Swooping into its 10th anniversary this summer is the animated super hero movie, Superman: Unbound. The film – directed by James Tucker – made its debut back in 2013, when it was released direct-to-video, as part of the successful collection of DC Universe Animated Original Movies.
In the film, the city of Metropolis is under the watchful eye of Superman, but more recently, the Man of Steel has been joined by his cousin, Supergirl. Although she has only been on Earth a couple of months, and is still trying to adjust to life on another planet, Supergirl does what she can to help Superman in his fight for truth and justice.
But Superman and Supergirl are not the only alien beings on the planet. A new threat has arrived in the shape of an extra-terrestrial cyborg called Brainiac.
While Superman is unfamiliar with Brainiac, Supergirl knows him all too well. Prior to her arrival on Earth, Brainiac paid Supergirl’s home city of Kandor a visit, and left death and destruction in his wake.
Concerned about what Brainiac could do to the planet, Superman sets off to confront the robotic being, while Supergirl takes his place in Metropolis. But what Superman discovers is more than just a cyborg – Brainiac is a scientist and collector, who takes a special interest in all life across the galaxy, and is very keen on studying Earth and its inhabitants.
Clocking in at a slender 75-minutes, Superman: Unbound is a swift, uncomplicated, action-adventure picture, detailing Superman’s first encounter with Brainiac. The movie – which is based on the Superman: Brainiac comic book storyline by Geoff Johns – features the voice talents of Matt Bomer, Stana Katic, Molly Quinn, and John Noble, and is an enjoyable piece which boasts strong visuals.
Unlike a number of DC animated movies, which adapt huge sprawling stories, but cram them into a restrictive timeframe which reduces their impact, Superman: Unbound takes a different stance. It utilises a fairly straight-forward tale, doesn’t attempt to push its narrative beyond its limits, and instead concentrates on presenting plenty of action.
In essence this is a story about Superman learning who Brainiac is, before confronting him and saving the world. There’s an invasion, a battle in Metropolis, and a number of scenes where Superman bashes robots, but this is mostly it.
However, while the slender storytelling might seem like an issue for many films, this simple approach works in Superman: Unbound‘s favour. It gives the movie the opportunity to present a deadly villain in the shape of Brainiac, while allowing the freedom to inject lots of superheroics in between.
And as Brainiac is a villain who is yet to appear in a live-action film, and who doesn’t appear all that often in animated pictures, it is great to see him given a bit of space to be menacing. Brainiac is a fantastic villain, that is criminally underused when it comes to Superman movies, but Superman: Unbound corrects this.
Here, Brainiac is cold, calculating, and both a physical and mental threat to Superman. Why this villain still hasn’t been used in a live-action film is baffling to me, but at least Superman: Unbound utilises him effectively.
Outside of the Superman and Brainiac action, Superman: Unbound offers up an interesting side plot about Supergirl, which focuses on her insecurities and her Brainiac-related PTSD, while the movie also finds a few minutes here and there to discuss the romantic relationship between Lois Lane and Clark Kent. In the film, Lois and Clark have kept their relationship underwraps from their friends and co-workers, and the film highlights the strain this is causing.
These little plot threads add a touch of depth to Superman: Unbound, and ensure it has something to offer other than just endless scenes of spectacle. Superman stories work best when they touch upon human emotions, and Superman: Unbound never forgets this.
In fact, this film is so concerned with showing Superman’s attachment to humanity, that not only do his regular supporting cast of Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White appear in the film, but lesser-known characters such as Ron Troupe and Steve Lombard pop up too. There’s also a little time for Superman’s aunt and uncle, Alura and Zor-El, as well as a small scene with Martha Kent.
What I like best about Superman: Unbound, is that for a stand-alone tale, which has no connection to any other movie, and can be watched irrespective of your knowledge of Superman lore, it feels very much a part of something bigger. Superman: Unbound plays as if it is a chapter in an existing story, which the audience has dropped into, rather than the first entry in a film series that never got off the ground.
Life-long fans of Superman can watch the movie, and instantly feel connected with their favourite hero, as well as the world he lives in. Meanwhile, newcomers will be drawn into the story, as well as the characters, and feel very comfortable with what’s on offer.
And irrespective of where you place yourself on the fandom scale, everyone can appreciate the impressive animation, including the luscious colour palette. Brainiac’s colour scheme just pops off the screen, while his battle ship looks utterly terrifying, and all of the fight sequences are expertly choreographed.
Should you wish to watch Superman: Unbound, the movie is widely available to rent or stream via video-on-demand platforms. Superman: Unbound can also be found on Blu-ray and DVD through all major home video retailers.
While this movie often gets overlooked, usually for more high-profile Superman films such as Superman: Doomsday or All-Star Superman, Superman: Unbound is a great little film. Despite sounding like an S&M event at a local nightclub, Superman: Unbound is a solid picture for those who want some good ol’ fashioned comic book storytelling.
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