On the cusp of his birthday, Jonathan Kent – the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane – discovers he has heat vision. This startling revelation leads his parents to reveal the full truth, which they have previously kept a secret, that Jonathan’s father is the most famous super hero on the planet.
With Jonathan suddenly having many questions, and Clark keen to know when his son will manifest other abilities, the pair head off to Gotham City to meet with Batman. The Caped Crusader has plenty of technology on hand in the Batcave to analyse Jonathan, and is more than happy to run some tests.
While at the Batcave, Jonathan meets Batman’s son, Damien. The two interact, but their initial meeting is less than perfect, largely due to Damien’s acerbic attitude.
However, the pair soon learn to move beyond any minor disagreements when they are forced to work together to save the planet. The parasitic alien known as Starro has taken over the minds of the Justice League, leaving Damien and Jonathan as Earth’s last line of defence.
But with Jonathan working from a limited power set, and Damien not much of a team player, this new dynamic duo have their work cut out for them. And to make matters even worse, if they go up against the Justice League, this also means trading blows with their dads – not an easy feat when that means tackling Superman and Batman.
Directed by Matt Peters, Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons features the vocal talents of Jack Dylan Grazer, Jack Griffo, Troy Baker, Travis Willingham, and Laura Bailey. The film is the latest entry in Warner Bros.’ long-running series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies, is now available to watch in the US, and will be arriving on digital and Blu-ray in the UK from next week.
Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons is action-packed, filled with great set pieces, has a fairly playful tone, and is a lot of fun. If you’re a comic book fan or you simply adore the Super Sons, then you will find much to enjoy in this new film.
But be warned Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons has one significant problem: The animation. While the character designs are fine, and the colour palette is bright and dynamic, the way the movie is animated is a little off-putting, and it takes some getting used to.
Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons is fully computer generated, and at times when characters are moving, the whole thing looks as if it has been knocked up on the cheap. Parts of it (but not all of it) feel reminiscent of old school flash animation from the mid-‘00s, and this is a real shame.
But if you can look beyond this issue, there is a lot to like in this film. Jonathan and Damien prove to be a fine pairing (something which comic book fans are already aware of) and pitting them against Starro and a mind-controlled Justice League, proves to be a great introduction for this duo.
Throw in a cameo from Krypto, a couple of nods to Superman: The Movie (1978), and a few humorous lines here and there, and this film isn’t bad at all. It sets off on the right foot, presents two likeable leads, and could easily be the beginning of a whole series of Super Sons movies.
Will we get to see more Super Sons adventures? I hope so; but there’s been no official word from Warner Bros., so it’s a case of waiting to see.
Personally, I’d use this film as a pilot and then create a television series as a follow-up, rather than go down the sequel route; but sadly, these things aren’t up to me. Of course, if they were, I’d alter the animation style too.
However, the key thing here is that this film creates a good starting point for more stories, while remaining entertaining in its own right. It also has ‘youthful’ appeal, with the two central characters being of a similar age range to this film’s intended audience, which in turn should usher in plenty of newcomers to the DC Universe.
As for us old-timers, there’s enough nods and general geekery in here to remain appealing. Sure, the story is fairly basic, and offers little surprises to long-time fans, but it still should hit the spot for those wanting a touch of escapism.
While Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons isn’t the greatest animated DC movie of all-time, and it has a long-winded title (it should just be called ‘Super Sons’, right?), it is decent stuff. If you keep up with the DCUAOM collection then this is another fun entry and one which the younger members of the family – specifically the teen crowd – should enjoy the most.
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