Superman - Doomsday (DC Universe Animated Original Movie) Reviews

• First of DC's direct to DVD Animated Features adapted from Comics

  
  By A3FFKU2MTCOBM1 on 2007-04-18
  From the Warners press release:
  
  Produced by Bruce Timm (Justice League Unlimited, Batman: The Animated Series) and written by Duane Capizzi (The Batman, The Batman vs. Dracula), Superman Doomsday is inspired by the best-selling graphic novel of all time, DC Comics' The Death of Superman. When the intergalactic serial killer Doomsday is unearthed, Superman meets the creature head on in the battle to end all battles. Going punch for punch, Superman finally ends the threat of Doomsday as he throws one last punch and collapses forever - making the ultimate sacrifice to save Metropolis and all those he once loved.
  
  
  "The Clash of the Juggernauts" - A retrospective look at the craze which caught the world by storm. What happens when millions of fans are suddenly subjected to the death of their favorite character? Total mayhem! Going on record about the "Death of Superman" will be Paul Levitz and other DC staff as well as comic book artists throughout the industry. News clippings, reports and first-hand archival testimony from fans will be pieced together in a retrospective way. The featurette will also include a closer look at the dark Superman appearing in "The Return of Superman" graphic novel.
  * The Artists Playground...From Art to Sound Design in Superman Doomsday - Producer Bruce Timm and his creative team of writers, animators and designers will take us on an exciting journey of character evolution. This documentary will focus on early character concept drawings, final character art, various stages of modeling, storyboards, animatics, layering of colors, voice talent and ultimately final animation.
  * Justice League: The New Frontier - Sneak peak of the next DC Universe Original Movie
  * Defeat Doomsday: Battle Challenge - Battle as Superman to defeat Doomsday in this fast-action, dexterity challenge which lets the users relive the epic battle with unique gameplay inter-cut with footage from the movie.
  * Widescreen (1.78:1)
  * 5.1 Dolby Digital
  
  
  

• The Death of Superman

  
  By A1F1FOR46702YF on 2007-09-20
  The creative team behind "Justice League Unlimited" and "The Batman" bring the darkest chapter in the adventures of the legendary Man of Steel to DVD in the animated feature "Superman: Doomsday". When Lex Luthor unearths the intergalactic monster Doomsday, Superman is locked in an epic battle against the powerful brute that forces him to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect Metropolis and all those he once loved. As the world mourns the loss of its greatest hero, can the people of Earth survive without the Man of Steel? "Superman: Doomsday" is a rousing 75-minute animated adaptation of the best selling graphic tale "The Death of Superman". The story holds out pretty well and includes some memorable moments. The raging battle between Superman and Doomsday is fiercer and more engrossing than anything seen in the previous animated series. The animated adventure features the voice talents of Adam Baldwin (Serenity), Anne Hache (Men in Trees) and James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
  
  "Superman: Doomsday" is a well recommended DVD for any serious comic book fan. The 75-minute animated movie is presented in a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The DVD contains a sharp picture quality and a great 2.0 Dolby Digital sound. It supplemental features include the extensive "Requiem and Rebirth: Superman Lives!" documentary, an exclusive 10-minute sneak peek of the upcoming animated adventure "Justice League: The New Frontier", interviews with the voice cast and an audio commentary with the production crew. Overall, "Superman: Doomsday" gets a "B".
  
  

• Superman: Doomsday review

  
  By A658IA7EBOW9H on 2007-08-05
  Phenomenal.
  
  I can't even express how impressed i was with this movie.
  
  Is it the comic? not really. does that matter? hell no. this movie is based on "The Death of Superman," yes, but they never said it would be exactly the same. did they follow the basic premise and capture the essence of the story? hell yes, they did. and they translated all the most important parts of the story while still making it their own.
  
  denying the pure quality of the movie itself is just a practice in bad taste. keep in mind that most of the people who will bash this movie for not being an exact adaptation of the three graphic novels it pulls inspiration from are probably the same people who own all box-sets of S:TAS and consider them to be bar-setting quality in Superhero television. was S:TAS exactly like the comics? hell no. in fact, to compare them on those grounds is just rediculous... they're about as different as they can possibly be, without S:TAS destroying the superman comic mythos. the key is that they kept the important parts the same, and delivered high quality writing, animation, etc. while still being allowed to add their own flavor to the stories.
  
