Movie Review - DC's League of Super Pets

 

There have been tons of DC films now. So many in the way of live action and animated ones that practically the majority of the most well known comic book stories have been adapted in these mediums one way or another. But for all the Justice League, Teen Titans, Suicide Squad and Justice Society things out there (and all the solo stuff too), there seems to be one kind of hero that has, until now, been completely missed. Yes OK sure we have had Ace the Bat-Hound (voiced by Kevin Hart) and Krypto the Super-Dog (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) be seen in some animated DC projects. But nothing in the way of a story all about them. So as Warner Animation Group tries to do something that can actually surpass the greatness that was the Lego films (though the last Space Jam was a close contender), let's see if this Secret Life of Pets kind-of film is worth a watch:

So the film begins with the rinse and repeat story of how Krypton got destroyed. Only this time, Krypto is in the same pod as Kal-El who as we all know, would grow up to become Superman (voiced by John Krasinski) on planet Earth. Years later, the pair are inseparable until the intervention of Lois Lane (voiced by Olivia Wilde) who makes Krypto jealous. Clark Kent sets out to find Krypto a friend, but to no avail. That is until some orange kryptonite somehow finds itself at a pet shop, changing the pets within and giving them powers. While the hairless guinea pig Lulu (voiced by Kate McKinnon) sets out to get rid of the Justice League and Krypto, Krypto finds himself in need of his own team and soon learns how to make friends, enemies and teamwork if anything else.

Much of the film is half a story about the super pets and half a satire of DC superheroes in general. Lots of references to things like the multiverse, certain things that heroes should only do as a last resort, the different types of kryptonite and even a few outside references such as one to do with Animal Farm. Also, never have I seen an accurate representation of guinea pigs in a film before, even with superpowers. It's better than it has any right to be, very funny and a lot of fun. Animation is nothing really to cry home to when compared to the powerhouses of Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks and those independent animation studios that you only hear about at award ceremonies. But I guess I can say that WAG is learning from their mistakes with Scoob! and Tom and Jerry. So yeah, give it a watch. 7/10