"Superman/Batman: Public Enemies": An imperfect film with a great villain

 

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Among the assortment of Superman villains, few have the recognition and longevity of Lex Luthor. The bald head and green suit are identifiable enough, along with his obsession to eliminate the man of steel. As over the top as his personality may become, though, Luthor’s motivations are surprisingly nuanced in some readings. His drive to kill Superman typically stems from viewing this alien saviour as humanity’s downfall - a threat to earth’s future advancement. It could also be a projection of his own jealousy and need for hero worship, despite having vast financial and public power as is. Likewise, Clancy Brown also has a general reverence, even among those not familiar with his profession. A seasoned performer, Brown is perhaps best known to live action audiences for playing Victor Kurgan in “Highlander”, and later Captain Hadley in “Shawshank Redemption”. In the years since, he’s also found his second calling as a voice actor. From “Avatar” and “Legend of Korra”, to “Clone Wars” and “Star Wars: Rebels”, to even Mr. Krabs - the man has done a little bit of everything. He has one of those deep, forceful voices that casting directors clearly admire. Much like his peer Steve Blum, Brown doesn’t usually change his vocal style for every character, since his natural delivery is already so potent. And when it comes to his multiple turns as Luthor, that inherent presence certainly helps. This film specifically frames Lex in a leadership role, offering many facets to his persona. He acts as a resolved politician, cunning manipulator, crazed egomaniac, and sometimes a combination of those shades. It’s a juicy part for Brown, and he delivers some truly fine work. 

The movie has an interesting premise as well. Luthor has recently been elected president of the United States, and to the dismay of Superman, his administration seems outwardly stable. When a kryptonite meteor is discovered heading for earth, Luthor even announces a call for peace between him and Clark. There’s an old saying, though: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Superman finds that out the hard way, leading to a confrontation and Lex placing a $1 billion bounty on his head. With Batman as his partner, we now have two of the Justice League’s founding members as fugitives, targeted by the government and supervillain hunters alike. That’s the film’s basic synopsis, and my initial nitpick is that Luthor becoming president happens very quickly. That endeavour could almost be a movie itself, with all the speeches, conflicts and political manoeuvring it might entail. For the sake of pacing, however, I understand why they streamlined it to the important part. What’s also relevant is Luthor enlisting superheroes in the government, which he proclaims will benefit the safety of his citizens. Of course his true reasons are more calculating, and this dissonance between the public and private Luthor shapes the other character’s allegiances. 

As far as our titular pair is concerned, their roles are more or less what one might expect. Having recently played “Injustice 2”, I think it’s cool anytime we see Batman and Superman be so reliant on each other - let alone fighting Luthor when nobody else will. Their tense situation showcases the inherent differences in their attitudes and expertise, along with a few subtly humorous moments. As Bruce Wayne, the late Kevin Conroy is ever reliable and synonymous with the part. This may not be his best outing as Batman, but even in his less demanding jobs, Conroy still brought a grounded quality to his performances. He knew this character inside and out, and there’s an effortless cadence in his work that cemented his name for many viewers. Tim Daly is also solid as Superman, though I'll admit to being more familiar with George Newbern's voice portrayal. He does a good job of conveying Clark’s growing frustration with Luthor, which is quite fair given their history and current predicament. Both actors ultimately fulfil their portion of the script, and serve as the backbone of their shared scenes. 

Technically speaking, “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies” has a sharp look to its animation style. There’s a particular emphasis on the contours and muscularity of our character’s features; Superman’s jaw looks extra square, his eyes more glaring and his abdominals deeper cut. It’s a trademark look for these heroes, to be sure, just presented in a more defined and frankly unattainable degree. I do like the film’s general style, which probably helps the tension of its many fight sequences. What adds even more to them, I would argue, is the titular theme composed by Christopher Drake. It’s a fast, rhythmic track, and follows a clear escalation to match the rising stakes of our protagonist’s ordeal. 

The main action sequence at the film’s halfway point actually left me with a strange feeling. It involves that bounty offered by Lex, which in turn attracts a whos-who of DC villains to Superman and Batman. Gorilla Grodd, Captain Cold, Mr. Freeze, Mongul, Solomon Grundy, Banshee…the list goes on. They all attack the pair and are individually dealt with, before eventually being replaced by Lex’s own hired help. I find the scene strange because I should enjoy it, yet a separate part of me believes it’s too crowded. These are characters with their own unique looks and backstories, but most of them are relegated to ten second cameos. Even Bane shows up - one of Batman’s most formidable opponents - and not only is he silent, he’s dispatched in a mere two hits. Again, the set up makes sense from a storytelling perspective, and the choreography in these villain’s approaches is handled okay. Still, it might’ve been more impactful if these characters tracked our heroes throughout the film, as opposed to showing up all at once. That’s ultimately why I couldn’t get into the fight as much as I wanted to; I appreciate seeing lesser known DC characters represented, but not as an “everything must go” deal.

There’s also an unfortunate objectifying quality to some of the female characters. This can be seen in one conversation between Luthor and Amanda Waller (CCH Pounder), and a throwaway line from Toy Man (Calvin Tran). But the most obvious example, by a wide margin, is the movie’s portrayal of Power Girl. I’m not an expert on the character, but I can say this movie’s design for her is distractingly sexualized - complete with a prominent bust and big doe eyes. When she meets Superman on a highway overpass, the wide shot doesn’t have her facing him directly. Instead, her hips are turned to the side to show off more of her curves. I really can’t see why these choices were essential, and to be blunt, I don’t even know what she contributes to the story. She has a small arc of switching teams, but it’s given very little screen time, and mostly happens within larger events rather than her singular experiences. All things considered, I simply don’t think Power Girl becomes that dimensional here, leaving her overtly sexual appearance as sadly her most defining trait. 

Those problems aside, this film does pull off two important things. Firstly, it displays the contrasts of Superman and Batman working together, in a situation where they can’t rely on their usual allies. And secondly, it frames Luthor as a central antagonist, showcasing all the traits that make him so dangerous: Intelligence, resources and insatiable narcissism. At a certain point, his composed front is stripped away, leaving only the power mad egomaniac buried within. And again, it’s Brown that makes the change so effective, as he charts Luthor’s unraveling with the right conviction and fun. I specifically love, and often imitate, his wonderfully smug delivery of “hello, sunshine”. Brown is so on-the-ball in this performance, I’d essentially recommend the film for his work alone. The movie’s other positive qualities don’t hurt either, I suppose, as it largely realises the conflict in our heroes with Luthor as president. “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies” is ultimately a flawed picture with aspects of near greatness. It has a strong villain, taut pacing, and despite my reservations, I did enjoy watching it. It may not be my favourite of the DCAU, but there’s enough good in this production for me to offer a healthy grade.