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65%
Overall Rating
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Ranked #2,982
...out of 14,074 movies
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When LexCorps accidentally unleash a murderous creature, Doomsday, Superman meets his greatest challenge as a champion. Based on the "The Death of Superman" storyline that appeared in DC Comics' publications in the 1990s
--TMDb
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"Superman: Doomsday" takes one of the greatest comic stories ever, changes it, and animates it...and it doesn't suck. Go!
Based on the comic of similar name, "Superman: Doomsday" tells the story of what happens when Superman has to face an adversary just as super as he. Now, his opponent isn't a power-list-clone of Superman like Shazam, his opponent is the unstoppable killing machine Doomsday. It's as strong as Superman and either feels no pain or doesn't care. Doomsday was genetically engineered to be a weapon, but not even its creators could shove it back in its box after it was activated.
When Lex Luthor's men accidentally breach a space ship uncovered deep underground, a hologram appears and says something in an unknown tongue. Lex recognizes it as a warning shortly before Doomsday bursts out of the ship and proceeds to kill everything in its path.
Lex Luthor: "There's only one reason someone would go to all the trouble of trapping that thing down here--they couldn't kill it."
Doomsday reaches Metropolis and proceeds to tear up the place until Superman arrives. Then the property damage escalates exponentially. Both are throwing each other through building upon building, and it's obvious hundreds are being killed each time. But, does Superman slow down or stop to worry about the people being killed? No. Not because he's callous but because he recognizes how serious of a threat Doomsday is. Superman knows that he has to stop Doomsday or die trying.
The Superman vs. Doomsday fight lasts for most of the first half of the movie, if I recall right. The rest of the movie covers the aftermath of the fight, and it is here where the movie starts to drastically differ from the comics. However, I didn't care. The comics are excellent and have their place, but this story is amazing as well. Lex Luthor is the evil bastard he is supposed to be, and he drives the plot like a good villain should. We see the worst of humanity from the villains, and the best from the heroes. No piss ass characters need apply.
In addition to the plot, the movie is good in most other regards as well. The voice actors range from adequate to great (James Marsters as Lex Luthor is excellent). The animation style can be a little minimalistic, but it mirrors some of the other Superman animated shows and didn't bother me at all (though the very, very pointed cheek bones of Luthor struck me as rather bizarre). For about the only low point of the movie, I have to swing back to the plot: the writers, AGAIN, pulled the crap where Superman is sleeping with Lois, but she doesn't know he's really Clark Kent. For the sake of the story, I'm willing to let it slide that most people can't tell that Superman and Clark Kent are the same person, but she's sleeping with him! Come on! And, how much of a dick is Superman being for not telling her!?
Now for the score. I give it a 8.5/10 for the fact that it is great but isn't in the same league as truly epic movies like "The Empire Strikes Back" or "The Matrix". That being said, go watch it. The first time I watched it, I was smiling almost the entire movie with a "This is so fricking awesome" look on my face.
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#1:
The Red Clover
- added 03/23/2009, 04:24 PM
I'd give this an 8 based on animation, however I
find myself detracting 7.5 points for the
unfortunate fact it's a Superman movie.
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#2:
Griffinheart
- added 03/23/2009, 10:33 PM
I'll assume that you're dropping the score to 7.5
and not by 7.5 points. Really, this does deserve
at least an 8.
As for knocking
Superman stories in general, I do generally prefer
other comic characters as well. Less godlike
characters are easier to relate to and easier to
write quality stories for (Wow, someone's shooting
a gun at Superman...oh, wait, that can't hurt
him). Still, when a story is good, it's good, and
this was better than the average comic-based
feature.
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#3:
The Red Clover
- added 03/24/2009, 04:12 PM
No, I'd give it an 8, but unfortunately I'd lower
the score down to a .5 because like I said, it's a
Superman movie. But I will say that the story
itself combined with the animation does make it a
solid 8. The .5 is just a personal score because I
personally can not stand the Superman franchise.
But my score is not to belittle the decent
animation or to begrudge the terrific story nor is
it there to detract from your well put review.
With that clarified, I still maintain my
subjective score of .5 but still recommend it for
anyone who; A) Enjoys a good animated feature
based on a comic or, B) You're a Superman fan
because while I dislike the franchise, I can't
deny how good this feature was.
