Superman: Unbound

Superman: Unbound - Dir. James Tucker (2013)

Since 2007, Warner Premiere has been producing a line of direct-to-video animated films based on DC Comics' extensive library of characters. They've actually have a better track record at bringing to life superheroes like Green Lantern and Wonder Woman than WB's live-action division. Lately, they have released some of their best pictures yet with Justice League: Doom and the much-anticipated 2-part adaptation of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. Their latest effort is Superman: Unbound, which is scheduled to be released in May and was recently screened at WonderCon.

Unbound is based on a five-issue story arc by Geoff Johns with art by Gary Frank and taking place in Action Comics #866 through #870. The film opens with Superman (Matt Bomer) and Supergirl (Molly Quinn) flying through Metropolis in an attempt to rescue Lois Lane (Stana Katic) from a group of armed men. From there, the Man of Steel has a heart-to-heart talk with his cousin about her difficulties in adapting to life on Earth. Superman is also having relationship problems with Lois. Before those can be ironed out, Kal-El speeds off to the desert to investigate a robot that crash landed from space. He takes the remains back to the Fortress of Solitude where Supergirl recognizes it as a drone belonging to Brainiac (John Noble). A fusion of flesh and machine, Brainiac collects all the knowledge of a world, shrinks one of its cities to keep as a specimen, and then destroys the entire planet. Long ago, he came to Krypton and took the city of Kandor. Supergirl and her parents barely escaped. Rather than wait for Brainiac's arrival, Superman decides to take the fight to him.

Warner Premiere has struggled working within the limitation of their budget. This has resulted in many movies being released with truncated run times. In some cases, the films barely break the hour mark (Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Batman: Year One). Although, Superman: Unbound runs 76 minutes, it never plays like huge chunks are missing. In fact, the film feels a lot longer than it is. The script by Bob Goodman (who also adapted Dark Knight Returns) goes deeper in exploring Superman's relationships with Supergirl and Lois Lane. The main characters are fully realized in spite of their relatively short screen time. For all his powers, Superman still has trouble figuring out Lois. Meanwhile, Lois is depicted as quick-witted and fiercely independent, hardly the typical damsel in distress though she regularly gets into trouble. Unbound also earns a PG-13 because of a rude gesture Lois flashes at Brainiac. Supergirl has all the complexities of a teenage girl topped off with super-strength and heat vision.

The animation doesn't look cheap at all and the art style doesn't resemble one used in previous pictures or of Gary Frank's artwork from the original comics. The style has a slight anime influence. Unbound is action-packed as the title refers to a rare instance where Superman faces an enemy formidable enough that he doesn't have to hold back. Brainiac is a creepy foe that is Superman's match both physically and mentally.

The cast is one of the finest assembled by voice director Andrea Romano. Matt Bomer and Castle stars Molly Quinn and Stana Katic are perfect in their roles and it helps that they could portray them in a live-action version. John Noble of Fringe fame is excellent as Brainiac with a booming voice full of menace and arrogance. Rounding out the ensemble are Frances Conroy as Martha Kent, Wade Williams as Perry White, Stephen Root as Supergirl's father Zor-El, and Diedrich Bader as the Daily Planet's resident meathead Steve Lombard.

Superman: Unbound definitely ranks as the best Superman release from DC and Warner as well as one of the best releases in the line.

Rating: *** (*****)

Bolt

Bolt – Dir. Byron Howard & Chris Williams (2008)


Bolt began as the brainchild of Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch). The story involved a dog (the star of a hit TV show) getting lost in the Nevada desert with a one-eyed cat and a mutant rabbit. Sanders left the project after butting heads with Pixar CEO John Lasseter, now in charge of creative for Disney Animation. The final product definitely has touches of the Pixar brand, but doesn’t reach the heights of their last two efforts, Ratatouille and Wall-E.

The eponymous lead character, Bolt, remains the same, a white German Shepherd who believes he has superpowers and everything on his show is real. He’s accidentally shipped to New York City and must make his way back to L.A. in order to rescue his "person," Penny (voiced by teenybopper sensation Miley Cyrus). Along the way, he picks up a sassy street-smart cat, Mittens, played by Susie Essman, best known as the foul-mouthed wife of Jeff Garlin on Curb Your Enthusiasm. She’s essentially a G-rated version of that character. Rounding out the group is a tubby hamster named Rhino who’s even more delusional than Bolt.

The film opens up with a rousing action sequence, a chase through the streets of L.A. It’s wonderfully paced and animated, the type of sequence you might find in a Jerry Bruckheimer production. The rest of the film is derivative of other pictures such as The Truman Show, Incredible Journey, and even Toy Story 2. The cute animals eventually make their way home and Bolt learns he doesn’t need extraordinary abilities to be special. We learn that good old-fashioned, Midwest values are better than those found in gaudy, superficial Hollywood.

Still, Bolt is both entertaining and heartwarming. Unlike the majority of generic CG animated movies, Bolt isn’t relying on snarky pop culture references and stunt casting in its celebrity voice actors. Kids will definitely enjoy themselves and so will the parents and older audience members.

It’s been approximately a decade and a half since Disney’s modern-era glory days of Aladdin, Lion King, Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast. Bolt seems like a step in the right direction and an indication that the House of Mouse is on an upswing. It’s a refreshing treat after the stale taste of flops like Chicken Little and Meet the Robinsons. Hopefully, we’ll see more films like this and less of the awful, needless direct-to-video sequels.

Rating: ***