this as being in the name of goodness. Superman doesn't agree with their worldview and decides that he must stop them.
As with many of the DC Comics animated movies, Superman vs. The Elite is based on a specific comic, namely Action Comics #775. I haven't read that specific issue (or many Superman comics for that matter), but if Superman vs. The Elite has remained true to the original story, then I can assume that it's a good book. For years, superheroes lived to fight crime, but in a very orderly and clean manner. Even the grittier ones stuck to the rules. But then, in the 1970s, characters like The Punisher came along and the idea of vigilante justice really began to take off. The next evolution came with the introduction of the darker, more sinister Batman. This opened the floodgates for superheroes who were more like anti-heroes.
Superman vs. The Elite serves as a reaction to this sort of story. One the one hand, we have Superman, whose philosophy and world-view hasn't changed in 80 years. While other heroes pushed the limits of morality and the law, Superman clings to the belief that people are good and killing is bad. On the other hand is The Elite, who will stop at nothing to see what they consider to be justice. This makes Superman question his own beliefs while waging a nasty battle with his new foes. This also raises questions for the viewer concerning out justice system. The story moves along at a nice pace and is never slow or boring. The final act is especially entertaining, as it shows what Superman will do when pushed to the brink while still trying to stay within his own beliefs. Yes, The Hat is an incredibly lazy name for a character, the super-powers of The Elite are a little vague, but the story contains enough twists and turns to keep us interested.
My only real issue with Superman vs. The Elite, besides Pauley Perrette's overly sassy Lois Lane, was the animation. I don't expect feature-film caliber animation from these direct-to-video releases, but this entry offered some decidedly dodgy animation. The character design is clearly anime inspired, which I'm not crazy about. The animation is especially lacking in detail and the characters are never clearly defined. The colors vary in quality, but they aren't very dazzling in most scenes. Despite this, Superman vs. The Elite is an impressive selection in the DC Comics movie canon, and for a few minutes, it made me like Superman.
Superman vs. The Elite goes a little too far with the cockney accent on Blu-ray Disc courtesy of Warner Home Video. The movie has been letterboxed at 1.78:1 and the Disc contains an AVC 1080p HD transfer which runs at an average of 18 Mbps. The image is very sharp and clear, showing no grain or defects from the source materials. The image is very crisp, but this HD transfer only draws attention to the aforementioned issues with the animation. We notice the limited detail and the colors aren't vibrant. Of course, this isn't the transfer's fault. The Disc carries a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track which runs at 48 kHz and an average of 4.0 Mbps. The track provides clear dialogue and sound effects. The stereo effects are active throughout, most notably when things move across the screen. The surround sound effects come to life during the action scenes and we can often pick out individual sounds. The explosions provide good subwoofer effects.
The Superman vs. The Elite Blu-ray Disc contains a number of extras. We begin with an AUDIO COMMENTARY from Writer Joe Kelly and Writer Eddie Berganza. In "The Elite Unbound: No Rules, No Mercy" (15 minutes) comic creator Joe Kelly takes us through the original comic book, elaborating on the characters and the ideas. This piece does what others often don't and actually includes images from the comic, so that we can see how it differs from the movie. (Including a far more graphic ending.) Speaking of which, that entire comic, "Action Comics #775" is available to view here, although some of the panels are too small. "Superman and the Moral Debate" (17 minutes) contains a series of interviews with both individuals from the comic book industries and speakers from academia who talk about the law, criminal justice, and Superman's code of not killing. The Disc also includes two bonus episodes from Superman: The Animated Series.
Review Copyright 2012 by Mike Long