FILM REVIEW: Legion Of Super-Heroes
‘Legion Of Super-Heroes’ is a great time, with accurate character representation, plenty of action and twists & turns along the way. This was a great introduction to The Legion in the DC Animated Universe and I cannot wait to see more of them.
‘Legion Of Super-Heroes’ is DC and Warner Bros. Animation’s latest film and it continues a hugely successful line of predecessors. Firstly, I am very glad that this is The Legion’s time to shine and I would absolutely love to see more of this team in action.
Story
The story was written by Josie Campbell and directed by Jeff Wamester and it was solid, it follows Supergirl as she undergoes training with the Legion after giving Batman and Superman reason to believe she isn’t ready or cut out for this superhero business. Things get off on the wrong foot with some of the members and after some go missing, suspicions rise and it’s up to Supergirl to find out the truth. There are some excellent and unexpected twists and turns along the way, mixed with excellent action and some true heroic moments as expected of a film of this nature.
‘Legion Of Super-Heroes’ is a great introduction to these characters and it’s sure to prompt anyone who sees it to do more research behind the source material for them. It was great to see some of the lesser known members of The Legion interact and play quite a big role in this film, and it’s safe to say they really had their time to shine.
I absolutely adored the exploration of Krypton in this film, it’s very rare we get to see the true atmospheres and technology of it in this much depth, but it was a joy to see. It’s also rare that we get to see Krypton and its destruction from Supergirl’s perspective, especially in terms of the relationship with her mother, it was a really emotional moment that played a great part in the film.
Voice Cast
The film has a great cast which include; Meg Donnelly as Supergirl, Harry Shum Jr as Brainiac 5, Darren Criss as Superman, Jensen Ackles as Batman plus many more. Though we have seen Darren Criss and Jensen Ackles in these roles before, it was great to see them back, each take on the characters perfectly and added a sense of familiarity to the film.
Meg Donnelly was great as Supergirl, I really loved her take on the character and she played it so well. Whilst Supergirl is technically a teenager and full of attitude, Donnelly was able to bring that plus a more valiant and emotional take on her. There were some very genuine and humorous moments for her in this film, especially when she’s adjusting to life on Earth. It was great to see more of a focus on her and it was also great to see the very sweet dynamic between her and Superman.
Harry Shum Jr really brought Brainiac 5 to life, he really FOUND a voice for him, whilst there was a robotic hint, which was expected there was also a sense of sincerity behind it. It was great to see their relationship blossom after he finds he has a lot more in common with Supergirl than he initially thought.
Animation, Cinematography & Score
The animation style is excellent, I know a lot of people are skeptical around this new style, but I absolutely adore it. It’s perfect for a superhero blockbuster like this and it’s perfect for action sequences, which this film is full of. I have to give an honourable mention to the final showdown, which was epic and really enjoyable to watch.
The cinematography is great too, the atmospheres of space and some of the planets we visit within the film are full of details. The opening sequence in particular is stunning and sometimes it’s easy to forget that it is an animated feature with this level of detail. Not to mention the fact that small details such as the clink of Batman’s Batarang really benefit from this animation style.
The score by Kevin Riepl is brilliant, there are moments of hope, emotion and optimism and in moments of danger and action the score goes a long way to heighten the stakes and tension. It really adds to the emotion and the atmosphere of the film and adds a real cinematic feel to it.
‘Legion Of Super-Heroes’ is a great time, with accurate character representation, plenty of action and twists & turns along the way. This was a great introduction to The Legion in the DC Animated Universe and I cannot wait to see more of them.
‘Legion Of Super-Heroes’ is out on digital, DVD and Blu-Ray and Steelbook on 7th February.
