Superman/Batman: Public Enemies [Blu-ray]

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies [Blu-ray]
by Sam Liu

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies [Blu-ray]

List Price: ~~$29.99~~
Our Price: $19.91
You Save: $10.08 (34%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $7.95 (click here)
Category: Blu-ray
See more Blu-ray details

Buy this Blu-ray movie at online store in your country
Canada

Blu-ray details

Actor: Cch Pounder, Clancy Brown, John C. Mcginley, Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly
Director: Sam Liu
Brand: Warner Brothers
Producer: Michael Goguen
Producer: Bobbie Page
Producer: Bruce Timm
Producer: Sam Register
Writer: Stan Berkowitz
Blu-ray: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: Animated, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 75 minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: 2009-09-29
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product features:

A desperate solution for a troubled country: Lex Luthor for President with the Justice League in the service of the government. Only Batman and Superman stand against the new regime and their disloyalty proves to be exactly what Luthor intended. Using their outcast status to instigate a scandal against Superman, Luthor finally tastes a victory in his vendetta against The Man of Steel. From Execut

Blu-ray Reviews of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies [Blu-ray]

Blu-ray Review: More to Love, Less to Hate, When Supes & the Bat Join Forces
Summary: 3 Stars

To be perfectly honest, these direct-to-DVD animated flicks (SUPERMAN/DOOMSDAY, WONDER WOMAN, GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT, and now SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES) are very solid outings. More often than not, they hit pretty close to the mark in presenting excellent adventures within the established mythology and continuity of the DC Universe, and that's always been very important to comic book fans ... but I'm not entirely certain how pleased non-fans or casual movie viewers might be to embrace these films as they really don't 'gel' with any previous theatrical releases. In fact, they mostly ignore those takes -- understandably so -- all at the risk of creating a shorter-than-average shelf life for these supplemental DC properties. If anything, they do make me miss the days when BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, JUSTICE LEAGUE, and JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED were churning out much more regular visits to this universe ... but I won't dwell on that possible focal point for this review. I'll mention it, as I have, and I'll concentrate on the film.

SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES is an animated adaptation of the existing graphic novel collection of the same name. While it's a faithful adaptation, one could make the argument that it's too faithful in some spots when straying from the source material might've been more easily embraced by casual followers of either the Batman or Superman franchise. In a nutshell: Batman and Superman are crime-fighting partners; Lex Luthor is President of the United States; and a massive meteor of the planet Krypton is hurtling toward Earth. Everyone who knows a cape from a cowl knows that the resulting 'kryptonite' poses the greatest possible threat to Superman's adopted planet: not only will it decimate the population of Earth, creating its own E.L.E. (Existinction Level Event) to wipe out mankind, but the fact that it is 'kryptonite' means our greatest defense -- Superman himself -- is powerless to intercept it. This means Earth has to rely on Lex Luthor and whatever defense he can muster as President, but wouldn't you know it he's more than a bit pre-occupied with using this opportunity to destroy everyone's favorite Man of Steel? Before you know it, Luthor's nefarious scheme is set into motion, and Batman and Superman find themselves as fugitives on the lam from some of Earth's heroes who've fought at their sides for years.

It's all well and good so far as slugfests go, and PUBLIC ENEMIES delivers more than a Batcave full of fisticuffs and derring-do for caped and uncaped crusaders. That's what of the strengths here: a planet-spanning story gives the writers and animators a terrific opportunity to put some of the lesser known heroes on parade here ... but that's also a weakness. The casual viewer may wonder, "Who or what is Captain Atom, and, even worse, why should I care?" "Where did all of these supervillains come from, and what's the source of their power?" And "what's with the blonde girl in white with the killer breastline?" (All praise to Power Girl!)

PUBLIC ENEMIES is definitely worth the time -- it clocks in at a skinny 64 minutes -- but it would be served to be much longer. More screen time could've given the writers a greater chance to flesh out some of these secondary characters or to even beef up the exceptional witty dialogue so central to these Batman/Superman shared adventures. Also, greater time would've given the animators a bit more screen to work with -- amp up the budget a bit and elevate some of the background animation to better than Saturday morning fair, at least -- but those quibbles some might consider minor. What I absolutely didn't much care for was the massive amalgam rocket -- I'll spare the spoilerish description for those of you still inclined to watch. Such an obvious nod to the conventions of anime may be welcome; to me, they serve as a bit of a narrative distraction -- an insider's "nudge nudge wink wink" "aren't we clever" moment that I, personally, believe either of these franchises should be well past.

Write your own review

More Superman/Batman: Public Enemies [Blu-ray] reviews:
1 2 3 4 5

Description of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies [Blu-ray]

A desperate solution for a troubled country: Lex Luthor for President with the Justice League in the service of the government. Only Batman and Superman stand against the new regime ? and their disloyalty proves to be exactly what Luthor intended. Using their outcast status to instigate a scandal against Superman, Luthor finally tastes a victory in his vendetta against The Man of Steel. From Executive Producer Bruce Timm and voiced by the cast from both hit Batman and Superman animated TV series including Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly and Clancy Brown, this DC Universe Original Animated Movie of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness?s popular graphic novel seethes with political intrigue and action-packed battles between heroes all believing they?re on the right side of the law.

Bestsellers in DVD

The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image

The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]
Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video

Wresting With God [VHS] Image

Wresting With God [VHS]
by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops: ~~$19.99~~

Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS] Image

Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]
Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops: ~~$44.00~~

Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS] Image

Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]
HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops: ~~$9.98~~

Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/Party Video [VHS] Image

Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]
HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video

Strike the Original Match [VHS]
New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops: ~~$14.95~~

Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image

Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]
JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99

Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008 Image

Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008
by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops: ~~$1,463.24~~

Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single User Image

Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single User
by Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops: ~~$1,463.24~~

Cost Accounting [VHS] Image

Cost Accounting [VHS]
by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video

Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs

Superman/ Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam [Blu-ray]
WHV; Release date: 2010-11-09; Blu-ray
Best price: $11.90
Price in other shops: ~~$29.99~~

All-Star Superman - Blu-Ray
WHV; Release date: 2011-02-22; Blu-ray
Best price: $17.38
Price in other shops: ~~$24.98~~

Green Lantern: First Flight [Blu-ray]
WHV; Release date: 2009-07-28; Blu-ray
Best price: $9.55
Price in other shops: ~~$29.99~~

Justice League: The New Frontier Special Edition [Blu-ray]
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2008-02-26; Blu-ray
Best price: $7.97
Price in other shops: ~~$29.99~~

Wonder Woman 2009 [Blu-ray]
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2009-03-03; Blu-ray
Best price: $8.38
Price in other shops: ~~$29.99~~

Superman: Doomsday [Blu-ray]
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2008-11-25; Blu-ray
Best price: $8.00
Price in other shops: ~~$29.99~~

Batman Gotham Knight [Blu-ray]
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2008-07-08; Published: 2008-07-01; Blu-ray
Best price: $5.94
Price in other shops: ~~$29.99~~

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths [Blu-ray]
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2010-02-23; Blu-ray
Best price: $9.47
Price in other shops: ~~$29.99~~

Superman/ Batman: Apocalypse [Blu-ray]
WHV; Release date: 2010-09-28; Blu-ray
Best price: $17.24
Price in other shops: ~~$29.99~~

Batman: Under the Red Hood [Blu-ray]
Warner Brothers; Release date: 2010-07-27; Blu-ray
Best price: $9.46
Price in other shops: ~~$29.99~~