Review: Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons

Hey, do you remember the last time there was a DC animated movie, and how appalling it was? Yeah, Green Lantern: Beware My Power was an unmitigated disaster, wasn’t it? There were many things to learn from that, that hopefully Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons could fix in this outing.

There’s a definite change in animation, bringing an CG animation style that is more akin to Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero instead of the more traditional DC animated offerings. I think it’s better animated than the Dragon Ball offering, especially with the throwback stylings of the opening credits showing Clark and Lois starting their family. Oddly, I find it pretty hilarious that they don’t show how Damien was born.

That said, I think the animation is pretty well done, considering the only other movie animated like this looked like a video game that came out almost five years ago. One great example is when the Kents and Batman make their way to the Batcave after meeting up in Gotham. The way the camera pans, zooms, and rotates makes the scene shine, especially with Jonathan running all over this. At this point, it’s currently roughly 25 minutes in, and I’m enjoying Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons so much more than Green Lantern: Beware my Power.

There’s one thing I have to say. In this continuity, how in the hell does Jonathan Kent, The Daily Planet, and most of world not know the walking barrel that is named Clark Kent is not Superman? This guy makes most men look like twigs in this movie. The design choices of Clark Kent did not really get any favors done.

Using Starro, the main villain for The Suicide Squad, was a bold choice. I think this would have been better suited if this came out last year. Character placement is almost important as product placement for brand synergy, and I think that having the two come together at roughly the same time would have been better off. I’m not saying that it was a bad choice at all, but I think that releasing Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons would have benefitted the movie a bit better.

But this Invasion of the Body Snatchers style story was different. This goes back to tropes being used in the DC animated line of movies. I believe the last time I saw it was in Justice League vs. Teen Titans. While they’re different types of mind control, it fills a very similar niche

The movie kicks in after an extended scene with Jonathan Kent spending time with both Lois and Clark, but we get a pretty cool nod to movies like Alien. Green Arrow was in the Watchtower, and it turned into a quick “what the hell is that?” moment. I like the nod. It makes me feel that the writers are connected and things actually exist. This continues later on, when Batman and Superman investigate the Watchtower after finally getting in contact with Green Arrow. The feeling is as close to a horror movie here as a DC animated movie can really get away with.

Seeing Jonathan’s self-discovery was pretty fun to watch. It’s a pretty tried and true trope in animated movies involving pre-teens, but it works when written well. And this is surprisingly well written. Seeing some of the crap he goes through is a reminder for a lot of people. Being a nerd who really isn’t all that great at sports, a father who’s absent because of work, even getting bullied by the school neanderthal and just trying to find their way in the world are all things we needed to get through.

But the surprise joy in this movie is Damien. This little shit makes the movie. So much time is spent with Jonathan and his Superman-ish way of things. Getting time with Damien’s more brooding self is a relief. I’m digging Jack Griffo’s portrayal a lot more than the previous voice actor, Stuart Allan. That’s not to say he’s bad, by any means. I just think that Griffo’s portrayal fits this movie a lot more. Giving Damien a bit more of a gruff voice to juxtapose against Jack Dylan Grazer’s more exuberant Jonathan.

I got to say, seeing Krypto The Superdog was amazing. You don’t see him very often outside of that god awful cartoon from Cartoon Network, or the DC’s League of Super-Pets. Watching Krypto guard the Fortress of Solitude, making me wonder whether Krypto was infected was god damn awesome. Also, goes to show how much an alien dog would give the Boy Wonder trouble if Krypto would go ham on him. I must say, the writers for Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons really did pull out all of the stops.

I’ve got to say. I thought that the switch to CG was going to suck. I thought the writing was going to suck. I thought the slight restart of this universe (or possibly different universe…it isn’t really explained) would suck. But, let me tell you. I was pleasantly surprised. Coming off of a very lackluster Green Lantern: Beware my Power, I was expecting another shit movie. But there were improvements all around.

The animation was top notch, and the movie made sense. There wasn’t a bunch of bullshit cobbled together, making the movie a pile of nonsense. This is all I can ask for. Is it on the level of Throne of Atlantis, or Batman vs. Robin? No, it isn’t even close. However, as as reintroduction to a possibly quality story, I’m in all in. This is the DC animated movie I want.