Superman contre l'élite

"Superman vs. the Elite" isn't entirely successful in its discussions on politics and the price of power, but it's a decent superhero story. The story concerns a new group of superhero vigilantes that call themselves "The Elite". Manchester Black (voiced by Robin Atkin Downes), Coldcast (voiced by Catero Colbert), Menagerie (voiced by Melissa Disney) deal with supervillains their way: by killing them. The world seems to embrace these new heroes and shun Superman (voiced by George Newbern) as "old fashioned" and "cheesy". The conflicting ideals of these heroes pit them against each other.

The quality of the animation varies from excellent to just OK and while most of the story seems grounded in semi-reality, with the fantasy and "comic-bookiness" being reduced to create parallels to our world, a scene with giant mutant insect tanks is really glaring and doesn't fit the tone of the story. What works is the chemistry between Superman/Clark Kent and Lois Lane (voiced by Pauley Perrette), the themes and ideas brought up by the conflicts and the discussions between our characters spread throughout the film. Adults that are familiar with the debate, which essentially is that of whether or not the death penalty should be a form of punishment, will find that they don't last long enough but it's refreshing to see the film take a stand on an issue it really believes in and stick with it. For younger audiences that haven't seen this material before, this is a good starting point and a way to generate some great conversation. Superman believes that killing is wrong under any circumstances, but he's also nearly invulnerable so does he really grasp the danger these villains he goes up against regularly really pose? To what extent is it OK to interfere with another country's politics and disagreements when you have the power to do so? If it is OK to take the life of another person, who judges how much is enough? When accompanied with the special features and commentary the film is a more complete experience and a lot more satisfying than just the feature by itself so it's preferable to set a generous amount of time aside and enjoying the special features immediately after to complement the faults of the film. The film is only OK by itself, mostly because it doesn't really have as much bite as you wish it would considering the themes, but it's worth your while. (On Blu-ray, September 29, 2012)

The world is falling apart and Superman is overwhelmed. Atomic Skull turns people to dust. Superman considers ending him, but brings him in instead. A new group of superheroes arrives on the scene and befriends Superman although they don't play by his rules. They call themselves The Elite and the public seems to like their harsher attitude.

Superman's idealism has always been material for a morality tug-of-war. This is doing it right up front. I like these characters. Superman may have won the battle, but I don't think he won the argument. The ending is also a bit messy. I would start with that inter-dimensional spaceship first. Nevertheless, it's a good big-idea superhero story.

An extremely well done Superman story that touches on the major moral aspects of a superhero as powerful as Superman.

I should start out by saying I was NOT looking forward to this movie based on the previews I had seen, and after watching the movie I was VERY impressed with how it turned out. Does a great job of talking about the grey area of Superman's moral code of not killing anyone and if that is the right way to go in today's world.

Batman and Superman both don't kill, and as a result their villains ALWAYS escape and cause more harm, so why NOT end the monsters right there and save everyone for good? That's the central theme, and it presents it in an intelligent way with plenty of interesting and unique action. The animation is pretty good, and I actually ended up preferring this Superman visual style than the other Animated-Series style Superman.

The action was all great, felt like they made really good use of Superman's powers and strength... which sometimes they forget to do.

The story really kept me interested and I didn't really know how it was going to all end, and was surprised at how into it I was at the end and really wanted to see how it all turned out.

I would put this up right next to the Batman/Superman animated movie.

8.5 out of 10.

I recently revisited Superman vs The Elite (2012) on MAX. The storyline revolves around Superman in a society where some believe he is too lenient on villains, prompting a new wave of superheroes who advocate harsher consequences, even death. As these newcomers push the boundaries of punishment, Superman faces the risk of becoming obsolete. Can he prove to the world that due process is essential?

Directed by Michael Chang (17 Episodes of Batman: The Brave and the Bold), the film features the voices of George Newbern (Adventures in Babysitting), Pauley Perrette (NCIS), Dee Bradley Baker (American Dad), and Robin Atkin Downes (The Conjuring 2).

While not my favorite DC animation style, this film is still a solid and enjoyable addition to the DC animated universe. The villains are compelling characters, ruthless and unpredictable. The depiction of Superman and Lois is well-executed, with entertaining interactions between them. The action scenes shine, showcasing excellent use of the villains' superpowers. The final showdown is well-crafted, making the unfolding narrative a fun experience.

In conclusion, Superman vs The Elite is another worthwhile contribution to the DC animated universe, featuring a solid premise and great villains. I'd give it a 7/10 and recommend watching it at least once.

Superman vs. The Elite is certainly not a bad movie. I just found myself underwhelmed considering how great the premise was. I did think the character designs were flatly drawn and even goofy especially in the hands and facial expressions, Superman is no exception to this. The story is such a great idea but could have been explored even more, there are some compelling moments but overall the development feels too bland and black and white to me, especially in the villains excepting Manchester Black who's pretty interesting. I also had a big issue with Lois, she comes across as very stereotypical and bitchy, and her voice actress constantly sounds as though she has phlegm in her throat. The quality of the writing was mixed for me as well, there are some sharp and thought-provoking moments but also some that come across as stilted. There are however a number of redeeming qualities. The backgrounds and colours are fluid and atmospheric, and the music is hauntingly beautiful. The action sequences are well-choreographed and exciting, the Atomic Skull ones were especially brilliant. Superman is a charismatic character, and the voice acting is great. George Newbern is equal with Tim Daly which is high praise indeed. All in all, entertaining with some fine moments but some of the character designs, Lois and the rather black and white feel of the story and some of the characters gave Superman vs. The Elite a left wanting feel at the same time. 6/10 Bethany Cox