You could be forgiven if you have lost track of the number of times that Superman has been adapted into an animated film, not to mention his various live-action movies and television shows. We last saw the character earlier this year in the epic conclusion to the DC Animated Universe series of films, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War. The film was a thrilling conclusion to a long-running storyline that connected the films of many different characters. After years of building continuity, DC is taking the opportunity to try something a little different in Chris Palmer’s Superman: Man of Tomorrow. The film gives us the Superman origin story that we all know with some fresh updates that should pique the interest of established fans while serving as the perfect entry point for newcomers to the library of DC animated films.
The film begins with acclimating the audience to the inner-turmoil within young Clark Kent, who gets really upset when a friend expresses disgust at the thought of aliens while watching an old sci-fi flick. Clark already knows he is different, and he is worried that no one will ever be able to accept him for who he truly is besides his loving parents, Jonathan (Neil Flynn, Scrubs) and Martha (Bellamy Young, Scandal). This feeling follows him into young adulthood as Clark (Darren Criss) interns at the Daily Planet as a first-rate “coffee boy” with grand aspirations. During a press conference for a rocket launch at Lexcorp, the brilliant Lex Luthor (Zachary Quinto) is confronted and exposed as a fraud by the intrepid, young grad student Lois Lane (Alexandra Daddario). At the same time, the rocket launch goes astray which leads Clark, not yet Superman, to showcase his abilities beneath a crude disguise in order to save the day. Clark never intended to put himself out into the world as a hero, but with the story of the “flying man” circulating and impending otherworldly entities on the horizon, he may not have a choice.
While Clark is an alien with a subdued demeanor and a strong moral compass, he soon meets his nearly complete opposite in the form of the raucous Czarnian bounty hunter Lobo (Ryan Hurst, Sons of Anarchy). This is a character who brings a real sense of levity to the proceedings as he behaves outrageously in the pursuit of the last Kryptonian. A thrilling battle ensues between the two upon his arrival, which unexpectedly causes the creation of the real adversary of the film, Parasite, who can steal the energy of whoever he touches. Clark must eventually team up with Lobo, and a furloughed-from-prison Lex Luthor, to take down Parasite, but not before he assumes his destined identity. In a truly exciting turn, it is Martian Manhunter who appears to help Clark understand where he came from and guide him to becoming Superman. As a huge fan of Martian Manhunter, I love the ways in which he is used in this film as something of a mentor to Clark. There is a lot of story packed into the under 90-minute film, but the movie does a beautiful job of keeping things exciting while allowing for some emotionally fulfilling character moments.
The tweaks that Superman: Man of Tomorrow makes to the character’s story and setting are completely satisfying within the context of the narrative. Even within a more modern time period, you completely buy in to how Clark interacts with the world at large. It is satisfying seeing Clark become Superman and discover the intricacies of his abilities. Clark was always afraid of revealing his true nature to the world, but, as well all know, he was destined to be something of a savior. I was completely enamored with the majority of the voice cast, especially Darren Criss as our hero. Criss provides a gentle, slightly inexperienced nobility that serves the character perfectly at this point in his life. The film is aesthetically a knockout with its gorgeous, clean designs and bold character flourishes. This film is bright and extremely fun, especially with Lobo in the mix, which is exactly what I want from a Superman tale this year. The action on display in this film is inventive and thrilling with high stakes that keep you on the edge of your seat. Lois and Clark have some lovely interactions, but we really need more time to let their dynamic grow into what we know it should be. While I do not need this to be the start of a new animated universe, I would be delighted if we got another installment with the version of the character.
Video Quality
Superman: Man of Tomorrow comes to 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a 2160p transfer that is super crisp with an eye-popping amount of depth. This disc provides some nice improvements over the Blu-Ray in certain areas including more vivid, natural colors and the elimination of any digital artifacting. The use of HDR yields some very pleasing enhancements to the dynamic colors on display, and the disc provides much deeper black levels for a cleaner viewing experience free of black crush. This new animation style offers up very clean layouts and bold outlines, and this disc provides excellent line detail and more distinct shading, which gives the characters greater definition. The Blu-Ray disc looks great, but those with a larger display will likely find the 4K UHD Blu-Ray a more enjoyable experience.
Audio Quality
This release boasts a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that more than gets a workout during this fight-heavy film. There is an immense amount of activity in the low-end which will cause your room to shake pretty consistently throughout this presentation. Dialogue is often accompanied by a heroic score from Kevin Reipl or all manner of sound effects, but all of the information comes through clearly without getting muddied. The track engages all of the channels with panning effects and sounds of destruction that really makes you feel like you are in the thick of the action. Warner Bros. knew what they were doing with this track, so those with a good surround sound setup should have fun with this one.
Special Features
- Lobo – Natural Force of Chaos: A ten-minute look at “The Main Man” with Screenwriter Tim Sheridan, artists Jon Bogdanove and Bernard Chang, DC Daily host Hector Navarro, voice actor Ryan Hurst, and other participants. The piece tracks the character from his debut to his evolution over the decades with different designs and a surge in popularity. This is an excellent primer on the character that steals the show in the film.
- Martian Manhunter – Lost & Found: A nine-minute look at one of my personal favorites with many of the same participants in which they give a deep dive into the character. There are some interesting comparisons to Superman, explorations of the resonant themes that go along with the character and an overview of some of his depictions over the years. This is a character that has long been underappreciated, in my opinion.
- A Sneak Peek at DC Universe’s Next Animated Movie: An early 12-minute look at the forthcoming Batman: Soul of the Dragon featuring interviews with Bruce Timm, producer Jim Krieg, director Sam Liu and more. This features some rough animation, but the story itself looks like a blast with its 70s-inspired kung-fu flavor. The adventure features Richard Dragon, Ben Turner, Lady Shiva, O-Sensei and more fun characters. With a cast featuring Michael Jai White and Kelly Hu, this is one to keep an eye out for.
- Previews: There are in-depth previews of the previously released Justice League vs. The Fatal Five and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. If you are a huge DC fan, you likely already own them, but give them a watch if you missed out on these.
- From the DC Vault: Two standard-definition episodes from the classic Superman: The Animated Series are featured here, “The Main Man, Parts I and II,” featuring Lobo. This is a series that I really look forward to getting an HD upgrade in the near future.
Final Thoughts
Superman: Man of Tomorrow is an excellent next step in the DC Animated Universe stable of films. The creative team finds a way to take a character we all know and love and approaches his story in a fresh way. The movie is perfectly paced with exciting action, compelling vocal performances and stunning animation. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a stupendous A/V presentation and some fun special features. Any DC fan is going to want to add this one to their collection. Highly Recommended
Superman: Man of Tomorrow is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray Combo Pack, Blu-Ray Combo Pack and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.