  the route they took with this movie was, i think, perfect for what they were aiming to do. they wanted to bring the classic story to the screen without bogging it down with all of the unnecessary plot tangents that drag the focus off of Superman himself. because that's what's important. Superman's death is what sold those comics, not the inclusion of the JLA. and then, subsequently, Superman's return from death after much mourning is done by the Man of Steel's loved (and not so loved) ones. all of this was captured flawlessly in the film and i think it deserves the highest of ratings for what it accomplishes in it's relatively short running time (even though the sheer scope of it makes it feel far more substancial than any other 70-80 minute movie i've seen).
  
  basically, to wrap up, this movie exceeded my already high expectations and as far as i'm concerned, they already have my money when the Dvd is released.
  
  i highly recommend it and suggest that you, at the very least, rent it regardless of any doubts.
  
  

• Yet to be seen

  
  By A3F8ZY9Q6VFDLX on 2007-07-06
  I don't care if it was just a marketing ploy...it caught everyone's attention. As a kid, I remember buying the graphic novel at a gas station and running home to read it. Was I the only one crying as he died in Lois's arms? At the time, it seemed like the end of an era. And brace yourselves for this...BRUCE TIMM is involved, he's THE producer actually! It will resemble animation from DCAU but it's a stand alone story. C'mon am I the only one that wanted to see Supes die when he fought Doomsday in the Justice League cartoon, but they had to tone it down for the kids. Now we have an official PG-13 release. LONG LIVE BRUCE TIMM AND PAUL DINI!! and here's to hoping that the Justice League and Teen Titan releases are outstanding!
  
  

• A let down... a big let down

  
  By A2KHW2C75IXN7O on 2007-07-30
  I recently saw this at Comic Con San Diego special preview. If you have not seen the plot outlines of this adaptation, you're in for a shock. First off, it's PG-13... so that means people die, not in a grotesque manner, but certainly more graphic then past DCAU ventures. Also another huge point is the recasting of EVERYONE who was ever involved in the Superman TAS. The casting choices, cept for Adam Baldwin as Superman, I felt was not on par with the original cast of the Animated Series.
  The Rest of this may contain spoilers... do not read further if you want a surprise, but just know that I thought the movie could have been much better.
  SPOILERS!!!!
  
  
  The story itself? 3 huge comics shortened to one movie with a running time of less then 2 hours? They skimped out on a lot, most notably Doomsday getting less then 20 min of screen time. I find this horrific, considering I loved the Death of Superman. Not only does Doomsday get gypped, but also the fact that it is only Superman fighting him, no other members of the Justice League get involved, or mentioned, which made me feel the sense of urgency for Superman to get involved feel not nearly as urgent. I also hated that the Doomsday costume like in the comic, wasn't used, I always liked that he was revealed slowly, giving you horrifying glimpses of his true nature. Then of course, a world without superman and the return of superman are equally short, giving you no loss of time with superman's departure or his return, with the many superman wannabes. IN all, I thought this could have been A GREAT two part movie, which would've made me leap for joy, instead one 75 min piece o' crud that made me run out of the screening without even looking at the man I once thought great, Bruce Timm. Sold out to promote a movie they took from a great story, and trashed it to give me this. If they're trying to compete with the Marvel direct to video movies, I say go for it, they're not that good. But if they're trying to sink to the Marvel level? that's just bad. It's not as bad as Brainiac Attacks, but I was hoping for much better
  
  
• This is pure marketing trash....
  By AU8552YCOO5QX on 2007-06-17
  I read that story and it wa sthe biggest marketing trash DC Comics ever did, I can not belive they are making this into an animated feature, looking at the terrible voice talent they have lined up, It has all the hype of a company that also owns the over-rated AOL software.
  
