Superman/Batman: Apocalypse ... Opinion (very few spoilers)

[Blackthunder01]

Hey everyone.  In case you didn't know, the next of DC's animated movies came out yesterday.  Superman/Batman: Apocalpse (based on Superman/Batman: Supergirl) was released with the Green Arrow short.  I haven't seen the short (because I'll wait to buy it in the Superman/Shazam movie) but I have seen the movie.  

I thought ...   it was decent.  It not the best movie they've made but definately not the worst.  As expected there were a few rewrites.  Namely the ending.  Most of the rewrites I can deal with because they're kind of expected.  I was very disappointed, however, that the Darkseid Vs. Batman fight wasn't nearly as bad ass as it was in the original material.  There were scenes that were just plain awesome though; such as the Doomsdays fight and anytime the Female Furies were on the screen.  

As far as the voice talent, Darkseid was easily the worst of the movie.  The voice was entirely too soft, too fast, and talked way too much.  Summer Glau did a bang up job on Supergirl (which surprised me).  The return of the Wonder Woman from JLU was brilliant (this is probably the best art/voice combo they've ever had for her).  And I'm not sure how it's possible but Ed Asner seemed to be even better at voicing Granny Goodness than he was in the DCAU.  Frankly, I think he was the best performance in the whole film.  

For the art, the women most definately had that Michael Turner look to them.  The men however were just flat out hideous.  Everyone was squared off like Darkseid (who'se concept I didn't like either).  Batman is the only one to really get away with it mostly because he wear the mask so much.  The Doomsdays just looked too strange.  I don't get why it's so hard to draw that character to look like the comic and not some Pokemon on steroids.  The only other gripe I have is with Ma and Pa Kent who look like they belonged in the wrong era.  I get the reference but it stands out like a sore thumb.

All in all, good story.  The new scenes and rewrites were handled well for the most part.  The art was beauitful for the women and hideous for the men.  The voice acting was essentially great.  I'd give this movie 7.5 out of 10 stars.  Next up is All Star Superman ... not exicted for this at all.

What did you think of it?

Also, if you've scene the Green Arrow short, please let me know what you thought of it...

[Andreas]

This was the worst waste of 1½ hour of my life I have ever experienced, and I mourn that I will never get that time back 

Only interresting sequence in the film was the Batman Darkseid konfrontation. It was a cool twist that the only Superhero who could "beat" Darkseid was batman becourse of the humans inherited talent for destrucktion.

Batman = All your base are belong to him
Sissy superpowered heros = Fail

[Navarre]

Really? Hmm. I enjoyed it more than any of the previous films except for Batman: Under the Red Hood.

[Blackthunder01]

Andreas,

You'd probably have liked it more if they recreated that scene the way it went down in the comics.  Batman was way more "I'M THE GODDAMN BATMAN!!" in it.

[Blackthunder01]

Also just want to throw out that Superman/Shazam comes out today.  I'm getting my copy from Best Buy ($13) after work today.  I can't wait to see this for 2 reasons:

1. Black Adam.  (nuff said)
2. Arnold Vosolu (Imotep from The Mummy) is voicing Black Adam.

  As soon as I get to seeing it, I'll probably do a post.  TTYL peeps!

[Navarre]

I won't get to see Superman/Shazam until it's available on NetFlix. Apparently, that isn't until December 7th. drat

I thought the characterization in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse was fine. As much as I like Supergirl (and that's a lot), it seemed to be a slam against Darkseid that he kept hitting her with his omega beams and she kept getting back up. I thought they were more powerful than that?

[Blackthunder01]

I won't get to see Superman/Shazam until it's available on NetFlix. Apparently, that isn't until December 7th. drat

I thought the characterization in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse was fine. As much as I like Supergirl (and that's a lot), it seemed to be a slam against Darkseid that he kept hitting her with his omega beams and she kept getting back up. I thought they were more powerful than that?

Indeed.  Darkseid was a massive failure to me.  I was under the impression that Superman was one of the few who could stand up to them and live to tell the tale.  In the comics, she was supposed to be "vaporized" by them ... or at least seen to be.  I hate the new ending they wrote because it essentially means that someone eligible for the Teen Titans just schooled one of the universes big bads going full steam.  What's next?  Plastic Man defeats Doomsday?

[Navarre]

It was the part that bothered me the most. I don't know why they changed that scene. Maybe it was a time factor, as all DC animateds seem to run right at 75 minutes.

I mean, I don't want to see Kara all messed up by Darkseid but, still, we need to be realistic about the power difference.

[Blackthunder01]

They could have had Clark throw down with him for the same ammount of time though.  I really wanted to see him get chucked into the Source Wall and Superman do a This. Ends. Now. moment. 

[Navarre]

Clark mostly got pwned. Even after his "Hey, I'm a hurricane of fists and eyebeams!" Darkseid was pretty much laughing him off.

Gotta say that move where Supergirl tricked the omega beams into hitting Darkseid himself was pretty sweet. 

[Blackthunder01]

Very sweet move indeed.  However it does bother me that Darkseid would put himself in a position to hit himself with the Omega Beams.  He was just standing there directing them (instead of firing them off then returning to battle) and steered them right towards himself. 

This was supposed to be one of Superman's big victories over Darkseid.  I missed not seeing it.

[Navarre]

Pheh, yeah. Supes didn't get a victory of Darkseid. He looked pretty pathetic. It was Supergirl who held her own and tricked Darkseid...twice.

[Andreas]

Really? Hmm. I enjoyed it more than any of the previous films except for Batman: Under the Red Hood.

OK, I might have been a bit hard on it. Some of the Big Barda stuff was okay aswell.
.... It's just.... when I see that stupid Superdog, I just wanna....

Wil have to watch "Under the Red Hood" thou.

[Navarre]

Wil have to watch "Under the Red Hood" thou.

You definitely need to watch Under the Red Hood.

It's not without flaws. They basically telegraph the entire plot but they sort of needed to for new viewers. They had to explain Nightwing a little for new readers as well and they didn't do a good job at all in capturing his character.

But I feel it was the best of the Batman animated movies and one of the best DC animated movies overall. Best of all, no Krypto!

Sadly, I told my roommate I'd rented Superman/Batman: Apocalypse from NetFlix (which I was planning to watch alone anyway). He is not a comic book reader and his first question was "When are they bringing in Krypto? I always liked Superman's dog."

To my credit in self-control, my roommate is still alive today.

[Blackthunder01]

  I like Krypto.