Review: All-Star Superman DVD
Skwigly
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From director Sam Liu, All-Star Superman is an action packed narrative that’s sure to keep viewers captivated in the DC universe.
Opening on Dr. Leo Quintum and his P.R.O.J.E.C.T. Team on a space mission to the Sun gone dramatically wrong, Superman flies into action and not surprisingly saves the day. However there is a dark shadow thrown over the man of steel. In saving the scientists from certain doom, he exposes himself to extreme levels of energy, a massive radiation of his body that will lead to his ultimate demise. Never one to walk the easy route, Superman is faced with the trials of a hero, encountering friends and foes alike as he tries to clear the stage for a new hero, and tie up loose ends.
Action packed, with decent moments of humour, and overall good pacing, the main plot point in the film is solid. There is an engaging story arc, an ever-escalating battle of wits between the superhero and his mastermind archrival. Superman also faces a new challenge: his own mortality. Even with his time growing short, he continues to show great humility for those around him, seeing to the care of those he loves. Most significantly, he finally reveals his secret identity to Lois, and confesses his true feelings for her. A real treat for avid fans of Superman would be the many character appearances in the film, including: Dr. Leo Quintum, Atlas, Samson, Parasite, Nasthalthia, and Solaris.
Unfortunately in the introduction of all these characters, the second act of the film falters. Originally based on the comic book All-Star Superman, the entire series was shoehorned into roughly seventy-six minutes and this leads to a disjointed feel. The creative fix to this issue comes from clearly exceptional cinematography. As the story progresses and the action increases the cuts become faster, heightening the tension towards the dramatic conclusion.
With any film, music is an intricate part in helping to make it a success and with this feature it’s no different. In the situation of superhero or high intensity action movies music becomes a major player. This movie’s soundtrack is amazing and totally immersive. The timing of the composition is perfect, emphasizing the action on screen to a level that the viewer doesn’t even hear the songs themselves; it’s just one part of a larger experience. The music lends a fittingly epic feel to the situations it’s applied to, providing more creditability to the animation. The production of animation on this film was of the highest quality. With the comic to work from as a basis of development, there is a close similarity in styles between the book and movie. The undertaking to keep the image genuine is successful.
Whether new to the chronicles of Superman or a die-hard fan, this feature is a good nights entertainment. With a respectable plot, an immersive soundtrack, striking cinematography and animation worthy of any comic, the movie is a superhero story not to miss. This film is a straight to video release in both DVD and Blu-ray, including two bonus episodes from Superman: The Animated Series and a preview of the next DCU animated original movie, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. The director Sam Liu has worked on other superhero features such as Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010) and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009).
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