“DC League of Super-Pets” review: Starry voice cast uses cute animated game

DC Super League of Pets He wastes no time in achieving top-level attractiveness. The opening moments of the animated film show a puppy licking a child’s face. Of course, it’s not just any baby and pup. It’s baby Kal-El and his pet Krypto, and if you need more explanation on who Kal-El will be when he grows up, he’s not the intended audience for this animated tour of the DC Universe.

Not that the target audience recognizes all the star power that is aligned for this takedown effort. In addition to prominent figures like Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, the list includes John Krasinski, Keanu Reeves, Kate McKinnon and Olivia Wilde, among many others. Big names have been cast even in small roles, including Alfred Molina, Lena Head, Keith David, Bassey Phillips and Dan Fogler, while Marc Maron, Thomas Middleditch and Ben Schwartz voice supporting roles.

The main action takes place years later, with Kal-El transformed into Superman (Krasinski) and Krypto (Johnson) as his faithful canine companion who also possesses superpowers. When the duo wake up one morning and Superman tells his pet it’s time for a walk, it actually means it’s time to fly, in this case through the streets of Metropolis.

Krypto, who affectionately calls its owner “Supe”, is happy to team up with him to save Earth. But he’s less than happy with his romance with Lois Lane (Wilde), especially when Superman ditches her, on his regularly scheduled TV night, to go on a date with Lois, whom he’s about to ask the question.

Before that happens, Superman is stripped of his powers and captured by the evil test subject Lola (McKinnon, who makes the character as brilliantly manic as you’d expect), who also possesses telekinetic powers. Even worse, he manages to steal his cryptographic superpowers with a dose of kryptonite hidden in a piece of cheese (“it’s always cheese,” he says wryly). To save Superman, he is forced to take in other animals he has recently met at the shelter, including the sardonic dog Ace (Hart), the pig (Vanessa Bayer), the cruelly short-sighted turtle (Natasha Lyon) and the cowardly squirrel. (Diego). Moon). ). Luckily, they’ve just been given superpowers thanks to a dose of orange kryptonite. (Again, if I have to ask, you’re in the wrong movie.)

Suggest strange chaos as this motley crew tries to rescue Superman and, by chance, other kidnapped members of the Justice League, including Batman (Reeves), Wonder Woman (Jamela Jamil), Aquaman (Jermaine Clement), The Flash ( ). John Earle), Green Lantern (Dasha Polanco) and Cyborg (David Diggs).

Sure, it’s an exaggeration, but it’s worth it, especially when it comes to Johnson and Hart, whose voices and on-screen characters are so familiar and so well suited to their roles that, for adults at least, the film works so well. if you close your eyes The fact that many of the artists are talented comedians adds to the fun, though the funniest is Reeves, who adopts a deep voice that seems to have become a bandleader for Batman. Of course, this character also provides more humor, thanks to his neurotic personality: “I miss my parents,” says Reeves’ Batman wistfully when he sees Superman and Krypto acting affectionately towards each other.

First-time director Jared Stern has some experience with this, having served as a writer and creative consultant on several LEGO animated films, including the lego batman movie. Unfortunately, the screenplay he co-wrote with John Whittington lacks the anarchic humor of those films, aside from scattered moments like a mischievous kitten coughing up pomegranate balls. It’s also time to get rid of the predictable meta-jokes about training mounts that have also been prominent lately. Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank. (That’s why movie critics get paid so much, so they can put things in a cinematic context.)

Often, the film seems to be geared up for the inevitable toy lineup for the upcoming holiday season, with many different types of stuffed animals on the shelves at a nearby store. And like many animated films, the proceedings devolve into depressing action sequences in which humor is largely sidelined in favor of brutal spectacle.

Again, DC Super League of Pets He manages to combine superheroes with cute pets, two of kids’ favorite things, so his popularity is guaranteed. (The movie ends with, what else, preparing a sequel.) And adult allies will enjoy the many references to the DC universe, while kids’ hearts will likely soar over the classic John Williams score. 1978 year Superman The movie that arguably started the superhero movie craze in the first place.