This is an animated feature-length dvd from DC comics. I read the story this is based on back during the whole “death of Superman” media frenzy in the early 90s. I’m not sure why they chose to wait 14 years or so to do this, but I do understand why they drastically condensed and rearranged the story. The original comic arc was convoluted and ridiculous. This incarnation is significantly faster paced and tighter, but in the end the changes don’t make it much better.

A team of scientists commissioned by Lex Luthor find some kind of space ship buried miles beneath the earth. The ship is accidentally opened/activated and out comes Doomsday, a big hulking creature that kills everything in its path. As per the source material, Supes and Doomsday fight, Superman dies, he comes back to life, yadda yadda. The main differences from this and the comc are in how Superman comes back and how directly involved Luthor is in everything (in the comic I don’t think he’s involved at all).

I guess I was just expecting better. The fight scenes are actually really good and the voice acting is pretty solid (Adam Baldwin from Firefly as Supes, Anne Heche as Lois Lane, and James Marsters from Buffy as Luthor). But the story is just lacking in some areas - and I have no idea why Bruce Timm (artist/animator behind the 90s Batman and Superman toons) decided to add these bizarre cheekbone lines to all his male characters. It makes them look old or something. Also of note is how they tried to add some mature themes/language (to what end, I don’t know) and rated it PG-13.

If you’re curious to see how they brought the Death of Superman story to animated life and want to see some cool fight sequences, by all means, check this out. Otherwise, you’re not missing much. (10/15/2007)

I had high expectations for this standalone DC story. For one, they had a ton of comics material to work with since the death and return of Superman encompassed about 100 issues. Secondly, the recent run of Marvel and DC 75 minute PG-13 rated animated features have been fairly good. Unfortunately I was dead wrong and was forced to fast forward through this drivel. The writing, of both story and dialog, was atrocious. They took the fantastic Lex Luthor from the animated adventures and distorted him, even ruining how the character was drawn. Superman's personal life took the biggest beating with the story showing that Lois doesn't yet know that (spoiler alert...just kiddding) Clark is Superman. But the most idiotic sequence was definitely Superman trying to cure cancer at the Fortress of Solitude. Superman is not a brainless hero, but he most definitely is not going to be working with test tubes and petri dishes. Stay away from this movie at all costs. (2/19/2010)