Movie Review: Superman vs. The Elite Dan Koelsch, March 17, 2012March 17, 2012 As I’ve mentioned many times, Superman is my favorite superhero. While this could make me biased to think that any Superman project is automatically decent, but as a fan, I care about the treatment this hero of heroes. That’s why I was both excited and nervous to see Warner Premiere’s Superman Vs. The Elite last night at WonderCon. Despite the track record of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies, this was my first solo Superman film of the series. Read my full review after the break. The plot of the film is taken from the Action Comics story “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?”, which the film’s screenwriter Joe Kelly wrote as well. Directed by Michael Chang, Superman vs. The Elite asks the question: “Is Superman (and his values) still relevant in today’s world?” The film starts with Superman taking down the villain Atomic Skull and turning him over to authorities. The UN and the public openly question why Superman didn’t just kill Skull when he had a chance. When Superman goes to the Middle East to help out in a dispute that’s erupted, a new group of superheroes help him out. However, they are young, brash, and eager to kill those in the wrong. They eventually call themselves The Elite, and the public favors them over Superman. After a turn of events, The Elite try to kill Superman in an epic climatic fight.I’m not one to mince words, so I’m just going to come out and say this movie is simply awesome. I love the pacing; there’s a good mix of character scenes and action sequences. All the voices are just right, and The Elite, headed by Manchester Black (voiced by the amazing Robin Atkin Downes) are a badass group. There’s some great twists and turns, and even a bit of cursing and sexual innuendo for us grown ups.At the heart of this film, however, is that question of Superman’s relevance, and it works here on so many levels. We have become a harder people, looking more for retribution than justice, especially in the wake of events of September 11th, 2001. The US has turned terrorists into animals, and some say we’ve lost our way in our efforts to protect ourselves and stop them. The people in the film are similar, with the film even mentioning terrorism and having a Rush Limbaugh-like personality. Is it morally justified to kill bad people in order to prevent them from escaping capture? When said villain vaporizes innocent bystanders with radiation, it’s easy to understand why the public shifted loyalties to The Elite.The question of Superman’s relevance has also been a topic of pop culture since gritty superheroes have become more popular and realistic in this post-9/11 world. The success of a darker Batman in various media, as well as the X-Men movies seems to support this assumption. There hasn’t been a quality Superman film since the 70s, and the road to bring one of the most recognized names to the big screen has been tumultuous to say the least. Is there room in Hollywood for a goody two-shoes superhero?Without giving away too much, the film answers both of these questions of Superman’s relevance with a resounding “YES”. However, to find out how it all goes down, you’ll have to see for yourself. Pick up the Blu-ray of Superman Vs. The Elite when it hits stores on June 12th. Until then, you can follow the film on Facebook to see the trailer and get more updates.Rating: 4.5/5 Comic-Con Conventions Events Reviews Movie ReviewSupermanSuperman Vs. The EliteWondercon
WonderCon 2011 Recap and Gallery April 6, 2011While WonderCon celebrated its 25th Anniversary this weekend, MovieViral celebrated its first year covering it live from the event. After the break see some of photos and video I took, as well as my overall thoughts on the comic book convention. Read More
C2E2 2012: Pictures From The Floor April 17, 2012Just like that, C2E2 is over. I had a great time. The atmosphere was tremendous, with everyone having a great time geeking out in their own way. Like most conventions, there simply is not enough time to see and do everything you would like, and that certainly proved to be… Read More
ViralCast #13 – Harry Potter, Comic-Con and Much More! July 20, 2009July 21, 2009This week on ViralCast, Matt, Kevin and I discuss and review the new Harry Potter (spoilers) movie, what to expect and look forward to at Comic-Con 2009, DC Comics upcoming and current projects, and so much more. Make sure you check out the MovieViral.com Official Forum and FusedFilm.com. Download the… Read More
I picked up Action Comics #775 years ago & while the cover didn’t reflect at all the epic level of its contents, it is one of the best Superman stories ever published and my fervent wish at the time was it be turned into a movie. I got my wish when I saw the trailer last week. I can’t wait until June to see how the story translates into film. DCAU features since Superman: Doomsday have content fit for live action films. The story depicted in Action Comics #775 is no exception.
I picked up Action Comics #775 years ago & while the cover didn’t reflect at all the epic level of its contents, it is one of the best Superman stories ever published and my fervent wish at the time was it be turned into a movie. I got my wish when I saw the trailer last week. I can’t wait until June to see how the story translates into film. DCAU features since Superman: Doomsday have content fit for live action films. The story depicted in Action Comics #775 is no exception.