DC League of Super Pets Review
Tonight, Captain Kaye reviews the latest animated flick from Warner Bros. and starring Dwayne The Rock Johnson, Kevin Hart, Kate McKinnon, and John Krasinski, among others, DC: League of Super Pets!
DC League of Super-Pets is an animated superhero comedy film based on the DC Comics team LEGION of Super-Pets. Directed by Jared Stern in his theatrical directorial debut, from a screenplay he co-wrote with John Whittington, it follows Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman, a pair of inseparable friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime side-by-side in Metropolis. However, when the Man of Steel and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a ragtag group of animals to master their own newfound powers for a rescue mission.
"Excited" is a strong word, but I've always been curious about this project, ever since it was announced back in 2018. DC has such a wonderful roster of animal superheroes, that I'm surprised it's taken this long since Krypto the Superdog ended for him to reclaim the spotlight. Now, while the marketing didn't exactly give this the best first impression, I'm pleasantly surprised by the finished product.
Let's begin by getting the nitpicks out of the way. None of what I'm about to say really matters to anyone outside of the hardcore fans, but I figured I should at least throw them a bone (no pun intended). Ace the Bat-Hound is usually depicted on the page as a German Shepherd, but his design in the film was altered seemingly to match the stature of his voice actor Kevin Hart. There is a cat featured in the film who serves as a foil to the team, but they do not go by Streaky the Supercat. And finally, a few notable omissions to the team include Detective Chimp, Beppo the Super-Monkey, Rex the Wonder Dog, Hoppy the Marvel Bunny, Talky Tawny, and Bat-Cow.
With all that out of the way, here's why the movie works. When you boil it all down, it's an emotionally grounded coming-of-age story that starts with each character's wants, and ends with their needs. For example, what Krypto wants is Kel-El's undivided love and attention, but what he needs is to expand his world by making new friends. This is a great lesson not just for kids, but for everyone.
Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson is a great entertainer, but he doesn’t have the widest range as an actor. That being said, his most recent voiceover rolls have given him the opportunity to stretch his chops, and it doesn't hurt that he already has great chemistry with his co-lead Kevin Hart. And the rest of the supporting cast is stacked, including John Krasinski as Superman, Vanessa Bayer as PB, Natasha Lyonne as Merton McSnurtle, Diego Luna as Chip, and Kate McKinnon as Lulu, a hairless guinea pig who serves as the main antagonist.
I said the story was emotionally grounded, but the plot is still aimed at a younger audience. Lulu was a test subject at LexCorp, who get a hold of orange Kryptonite, gains superpowers, kidnaps the Justice League, and amasses an army of guinea pigs to help her take over the world. I don't blame you if you think any of that sounds a bit too ridiculous, because it is. During the Silver Age of comics, stories like this were literally a dime a dozen, and the writers are well aware of that! I love how much the film earnestly embraces that era, from the character and background designs to the wonderful comic accurate superhero nameplates. What's cool about this iteration of the Justice League is that it's a roster combining old school and new school members. Obviously, the Trinity remains in tact, followed by Aquaman and The Flash, and rounded out by Cyborg and Jessica Cruz as the Green Lantern.
The only thing that really stops this from being great is the inciting incident. I understand that you have to have a way to get from point A to point B, but it's just unfair that Lois Lane is used as seldom more than an obstacle that separates Krypto from his owner. Fortunately, the film does recover once the team gets assembled, but it is a roadblock nonetheless.
For a first time director, Jared Stern did a bang up job here! I could already tell from The Lego Batman Movie that he and John Whittington shared a love for the DC Universe, and this was another great outlet to express that love. The score composed by Steve Jablonsky is wonderful, and if you're a Taylor Swift fan, you can thank this movie for the release of Bad Blood (Taylor's Version). Oh, and one more thing: stay through the credits, as we have both a mid and post credits scene, one of which may or may not change the hierarchy of the DC Universe
DC League of Super-Pets is now playing in theaters! Have you seen the movie yet, and if so what did you think? Drop your comments below, and I look forward to our discussion!