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#4:
Griffinheart
- added 03/24/2009, 04:29 PM
I understand; there are some characters I just
hate as well. I usually find Batman and Wolverine
to be off-putting as I think they're given way too
much credit and leeway in stories. There are only
so many times Wolverine can act like a distant
loner before I lose interest.
Batman, on the other hand, usually feels like a
plot device more than an actual character. Any
time a difficult situation arises, Batman breezes
by impossible obstacles with some miraculous
plan/device that could only have been
constructed/brought due to prior knowledge.
Superman has a limited arsenal, but Batman has no
limits. I'd rather read about a constrained god
than an omnipotent mortal.
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#5:
Greg Follender
- added 03/24/2009, 11:34 PM
I found this to be an absolute snore...
The best parts of the film are contained in only
half it's full length... the ending sequence is a
predictable rehash of old devices that drain most
of the drama from the earlier, more successful
proceedings. "Superman/Doomsday"... no
where in that title is Luthor mentioned... nor
should he be inferred...
Another in a
long line of animated features that totally lose
sight of what is the real meat of the title
story... it takes a dramatic chapter in a hero's
life and tacks on a needless bit of writer's
self-indulgence that contributes nothing to the
mythos.
To be honest,.. at it's
heart, the original tale is a shameful cash-in
story that lacked both real merit and creativity.
Anything to sell extra books...
Shameful...
If DC felt the need to
re-tell the tale properly, they should at least
have invested time enough to have it end with bit
more drama and originality.
Weak and
pedestrian.
6/10, and only for above
average straight-to-video animation sequences.
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#6:
Greg Follender
- added 03/25/2009, 01:20 PM
If you'd like to see a much better realized
animated adaptation of a comic book story, proceed
to DC's "New Frontier" feature...
It certainly isn't better than the
tremendous source material, but it at least
successfully captures the heart of the tale in a
way that doesn't disappoint. Epic, relevant, and
insightful.. this new vision of the great Silver
Age of comics is well conceived and truly does
justice to it's noble comic book roots!
Check it out...
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#7:
Griffinheart
- added 03/27/2009, 01:26 AM
Any one ever read the Superman comic called
something like "For the Man Who Has
Everything"? It was a great story where
Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman visit Superman at
his Fortress of Solitude only to find Superman
enveloped in a parasitic plant that gave its
victims their heart's desire in dream form. The
comic was great, and the Justice League cartoon
did a fairly good adaption of it.
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#8:
Greg Follender
- added 03/27/2009, 09:21 AM
Yup, seen it.
Actually one of the
better Justice League episodes that season, to be
sure.
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#9:
Griffinheart
- added 04/11/2009, 01:03 PM
Just saw an episode of Justice League Unlimited
with Doomsday in it...it was abysmal. Not only
was Doomsday a Superman clone, but Doomsday
talked...which completely sucked the cool straight
out of him.
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#10:
The Red Clover
- added 04/12/2009, 11:39 PM
I'd have to say "New Frontier" is by far
my favorite DC animated film so far.
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#11:
Greg Follender
- added 04/13/2009, 09:39 AM
I commend your excellent taste in animated
features, sir...
I, too, found "The New
Frontier" to be vastly superior to any other
DC produced animated feature to date.
You owe it to yourself to read the source
material as well.
It's akin to
viewing the recent Watchmen film without actually
poring through the graphic novel itself;)
Don't cheat yourself of the full course meal by
just shuffling a hot roll or two into your pockets
to eat later....
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#12:
The Red Clover
- added 04/14/2009, 05:00 PM
I'll take your recommendation and find the source
even though I am not a fan of the majority of the
products DC publishes.
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#13:
Griffinheart
- added 05/18/2009, 08:14 PM
Caught another great episode of Justice League
Unlimited the other night. It had everything:
time travel, super heroes, robots, cowboys, robot
cowboys, dinosaurs, robot dinosaurs...everything
and a few good quotes too:
Wonder
Woman after blocking bullets from a old West Colt
pistol: "Those are the biggest, slowest
bullets I've ever seen."
Card
player #1: "I call--four kings and an
ace."
Card player #2: "That's a
might bit perplexing seeing as I have four aces
and a king. I suppose I win."
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