With Man of Steel
soaring into theaters this Friday, let’s take a look at the last time Superman
headlined a feature film!
Superman: Unbound
(2013) – These DC Universe Animated Original Movies have been hit or miss
(even though, I concede, I’m a bit biased, albeit with high expectations), and
such has especially been the case with the Superman entries; most recently, All-Star Superman was a win, while Superman vs. the Elite left something to
be desired. Adapting a stellar Geoff
Johns story (but without attempting to replicate Gary Frank’s detailed artwork
as All-Star Superman did with Frank
Quitely’s technique), Superman: Unbound
finds control freak Superman (Matt Bomer) facing off against Brainiac,
collector of worlds (John Noble), with a little help from plucky cousin
Supergirl (Molly Quinn). The film takes
a lot of liberties with the source material, and to mostly good effect;
unfortunately, Pa Kent’s moving role in the book is reduced to an unfortunate
punchline here, but as a result Supergirl gets a bigger part in the movie. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Quinn’s
Supergirl on the big screen, since it’s an engaging portrayal of the Maid of
Might, heroic but frustrated, invincible yet incorrigible; indeed, her
character arc from frightened princess to empowered heroine is in some ways
more compelling than Superman’s epiphany that he doesn’t need to protect
everyone. But it gets Superman to a
fantastic conclusion which takes his relationship with Lois Lane (Stana Katic)
to a wonderful place that the New 52 can only dream of. The voice cast is entirely unoffensive,
though no one really distinguishes themselves beyond effective; sorry, folks –
Tim Daly and Dana Delaney really spoiled me.
That does it for this week’s edition of “Monday at the
Movies.” We’ll see you here next week!
Monday, June 10, 2013
Monday at the Movies - June 10, 2013
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