  
• my thoughts on superman - doomsday.
  By A1JE6J1D074W0M on 2007-08-12
  i had high hopes for this movie...i volunteered at the san diego comic con this past july just to see the premiere of the movie. i was dissappointed that this was a stand alone story that had no connection to any previous superman storylines - be it animated or from the comics. the animation itself was decent but the weird lines on superman's face just bugged me right from the opening scene and throughout the movie...lois and luthor looked poor as well.
  
  doomsday lacked presence in the movie...he was all ready introduced in the justice league animated series (with the justice lord superman easily defeating him). they could have done more with him, this movie could have been retitled "superman and another lex luthor plans to take over the world with some lucky circumstances".
  
  everything seemed rushed in the movie - doomsday's appearance, doomsday's death, superman's return to life (or so it seemed), superman's return to stop luthor plans. the only thing that was drawn out was superman's relationship with lois - long and lame.
  
  the voice casting could've been anyone; famous (or recognizeable names don't make for a great animiated movie).
  
  overall, the movie was not a super attempt for dc's direct to dvd animated movies.
  
  
• Everything I Wanted It To Be, & More!!!
  By A17CP110C6E9KF on 2007-09-09
  Finally we get a true comic book to movie film that works!!! True the movie does stray a little from the original comics, but it stays close enough that you still get the idea. This movie does not take place in Warner Brother's "Superman - The Animated Series" universe. There's no JLA, & Lex Luthor is a much more brutal, sinister Luthor. This Luthor is very familiar to those familiar with the comics. He's a take no prisoners killer. I also like what they did with "The Toyman" (it's to bad he won't be around for future pics :P). This is a PG-13 movie that deserves to be PG-13 (unlike Marvel's pathetic attempts at making animated feature films "Ultimates/Iron Man/Doctor Strange" YUK!), the fight scenes are brutal & you really get a sense of the power being thrown around between both Superman & Doomsday. This is the film Warner should've made with the recent "Superman Returns", live action this would've been awesome. There's a whole new voice cast that for this film that nail the characters dead on. The animation (again unlike the Marvel animation) is truely amazing you can tell the animators really put their hearts & souls into every frame. The return/rebirth of Superman storyline is a little different. Rather than their being 4 Supermen taking his place their is only one. I won't go to deep into detail as not to spoil anything for anyone, but it fits well with the story. 4 Supermen wouldn't have fit into one film & for thsi I'm glad they chose to change things rather than force it into a 90 minute movie. The special features are great too, you get an interview with the entire team that originally killed Superman with the Doomsday story line which is really cool (just think we have "Lois & Clark" to thank for "Supes" demise:P), cast interviews & a sneak peek inside look at Warners next DC animnated film "Justice League - The New Frontier" which looks just as equally amazing!! Anyway, those are my thoughts. Anyone who's ever liked Superman needs to watch this movie. That goes for anyone who's ever enjoyed animated films as well. This is a well put together film that I think everyone will enjoy. Buy This Movie!!!
  
  
• I wanted to like it, I really did
  By A31M2QHES2IMB on 2007-08-29
  Being a longtime DCAU fan, I was very much looking forward to seeing this. I knew with Duane Capizzi writing, the man responsible for Superman:Brainiac Attacks, that could mean trouble. Except I held out hope, knowing that the source material he was adapting it from was good, and that Bruce Timm was on board to steer this in the right direction.
  
  Now I understand full well that this story is not connected to the DCAU, and is a stand alone movie, but I still can't help wishing they had stuck with the original voice actors. They just couldn't resist casting name actors to draw more fans in I suppose and while Adam Baldwin is an ok Superman, Anne Heche doesn't hold a candle to Dana Delaney's Lois, and I won't even get started on the downgrade with Luthor. This is quite disappointing considering Andrea Romano's voice casting is usually spot on.
  
  But enough about the actors. My biggest problem with this is that what could have been three great movies, turned out to be one sub par movie. I understand from being at the q&a panel that the idea was to condense the story, make it simpler, and let it stand alone as just a Superman story. The idea sounds ok in theory, but it just makes the movie feel cheap, like we're getting the cliff's notes version when I'd rather be seeing the unabridged epic with a full story of supporting characters. I was really hoping to see a cliffhanger ending, something to indicate that this is not the end, but alas there was no Empire Strikes Back moment to relish in.
  
  The animation doesn't stray too much from Timm's style, which is visually pleasing but makes the fact that the voices are radically different that much more irritating. I will say that the fight between Supes and Doomsday is really something. That alone is worth two stars. Just the right length and even more brutal than the fight they had in JLU. I will watch it again just for that.
  
