FILM REVIEW: Batman and Superman: Battle Of The Super Sons

Batman and Superman: Battle Of The Super Sons is DC’s latest animated film and the first of their releases to be done with 3D animation. Though I was late to the party getting to see it, I’ve now watched it numerous times!

Batman and Superman: Battle Of The Super Sons is written by Jeremy Adams and directed by Matt Peters. Before we get into the nitty gritty of the review, I just wanted to talk about the opening sequence for the film, which I adored! It was so true to the comics, regardless of which era of them you prefer. It also acted as the perfect set up for the characters and what they’ve gone through prior to this point in the storyline.

Plot:

Admittedly, I haven’t actually read the series that this film is based on, in fact the only comics I’ve read that feature the Super Sons are after Jon has been aged up. With that it mind it’s hard to judge the plot in comparison to that, however overall I loved the storyline. In a nutshell, the Justice League get taken over by the iconic Starro The Conquerer, and it’s up to Jon and Damien to save them and the rest of the world.

There is some great humour in this film that feels completely natural, but there are also some elements of horror, which I really appreciated. I loved the way that we were taken on a journey with Jon and Damien with their relationship and seeing it grow as the film went on was great to see. There was a real focus on Jonathan finding who he was among all of this chaos, not only that but we also went on that journey with him, which was really rewarding.

Well, this adaptation has made me want to get stuck straight in with the comics, because I adore these two together. I feel we really got to know and care for these two characters in such a short amount of time. I loved the relationships between the Super Sons and their fathers, they were portrayed perfectly and I particularly love the scenes where Clark revealed his identity to Jon, that was a really sweet and beautiful moment.

Animation & Score:

The animation is incredible, I love the 3D animation used in this film, it really is a step up from the previous animation style for the DC animated universe in my opinion. It has a slight anime style to it, which is perfect for this adaptation.

The new animation style really brings the film and characters to life, it adds to the impact of the scenes and really accentuates the combat and action in this film. It is filled with excellent action sequences throughout and at times it felt relentless and we really go through it with the Super Sons. The new animation style also adds a sense of realism to it with the landscapes and atmospheres being so detailed. One of the most impactful scenes for me was the destruction of Krypton – the detail and cinematography was just beautiful during that sequence.

I will say though that some of the character designs felt a little mismatched in some places. For example Superman/Clark had a real Superman: The Animated Series or Ed McGuinness style to him, with a huge torso and skinnier legs. Don’t get me wrong, I love that design, but when you have the other characters in perfect proportion, it just felt a little odd in places. Of course, that is a minute criticism, but one I feel I have to mention.

The score and music for the film was fantastic too, it was by Kristopher Carter, Michael McCuistion and Lolita Ritmanis and it flowed really well with the scenes and characters. It added suspense and hope where it was needed and really invoked emotion for me. I particularly loved the hopeful tones and the homage to John Williams was just perfect.

Voice Cast

The voice cast for Batman and Superman: Battle Of The Super Sons includes Jack Dylan Grazer as Jonathan Kent, Jack Griffo as Damian Wayne, Laura Bailey as Lois Lane, Travis Willingham as Superman and Troy Baker as Batman. Whilst they are totally unique takes on these characters, they are perfect! Laura Bailey is a brilliant Lois Lane, she’s perfectly energetic, charismatic and chaotic at the same time. Travis Willingham was also a great Superman, his tone was different to anything we’ve heard before when it comes to the character. It was a breath of fresh air and gave Superman a slightly younger feel to him.

Troy Baker as Batman was perfect casting, he had that gritty Batman voice down to a tee. The same can be said for Jack Griffo who plays Damian Wayne, he was masterfully moody and arrogant at the same time, which matches the character perfectly. Jack Dylan Grazer was an excellent Jonathan Kent, I really enjoyed what he brought to the character. He was the perfect mix of your average teenage boy with a hint of tenderness, exactly how I imagine Jonathan Kent to be. Both Griffo and Grazer brought the perfect energy to their roles and I truly hope we get to see more of them.

Batman and Superman: Battle Of The Super Sons is a great adaptation of the characters and feels like it has been ripped straight out the comics by Peter J Tomasi and Jorge Jimenez. It was so much fun, great plot, explosive action, fantastic animation and this could just be my favourite animated adaption yet.

Batman and Superman: Battle Of The Super Sons is available to own on DVD, Blu-Ray and on Digital NOW! Use discount code ASPIRINGKRYPTONIAN for 10% off your order.

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