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2 Stars

A very adult (rated PG-13) new feature length animated film from DC Comics and Warner Bros, results in a mixed bag. The re-teaming of premiere graphic artist illustrator Jeph Loeb and the voice talents of Tim Daly and Kevin Conroy are the film’s greatest assets. Every shot is fluid and beautifully rendered, serving as a great reminder of the charm in 2D hand drawn animation. The kind Disney released every summer before PIXAR ruled the mouse house. Loeb along with co-writer Ed McGuiness have set their story in a Metropolis suffering from the same ills as America,
skyrocketing unemployment, out of control gas prices, and heavy inflation. In a moment of desperation the public elects Lex Luthor to the presidency. Once in office he declares Superheroes a threat to the world and demands they turn themselves in. Superman (Daly) and Batman (Conroy) are deemed outlaws for non compliance, pushing Luthor to offer a $1 billion bounty. Every major and minor character in the DC universe is trotted out in the search for our main characters. The cartoon starts out fun, but quickly turns repetitive and then finally boring. Several battle scenes run far too long, lacking any sort of suspense because the outcome is never in doubt. Even though this is an animated film, it earns the PG-13 rating. It’s too much for young kids yet not fulfilling enough for adults. Unless you’re an indiscriminating viewer or a DC heroes enthusiast, stay away from this one.

Director: Sam Liu
Stars: Tim Daly, Kevin Conroy, Clancy Brown