  There's a few other surprises and character moments to behold that are enjoyable. I just can't help imagining what it could have been had they done it right and adapted the entire story as opposed to giving us a taste test of one of the most definitive Superman stories ever told.
  
  
• Rating Superman
  By A3KKM0T1KY42HA on 2007-11-13
  My wife makes fun of me for shushing the kids so I can hear "cartoons". I quickly correct her, "Superman - Doomsday is not a 'cartoon.' It's an 'animated feature film.'" This clarification for some reason always seems to bring on even more chuckles over a bottle of wine with friends than it does clarify the matter.
  
  Anyway, My kids were as captivated as I was for Superman - Doomsday. What is with the PG-13 rating of Superman - Doomsday?...I remember a couple of scenes in Finding Nemo that were more intense for young children, but Nemo gets a G rating. I'll tell ya, I think that the MPAA needs a rating themselves. That would be an 'F'. Rest assured, Superman - Doomsday is definitely for kids too unless you shield your kids from the same kinds of intensity that can be found in the most intense chapters of Nemo and other Disney G-rated classics.
  
  Now, on the other side of the coin...Doomsday does viciously do away with some of the folks that cross his path. So a little Parental Guidance could be in order for kids 7 and under. But any 10 year old that needs Parental Guidance for Superman - Doomsday doesn't get out much.
  
  Superman - Doomsday isn't quite as well put together as the Justice League) series, but it was pretty good. I don't follow the comic book series, but I understand that there are some continuity issues between this movie and the DC Comics...most notably the origin of Doomsday. But the story told on the DVD held up, and was pretty cool.
  
  LexCorp's minions find an alien craft in some mine and accidentally unleash Doomsday (an ugly looking monster) from the craft. The monster wreaks havoc; Superman comes to the rescue; and the result could be a dramatic change in a World that is used to having Superman around to protect everyone.
  
  It is not necessary to have ever seen a Justice League episode or read a DC Superman comic book to enjoy the Superman - Doomsday DVD. On the contrary...familiarity with the comic books or TV series might hinder your viewing pleasure based on the varying continuity factors.
  
  Final word: sit back and enjoy. And don't forget to provide that all-important Parental Guidance for the kids that have never seen the 6 o'clock news.
  
  
  
• Butchered
  By A2SOIGOH33SYDD on 2007-07-28
  I caught the premiere at the San Diego Comic-con, and if your an avid of the Superman mythology than it might upset you when someone comes along and messes up the storyline. I'll admit the animation was very good but the artwork was too cartoony and the character voices were at most unbearable. As for the story line the entire arc Reign of the Supermen was cut out of the movie. There was no Steel, no Superman Cyborg, no Superboy. If DC is going to try and keep up with Marvel on their Direct to DVD releases then they definitely need to amp up their material. If its a budget issue than just don't make the movie, I would rather the movie never be made than be made as badly as it was.
  
  
• This is some frackle-nackle bull!
  By A3178K9AHMHCQV on 2007-10-10
  I'm going sum up this review in bullets:
  
  1: The beginning of the movie is weak. Doomsday is found in a spaceship underground and a simple puncture in the hull causes him to immediately break free of the ship. What was he doing all that time? Was he sleeping? Was he in suspended animation? Was he watching Loony Toons? We'll never know.
  
  2. There are no other superheroes on earth. Ahem, let me clarify that, THERE ARE NO OTHER SUPERHEROES ON EARTH. A HUGE part of the success of the Death of Superman arc was the fact that no other superhero but Superman could stop Doomsday. That gave the story an epic feel that is completely vacant here. I felt nothing as Doomsday slaughtered weak little humans and animals on the way to Metropolis - another problem, by the way, as why has he chosen to go to Metropolis? Give him a reason!
  
  3. Doomsday's evolution ability is missing. And then this movie goes and actually suggests that Doomsday is a machine! A FREAKING MACHINE!
  
  4. Doomsday is in this movie for 15 minutes max. The movie should be titled SUPERMAN: NEMESIS as it is all about his clone and Lex Luthor.
  
  5. This Luthor isn't as smart as Luthor really is. He only has ONE failsafe to stop the clone Superman. Sloppy!
  
  You dropped the ball on this one, creators. Do yourself a favor and go watch the Justice League: Unlimited series. You'll learn something about creating a movie about a character who exists in a world of heroes who love and respect him. You'll learn something about the word "epic" and "passion."
  
