[Editor’s note: This review may contain spoilers!]
Directed By: Sam Liu
Written By: Stan Berkowitz
Starring: Clancy Brown, Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, Xander Berkeley, Corey Burton, and Ricardo Chavira
Original Release Date: Sept. 29, 2009
Summary
A kryptonite asteroid is speeding towards Earth with deadly precision, the world’s most dangerous villain is now president of the United States, and a majority of Earth’s heroes and villains want to capture the World’s Finest team! What happens when Batman and Superman find themselves hunted by a Luthor controlled government and the worlds meta humans? Fight back!
Positives
This story was amazing as soon as it starts. Batman/Superman: Public Enemies throws us in a world where America is desperate for leadership. A tough economy leads those less fortunate to desperation, war overseas is rampant, and homelessness is spiraling out of control. Enter Lex Luthor into the realm of politics, who apparently has a solution for everything–and it works. In just a short amount of time Lex Luthor turns around the economy, boosts the American military and brings millions of jobs back to America. Lex becomes a savior in the eyes of the American people. However Superman knows Lex, and he knows that there is something more going on–and apparently he’s right.
Negatives
I don’t have any negatives about Public Enemies. It’s story is well executed and driven throughout, and the bond between Batman and Superman is unbreakable. Here you get a brotherly bond between them that extends past the Justice League. These guys have combinations and moves that they actually use together to take down many opponents throughout the movie. My favorite scene has to be the courtyard scene where Batman and Superman are literally surrounded by some of the worst villains of the DC Universe.
Verdict
This movie will be a classic in my eyes as far as DC animated movies goes. Although you don’t have the presence of the entire Justice League–you can see how much weight Batman and Superman carry in the DC Universe. They literally save the entire world from the kryptonite asteroid, without the help of the Justice League, and they defeat an army of supervillains and even a few heroes too. A pivotal fight I liked was between Shazam and Hawkman versus Batman and Superman. Batman holds his own against Hawkman pretty well, while Superman blow for blow against Shazam’s magic. However it’s the years of teamwork between Batman and Superman that ultimately beats the two. Throughout the entire movie it seems that the constant theme being stressed here is friendship. Hopefully we’ll see that bond continue to build in the live action DC Universe as well.
