Superman-Batman: Public Enemies

Title: Superman-Batman: Public Enemies

Distributor: Warner Premiere/Warner Home Video
Release Date: 09/29/2009
Rating: PG-13
Price: $19.98 / $24.98 / $35.99
Runtime: 77 minutes

Writer: Stan Berkowitz
Director: Sam Liu

In the not so strange, parallel world of Superman-Batman Public Enemies, the stock market has crashed, riots run rampant like clockwork, the housing market bubble bursts, and tent lots house the lost and downtrodden. Then the world is turned upside down. Lex Luthor wins his third party bid for President of the United States of America. In his inauguration speech, President Luthor states, "No one is above the law."

Superman-Batman Public Enemies is an adaptation of the popular graphic novel by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. As the herald of survival, Luthor vows to stop an impending meteor set on a collision course with Earth. However, Superman and Batman stand up against the reformed villain and refuse to work with him. A villain is a villain. Their hunch is right but Luthor launches a scandal that turns the World's Finest into enemies of the state. As the duo races to save the world, they have to fight villains and heroes, alike. Executive producer, Bruce Timm reunites a trio of voice actors from Batman and Superman: The Animated Series: Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, and Clancy Brown.

The story begins with Superman, hardened from years of fighting Lex Luthor, death, and rebirth. He refuses to volunteer to fight in the name of the government. Meanwhile, Luthor learns about a Kryptonite meteor that will land on Earth in seven days and cause unheard of devastation. He decides to kill two birds with one stone and enacts a plot to turn the world against Superman.

After surviving a battle against Metallo, Superman and Batman regroup and try to gather intelligence on the meteor only to encounter a swarm of super villains bent on revenge and greed. Meanwhile, a squad of heroes led by Black Lightning arrive mid-battle with a federal warrant for Superman's arrest. The duo turn the heroes toward their cause after one of their own, Major Force, is revealed to be the real killer of Metallo.

Batman and Superman are forced to confront Luthor and demand the data on the meteor directly. Thanks to Amanda Waller, advisor to the President, they race to Japan to launch a robot built by Toyman to destroy the meteor. However, Luthor, driven further insane by injections of steroids and Kryptonite, tries to stop their efforts. Batman makes the ultimate sacrifice and mans the robot himself. Superman ends Luthor's reign of terror and launches into space to find Batman safe and sound. Knowing Toyman, he's probably built in some contingencies, he has an I.Q. of 210, after all. The tale ends with Lois Lane arriving and Superman invites Batman to dinner but the Dark Knight pulls his infamous disappearing act.

As the sixth installment of the hit DC Universe direct to video movie series, the direct-to-video animation Superman-Batman Public Enemies elevates the series' quality and excitement to a higher level. The staff presents the reoccurring theme of morality through the eyes of a modern day event: the global recession. But those seeking another feast of the eyes, this movie is also for you. From the Metallo battle, the super villain free for all, heroes vs. heroes, to the classic Superman vs. Lex Luthor, the battle sequences are full of action, are well-paced between exposition, and every punch is felt!

And for those that want something that's just plain wrong, there's a kiss between two people you wouldn't expect (No, it's not between Batman and Superman). It's been awhile since I've been a 13-year-old boy, but the Powergirl and Toyman dynamic isn't that far fetched and was funny to me. Yeah. With a combination of action, shock, humor, and intrigue, Superman-Batman Public Enemies is an instant hit in my book.

As opposed to previous movies that included a strong comic book influence such as Superman - Doomsday or Justice League: New Frontier, I avoided reading the original source material produced by Loeb and McGuinness, and approached this as a purely DCU animated movie. I found myself pleasantly happier with the final product than I normally am (We all know you should have included the scene where King Faraday gassed Vandal Savage in New Frontier, Mr. Timm). Ultimately, I was satisfied and found myself with extra reading anyway (There were also a lot of characters. Manhunter, anyone? No? Black Spider?).