  
• Destroyed
  By A2PR69Z9QVA8VO on 2007-09-20
  I remember when the death of Superman series came out, and actually liked it. I was never a big DC fan, but I have to say it stood out. This version of the story is utter garbage, and basically deconstructs the storyline into a mess to fit it into a 75 minute slot. Even the version of Doomsday that was done on Justice League Unlimited was a better idea than this. The story missed so much of what was needed to make it effective. Mainly that it fought the JLA first, and trashed them before even meeting Superman. I was trying to think of a plus, but it just isn't happening. Even the animation was substandard, and I loved the previous animated series. Superman Doomsday just misses so many marks. If you want to see the real story the graphic novels are still around, and worth it. Send a message to DC that this kind of stuff won't be tolerated in future features. It is an insult to their readership.
  
  
• horrible in every sense of the imagination
  By A1QOP1SFC2Z5NP on 2007-09-25
  Anyone who has read the comic books is in for the let down of the century. I've been following the release of this dvd since it was announced. When it was announced it would be a pg 13 rating, I got more excited I thought, wow this could be awesome. The comics were so beautifully detailed, and then to be given this half baked attempt at a movie ever made.
  
  The story was completely rewritten for absolutely no reason. They completely could have done it right and it should have then been a 2 and a half hour movie. Why not put the effort in? Why not make a valid attempt?
  
  They completely destroyed what was and is one of the greatest story lines in comic book history.
  
  For those that don't know the original story line, I feel bad for because this will be the only story they know, and it will be a pathetic one.
  
  The animation was horrible, the voice acting had no emotion. The world lost their hero in this movie, not just a country but the world. It played out like someone losing their pet.
  
  
  Disappointment doesn't begin to describe..
  
  
• DOOMed? DOOMed not?
  By AYG1U47VFZ165 on 2007-09-20
  Face facts, Super-fans: there is no way possible a film adaptation of the entire Superman/Doomsday saga could possibly have been attempted much less pleased everyone ... so we all may as well dispense with comparisons, per se, to the comics saga that took well over a year to tell AND to read. It's nice to understand that SUPERMAN - DOOMSDAY had its basis on that stellar reality because, in the end, at least Bruce Timm and company knew which elements to keep and, arguably, which to shelve for some other project.
  
  That said, I heartily enjoyed SUPERMAN - DOOMSDAY as a passing interpretation of the 'Death of Superman' storyline. On the commentary track, the creators and other 'creative' folk admit that there were painful choices that had to be made in fashioned this adaptation into a workable project, and I'd give 'em props for taking the seminal moment -- the best slugmatch in town, the one that results in two deaths -- and giving it serious screen time. Once Supes and his ultimate foe, Doomsday, come together, the streets of Metropolis will never be the same.
  
  Largely, it's mostly Saturday morning animation here, despite what some of the more technically skilled folks will tell you. Despite Timm and company's strong desire to distance themselves from THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, the look is still largely the same. Characters -- Lois, Jimmy, Mr. White -- are given greater re-invention than Supes -- who curiously has some jagged Clint Eastwood-esque cheekbones that look horribly out of place on his skin of steel. It's a gripe. It's a distraction. Does it ruin the film? No. Does it separate it enough from THE ADV. OF SUPES? Not really.
  
  Content-wise, there are a few surprising additions. The violence is whacked up more than a few notches (parents note: it's rated PG-13 for good reasons), and Lex Luther is given one particularly gruesome scene (yes, it's the one involving a certain blonde) that took me by surprise. Doomsday's 'birth' of sorts is also graphic but thankfully it's mostly washed over in darkness to spare the faint of heart. The second half of the film -- it's what most strongly deviates from the 'Death of Supes' story -- is a bit of a letdown; very little is retained from the source material, but I didn't find it terribly disappointing ... on its own, SUPERMAN - DOOMSDAY had far more heart, drama, and relevance than did Bryan Singer's SUPERMAN RETURNS, if you ask me, a film that I found mostly dull, forced, and flat.
  
  On the MAJOR PLUS side, one of the Special Features is "Requiem and Rebirth: Superman Lives!" documentary, a terrific look back at the phenomenon that was the real 'Death' storyline, and that alone made this disc worth the price of admission.
  
