DC League of Super-Pets

Director: Jared Stern
Starring: Voices of: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Kate McKinnon, John Krasinski, Vanessa Bayer, Natasha Lyonne, Diego Luna, Marc Maron, Keanu Reeves, Thomas Middleditch, Ben Schwartz, Olivia Wilde, Maya Erskine, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jameela Jamil, Jemaine Clement, John Early, Alfred Molina, Lena Headey, Dan Fogler
Distributor: Warner Brothers
Runtime: 105 mins. Reviewed in Sep 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc

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Rating notes: Mild animated fantasy violence and coarse language

This is the animation alternate universe to that of the DC Justice League. The pets are the heroes and have to come to the rescue of Superman and other imprisoned members of the League. A colourful, bright holiday entertainment.

An animation comedy adventure which will probably entertain audiences of most ages. All DC Comics fans, and audiences for the television shows and movies of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, The Flash and Cyborg, will have relished the adventures of the Justice League.

However, there is a revelation of a well-kept secret in the opening sequences here. We go back to the eruption of the planet, Krypton. Jor-El and his wife have plans to send their young son in a star vehicle through space and time to earth. That we knew, of course, but the baby boy has a pet dog, Krypto, who leaps at the last minute into the starship, accompanying the baby to earth, then a glimpse of the adult Superman and his now grown-up pet and friend.

And, as if that is not shock enough, it is then revealed that a lot of the feats achieved by Superman are really achieved by Krypto. What is happening to our DC world? Well, the first problem is that Clark Kent/Superman is in love with Lois Lane and Krypto is more than jealous, sulking, wanting to disrupt the romance.

But, there is a lot more to the film – bright colours, plenty of action and special effects, reminders of John Williams themes, the use of well-known songs such as ‘A Summer Place’ and ‘What the World Needs Now…’ And some witty quips starting with Krypto offering fans spots on their faces – a Pawtograph.

The Justice League turns up, familiar in their style, including a morose and introverted Batman. However, they seem to be of little use because Lex Luthor has commandeered kryptonite and is on the verge of taking over the world. However, his guinea pig protégé, Lulu, has power ambitions of her own. At the moment she is trapped in a cage in a vet precinct, along with a number of discarded pets whose spokesperson is Ace, sometimes down in the dumps, wanting to escape (and his sad back story later revealed). Ace encounters Krypto, and what begins with a rivalry turns into a friendship, eventually becoming a variation on the Justice League – the League of Super-Pets which confronts Lulu and Lex Luthor, and rescues the imprisoned Justice League.

Youngsters of all ages will enjoy the shenanigans. Youngsters who have not yet seen the movies of the DC world want to watch them. Adults who have grown up with the DC movies will enjoy these animated variations of the heroes and heroines. And, parents and grandparents who have gone with the younger generation will probably find much to enjoy.

And, a marvellous voice cast, Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart teaming up once again as the two dogs, Kate McKinnon as the diminutive villain, Lulu, Keanu Reeves as Batman, Olivia Wilde as Lois Lane and John Krasinski as Superman.