Movie Review - All Star Superman

All-Star Superman

2011

DC Entertainment / Warner Bros. Animation / Warner Premiere : Warner Home Video

8 / 10

This is probably the best adaptation of a comic book to date.  Director Sam Liu and writer Dwayne McDuffie take the best elements of Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly's graphic novel from the story, feel, and pace and bring them to the screen expertly with the help of the animators and the vocal talents of the actors.

The animation is up to the high standard of the Warner Bros. Animation but I cannot help but wish that the studio would catch up to the way that the comics are now being rendered in high intensive colours and shading.  This would just add that extra oomph to the movie.  They've done a good job of bringing Quietly's artwork to life.  Their Superman is of the same mountainous physique as Quietly's but it's the subtleties of his artwork that add a depth of warm feeling adding to the reader's enjoyment.

That's about all I could find wrong with it.  James Denton does a wonderful job of adding warmth and feeling to the man of steel in his final days.  While Anthony LaPaglia adds a cool and calculating air to Lex Luthor.  Edward Asner is perfect as Perry White.

The only reason this didn't make a full 10/10 is because it isn't the best Superman story, it's good, though I did have issues with it, such as the Sampson character and his sidekick which turns up.  I found this to be an annoying and pretty irrelevant section and I still feel the same way after seeing it in the movie.  I've never been able to understand why Morrison chose this character when there were so many others to choose from.

If you've read the graphic novel you don't need to see the movie, though you should enjoy it.  If you haven't read the novel then check out the film if you like superheroes or animations, then read the novel, it's better.