  
• Not bad, but not what I remember...
  By AUUCURMDP4928 on 2007-09-20
  I read the book/graphic novel over ten years ago, if I remember. This isn't much like that at all. Superman fights something called Doomsday and dies, then comes back to life. That's about all that remains of the original story.
  Gone are the side stories about Superboy and Steel, which were very cool IMHO. Gone also is the interesting story about how Superman came back to life. The mechanics behind how he does so in this DVD are completely different, from what I recall.
  Not bad for a fun hour's watching, but don't expect this to be like the original story.
  I wish they'd have made the movie of it like they'd planned :(
  
  
• Painfully dissapointing...It could have been so awwwwesome. Why Bruce? Why?
  By A16P8XJI5P0DQV on 2007-10-01
  Someone said that it left you wanting more. Yeah, sometimes that's not a movie's best quality. You usually want some closure at the end. I'm not sure that the people who saw this film and gave more than one star really understand or even know the original story. Go read the books and then see this film and it will leave you wanting more...more of the freekin' story. 1. If they were going to tell this story, they should have told the entire thing. I would have paid for sequels if it would have been done right. 2. Why does Superman have those stupid dimples on his face when he never had them before. I kept thinking, "What the heck is that on his face?!" 3. The character design for this movie was not what it should have been. Doomsday could have looked better...so much better! I'm an animator and I can tell you right now that the animation for this movie was also sub-par. It seemed rushed; maybe to make the deadline. I wouldn't be surprised if there was more of this movie we didn't get for sake of the deadline as well. I had to get used to the voice acting in a couple of scenes it seemed like it was totally off. All in all man, I was just sitting there at the end asking why. Why even bother? WB has the money, they should have spent more on this flick. I would have paid to see it in theaters or whatever, just do it right dagnabit! The WB's attempt to fight Marvel for top dawg of the animated powerhouses is off to an stoooopid start. Thanks for reading my rant. I'm pissed, obviously.
  
  
• "When a Superman dies..."
  By AJKWF4W7QD4NS on 2007-09-18
  The first in a line of straight to DVD animated features adapted from classic DC stories, Superman: Doomsday re-tells the much maligned Death of Superman saga from the early 90's in animated form, and despite what many of the negative reviews here say otherwise, it works. The Man of Steel (voiced by Serenity's Adam Baldwin) is in love with Lois Lane (Anne Heche) and enjoying life as usual, until his world is rocked by the arrival of the murderous creature called Doomsday, inadvertantly let loose by Lex Luthor (Buffy the Vampire Slayer's James "Spike" Marsters). If you've read the comics, you know what happens next, but the animated feature wisely ignores the Reign of the Supermen part of the arc, in place of an imposter created by Luthor, which results in an apocalyptic showdown. Being the first in a line of newly animated features, don't go into this expecting something among the lines of the DC animated series' that had come before it. The animation itself looks similar to what we've seen before (veteran animator Bruce Timm is heavily involved here), but the tone is noticibly different. The voice acting is solid (Marsters is magnificent as Luthor, while Baldwin is servicable as Superman) and the action is wonderfully orchestrated as well, all of which makes Superman: Doomsday an animated treat. The special features of the DVD are great as well, including an intriguing documentary on the history of the landmark comic and it's adaptation into animation, as well as a sneak peek at the next DC animated feature, the New Frontier, based on Darwyn Cooke's celebrated comic series.
  
  
• Stay away, Misleading title for the movie!
  By AOQ2SKKSB5NCN on 2007-09-23
  Hi all,
  
  Like everybody else I picked up the eventful comics that made up the death of superman storyline way back then and it was a huge thing.
  
  Today we get to see an animated version of these events and here is my review.
  
  
  Pros
  
  Nice animation
  Nice character design
  Very good voice acting.
  Intense fights and destruction.
  
  Cons
  
  Most of the movie happens at night. I have no clue as to why though. I guess the moviemaker got a deal on black ink for the film production.
  
  The biggest problem I have with this DVD adaptation is with the story. The only thing that remains from the original comic book story is the fight with doomsday and the death and funeral of superman. Everything else in the film before and after doomsday is made up fiction for the film.
  
