There’s something really grating to me about that they decided to name the film including “DC” in the title. I don’t think anyone is going into this film, not understanding that this is a DC Comics film. Krypto is the most famous superhero animal and probably would’ve been enough to name the film “Krypto the Superdog” or “Krypto and the League of Super-Pets”. Something as little as putting that DC at the beginning put me on edge going into the film, as well as a trailer that just fell really flat for me and wasn’t funny.
Krypto was brought to Earth with Clark Kent, and grew up to become Superman’s reliable pet, with the same abilities. When Lex Luther brings some Orange Kryptonite to Earth, it grants animals super powers, causing a threat to the Justice League, so Krypto must work together with a rag-tag team of animals, who have their own new abilities.
We’ve seen over the years plenty of animated films be creative and fun for anyone that watches, something that Disney and Pixar are famous for, and Dreamworks have managed to achieve as well. Warner Animation Group has been struggling with that, aside from the LEGO franchise. I look at Scoob!, Tom & Jerry and Space Jam: A New Legacy as very much in the same category as what I would put DC League of Super-Pets in, missing the mark. They all seem to have this weird flat tone, thinking they’re funnier than they are, with poor scripts aimed at children who I’m not even convinced will enjoy them. An easy script, with a name that draws audiences in but doesn’t leave anyone wanting more.
I like Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson a lot. They’re both very talented and funny, particularly together with their amazing chemistry they have and their ability to bounce off each other. What I don’t like is when they essentially rewrite the origins and characters to make them more like the characters they’re playing. Ace the Bathound is a fun character, as is Krypto the Superdog, but both don’t feel like themselves. It almost would’ve been funner to see Krypto get a solo film (i.e. Man of Steel) before spoofing Batman v Superman. I actually think the voice cast is very good, including Hart and Johnson, and could’ve done more with a better script, with perhaps one emotional moment that lands, and the rare joke.
Kate McKinnon is perhaps the stand out for me among the voice cast. Her character of Lulu the Guinea Pig is fun, and you can tell McKinnon is fully into the film and doing her best, something that can be regularly said about her.
There’s a lot of big names in the film, and they mostly feel wasted. I would happily watch a film with this diverse Justice League cast. It’s frustrating because there is potential here, that is wasted. With the normal DC Movie universe in disarray being a mess, a chance for an interesting animated universe to run conjunctively would be great, and provide a lot of fun, especially with DC exploring their own multiverse in The Flash.
Overall, DC League of Super-Pets will be forgotten about. In a world where we have had such strength with animation, I expect better, something where there can be something for anyone, and would like to see WAG take more chances, bigger chances. Something that could be done in the shake-up now Warner Bros are owned by Discovery and the shake up going on there.
What did you think of DC League of Super-Pets?
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