The Death of Superman Blu-ray Review

Warner’s 1080p/AVC-encoded Blu-ray presentation of "The Death of Superman" provides an impressive video quality for a 2D-animated feature. The film is presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio, and the transfer maintains a sharp clarity, with well-defined line details and rich textures. The color palette is notably strong, featuring vibrant primaries such as Superman’s bold reds and blues, Batman’s deeper hues, and bright greens from Green Lantern. However, there are some banding issues prevalent throughout the movie, particularly in darker scenes and wider shots, which slightly detract from the overall visual experience. Despite this, the image generally remains clean and artifact-free.

The 1080p transfer excels in fine details, revealing nuances like blood trickling down Superman's face and the intricate design elements of Doomsday’s body. Dark scenes benefit from solid black levels and stable contrast, ensuring strong delineation between light and dark elements. The film’s animation style stays true to modern DC Universe releases, boasting smooth motion and good depth. The high bitrate helps maintain clarity, although the decision to restrict the bitrate on the BD-25 disc leaves some untapped potential for reducing banding further. It’s a polished presentation that effectively showcases the vibrant and action-packed visuals, despite the inherent limitations of the animation style.

Ultimately, "The Death of Superman" delivers a robust video performance on Blu-ray, with a vivid color rendition that brings out the dynamic energy of DC's superhero costumes. The primary colors, especially the reds and blues, stand out crisply against the detailed backgrounds and action sequences. Minor issues with banding and light posterization do appear but do not significantly impair the viewing experience. The strong black levels and overall clarity add to an enjoyable visual presentation, establishing it as one of the stronger entries in recent DCU animated film releases on Blu-ray.

The audio presentation for "The Death of Superman" Blu-ray shines with its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, which strikes an impressive balance between dialogue, sound effects, and the musical score. This mix ensures that dialogue remains clear and precisely positioned across the front speakers, maintaining coherence throughout even the most intense sequences. The score by Frederik Wiedmann effectively permeates the entire film, imbuing key scenes with the necessary tension and emotional weight. Explosions, energy weapons, and superhero feats deliver satisfying low-frequency effects (LFE), enriching the listening experience without overwhelming.

Action scenes are particularly well-handled, with directional sound transitions contributing to an immersive experience. The soundtrack, while mostly front-heavy, allows surround channels to come to life during high-octane moments, such as Superman's battles with Doomsday, delivering a dynamic sound stage. Specific instances—like Superman's flight—are rendered with smooth panning from speaker to speaker, capturing the aerial dynamism accurately. Explosions and destruction scenes provide a robust auditory backdrop without distorting the overall mix.

Despite its strengths, the audio mix is not aggressively immersive; it refrains from extensively utilizing the surround channels for ambient effects. However, when engaged, such as in the climactic battle or large crowd scenes, the surround effects help convey a broader sense of space and chaos. The blend of bass, dialogue, and detailed sound effects result in a gratifying audio experience. While it may require an initial volume adjustment due to a lower default setting compared to bonus features, the overall presentation remains solid, making "The Death of Superman" a commendable example of effective sound design in animated films. Optional subtitles support and multiple language tracks add to its accessibility.

The Blu-ray extras for "The Death of Superman" offer an engaging blend of featurettes, sneak peeks, and complete episodes, creating a rich supplementary experience for viewers. The highlight is "The Brawl That Topped Them All," a detailed exploration of Superman's iconic battle with Doomsday, enriched by insights from creators and a martial arts expert. Complementing this is a sneak peek into "Reign of the Supermen," featuring interviews with cast and crew about the sequel's anticipation. Classic fans will appreciate the inclusion of two complete episodes from "Legion of Superheroes," showcasing the series' final epic battle. Though not overly abundant, these extras are well-curated and engaging, adding significant value to the Blu-ray package.

Extras included in this disc:

• The Death of Superman: The Brawl That Topped Them All: Experience the iconic battle with commentary from creators and a martial arts expert.
• A Sneak Peek at DC Universe's Next Animated Movie, Reign of the Supermen: Behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming sequel.
• From the DC Comics Vault: Legion of Superheroes: Dark Victory: Part 1: Part one of a two-part finale from the 2006 animated series.
• From the DC Comics Vault: Legion of Superheroes: Dark Victory: Part 2: Concluding part of the series finale.
• Trailers: Ads for other DC Comics titles.

The Death of Superman, an 80-minute animated film, revisits the iconic storyline of Superman's demise at the hands of the monstrous Doomsday. Unlike its predecessor, Superman: Doomsday, this adaptation offers a more comprehensive and faithful retelling of the beloved 1992-93 comic arc, resulting in a much richer narrative. The film devotes ample time to build up to the catastrophic clash, focusing on the multifaceted relationship between Clark Kent (Jerry O’Connell) and Lois Lane (Rebecca Romijn) and expanding on the involvement of the Justice League. This version captures the essence of the source material, including significant character development and interconnected subplots, ultimately setting a foundation for the upcoming sequel, Reign of the Supermen.

Technically speaking, the animation quality is a standout, showcasing vibrant and dynamic artwork that enhances both the action sequences and emotional moments. The voice cast is spectacular, featuring recurrent talents such as Rosario Dawson as Wonder Woman and Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, who bring consistency and depth to their roles. The intense 35-minute battle between Superman and Doomsday is animated with brutal finesse, highlighting every earth-shattering blow and making it a visceral experience for viewers. O'Connell's portrayal of Superman is particularly noteworthy for conveying the hero’s complex internal struggle as he faces his greatest challenge yet.

The narrative cleverly balances action with emotional weight, exploring themes of sacrifice and legacy. The added dimension of Superman’s secretive relationship with Lois and interactions with his parents enriches the storyline, while Rainn Wilson’s Lex Luthor provides an intriguing subplot with his own agendas. Additionally, integrating elements from the New 52 continuity aligns well with modern fans while preserving the original storyline's integrity. Overall, this adaptation successfully melds nostalgic appeal with contemporary storytelling, delivering one of the best superhero battles in recent animated cinema.

"The Death of Superman" stands out as a remarkable addition to the DC Animated Universe, effectively capturing the tone and impact of the original comic book source. Warner's UK Blu-ray release showcases strong video and audio quality, maintaining vibrant colors and intricate detail with the 1080p HD image, although occasional banding is present. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio track ensures an immersive experience, balancing dynamic action sequences with quieter moments. This iteration remains faithful to the seminal storyline, unlike previous adaptations such as "Superman: Doomsday" and "Batman vs. Superman."

Directed by Sam Liu and Jake Castorena, with a script by Peter Tomasi, the film benefits from a well-executed narrative that lays the groundwork for its sequel, "Reign of the Supermen." Character dynamics are enhanced by a solid voice cast led by Jerry O'Connell, Rebecca Romijn, and Rainn Wilson. This release packs additional value with several decent extras, including a sneak peek at "Reign of the Supermen" and two vintage DC animated episodes, though some may find the bonus features lacking in depth.

In conclusion, "The Death of Superman" revalidates its story's relevance and impact in a much more faithful adaptation compared to prior attempts. Warner’s UK Blu-ray release provides a robust audio-visual presentation along with a few enjoyable extras, making it a notable entry in DC's animated catalog. While it might lose a point for being an early remake, viewing this along with its sequel could enhance its standing in the franchise. DCAU fans are sure to appreciate this compelling installment that bodes well for future narrative expansions. Highly recommended.