  I really did not like the way Doomsday was handled in the film. The movie is called Superman Doomsday and you are lead to believe that this is the story while in fact it is really not the case.
  
  Yes there is this big huge fight which is extremely well done. But after superman apparently kills doomsday and dies soon after, we have no clue as to what happens to doomsday after. There is not one second of the film that shows how people dealt with doomsday...did they dispose of him? Where did doomsday go? I have no clue! The storyline switches to a clone of superman story, the resurrection of superman and that is it.
  
  That has got to be the worst written bit of animation history that I have ever seen and they had the base material to write from. Doomsday beats superman like he was a rag doll nearly kills him and then in the end he just disappears entirely from the film.
  
  I was not happy with that at all. Very poor story telling technique.
  
  I would recommend to people to rent it and only hardcore comic book fan to buy it but take it with a grain of salt as it is not really good.
  
  peace
  
  
• The day a blockhead died
  By A33CLVW2K7SL1P on 2007-09-24
  This film was a colossal disappointment. I found the animation uncomfortable and difficult to watch, although this is my own personal preference - I don't care for the way this particular Superman, and all the people, are drawn. They appear to be an amalgamation of building, or cinder blocks. It's just not attractive. Louis is so angular she barely possesses any humanity. There isn't any spark or interest between her and Superman; and in a Superman film, be it animation or live action, there absolutely has to be a spark between Lois and Clark/Superman. Superman is already at a disadvantage as a character, because he's so darn powerful, and his morals and integrity are unquestionable. He's the perfect guy. That's why it's difficult to tell stories about him, as opposed to Batman, for whom telling stories isn't as difficult. He's fallible - physically and morally. Superman has two essential weaknesses: Kryptonite and Lois. How many does Batman have? Ask any writer who they'd rather write stories for, and 9 times out of ten you're going to hear "Batman".
  
  Why this particular Superman "realization" was chosen for this film is anyone's guess. If it was in the special features, I missed it. The special features weren't subtitled, and as I'm hearing impaired, I don't bother with special features that aren't subtitled. (Really - how much money are we talking about to add subtitles or captions to special features?)
  
  But my disappointment goes far beyond the animation, and is more solidly found in the story itself. The death of Superman, and his return, as told in the actual comic books, were incredible stories by themselves. The only editing required would have been to cut scenes. It wasn't necessary to bring Lex Luthor in and rewrite 90% of the story, especially when the story they came up with was so insipid. My best guess for the inclusion of Luthor was mass appeal. More people know who Luthor is than Doomsday, so perhaps they were banking on Luthor's involvement raising the stakes for those who might not have read the initial series. Again, though, why do *anything* if what your doing detracts from the story? The story is about Superman, Doomsday, and Superman's return. They should have stuck to their original story. They didn't need Supergirl or the Justice League (part of the story 14 years ago). Those scenes could have been cut, and still given them plenty to work with.
  
  The actual fight between Superman and Doomsday was remarkably dull, and mostly because they cut Superman's thoughts out. In the comic strip, Superman was shown thinking about how devastating Doomsday was, and how much he, Superman, was hurting. To show how badly Superman is being hurt, especially through his own thoughts (it's more specific that way than a simple "OOMF", or a facial expression of pain) would have added very necessary drama to the scene in the film.
  
  I followed this series week-by-week as it was released in the early 90s. The creators had to find a creature capable of killing Superman (without resorting to a tired Kryptonite-based plot), and they brilliantly invented the character of Doomsday, who was fleshed out even more in a later graphic novel (Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey). It still ranks as one of the more exciting reads that I can recall, and I'm not necessarily a comic book fan.
  
  When I first read the comic book that killed Superman, I admit to being choked up when he died. The writers did such a terrific job at building the scene and setting the necessary emotions, I doubt I could have done anything but be choked up. When Superman died in this animated film, I felt like yawning. And it was pretty much the same for when he came back.
  About coming back: he came back to fight a genetically engineered Superman (being controlled, partially at least, by Luthor), and came back in a black suit with solar panels to increase his absorption of the yellow sun. Did anyone else notice that the fight between Superman and his clone occurred at night? The least they could have done is waited until the sun rose.
  
  Bottom line: if you read the comic and enjoyed it, you should watch this. If you didn't read the comic, but want to see the character that killed Superman, I would recommend buying this The Death of Superman and avoiding the film altogether. The comics tell the story far better.
  
  
  
• Stop whining! Enjoy the movie!
  By A3AO5STPIAPY2L on 2007-09-24
  Enough with the whining about SUPERMAN DOOMSDAY not being enough like the comic book. Different mediums demand different interpretations (Peter Shaffer, author of the AMADEUS film and play wrote a great essay on this.) Such is very much the case here. Unless you are interested in sitting at every book-film adaptation with a list you can check off on how different it is - (HARRY POTTER, LORD OF THE RINGS, etc...) then you miss the point and the fun of telling a story. There have been SO MANY varied interpretations of the Superman myth - one different than the other, from THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN to SUPERFRIENDS to LOIS AND CLARK to SMALLVILLE to IT'S SUPERMAN (a wonderful novel and very different take by Tom De Haven)... and there's the task of adapting the massive death and return story arc - filled with characters and situations established over years - do you take the time to explain Lex Luthor had his brain transplanted into a younger cloned body of himself? Supergirl and her weird shape-shifting? Cadmus, Dubbilex, Guy Gardner, Blue Beetle, the history of the Eradicator, Pa Kent's heart-attack, Superboy and his entourage... phew! Way too much. The only way to do it is the way Bruce Timm produced it - by re-inventing it. I have an audio cassette of a dramatic retelling of the story titled SUPERMAN LIVES! - it's closer to the comic version but it only works if you know the story and have read the comic.
  
  Then there's the whining about using different voices and character designs than were used in the recent animated Superman series. Please. How many different Lois Lane incarnations have I seen or heard? Plenty. And certainly comic book readers have seen these characters drawn in a variety of ways of the years. Again, enough.
  
  So - finally - what about the movie on it's own merit? Is it exciting? Yes. The battle with Doomsday is especially and surprisingly fierce. I don't know how many times Supes gets his head bashed - but - phew! If you're gonna kill Superman, this'll do it... Is it perfect? No... there are some missed opportunities for surprise, I think, the biggest being the return of Superman. And we don't get enough of a sense of loss in the world without a Superman - this is the trick of pacing in animation; when the first part of the film seems so accelerated, perhaps there was a fear of slowing it down too much. Lois Lane and Perry White come off tougher than usual and Martha Kent is uncharacteristically cold to Lois. Interesting choices, but what can be attractive about good Superman stories is the "heart moments" that make us want to cheer for the "good guy". And we do, just because he's Superman and we have always cheered for him - but I personally would have liked to have seen more heart from our heroes in contrast to the wonderfully and unapologetically evil Lex Luthor... and the real and creepy danger of the Toyman.
  
  All the hoopla and complaining has made my copy a must-see from all my friends; everybody wants to borrow it from me - this kind of love/hate response is a credit to Bruce Timm and his team. It may be a while before I get my copy back to watch it again - and I will watch it, and have fun, like you're supposed to.
  
  
• Lowering Your Expectations Doesnt Help This Film
  By A2A3PV7XG6ZGM5 on 2007-09-30
  I knew that no other superheroes were going to be in this so that didnt surprise me. I also knew that it would be a one movie deal, no sequels. So I went into this film knowing it could be real bad. It would be tough to put the real whole storyline together in 75min. but I figured with some tweaking and even a lot of changes and trimming of unneeded storyline from the original story, it could be done. Well they screwed the pooch on this one, from supermans facial lines (he looked in his 50s Lois in her late 20s)to what happened to Doomsday. I mean where did he go? Wheres his body? The battle at night with barely anyone around! Not in the day when everyone is around and total chaos like in the original. There was no need for the change. Also there was no build up for Doomsday He just got loose, walked over a mountain and entered Metropolis. That and the fight with Superman was like 10 min. tops and then thats all we see of him. Anyway I have a lot more but Im sure its been said already, so lets just end it with this: I knew the original storyline and I hated it. My wife new nothing of the original storyline and thought it was terrible
  
  
• Waste of time
  By A6KCX39ZC5F6C on 2007-10-01
  Rent this or get it online free the production values of this are poor. Dr Strange (who I didnt follow) was superior.
  
  
• When a Superman dies...
  By AJKWF4W7QD4NS on 2008-09-09
  The first in a line of straight to DVD animated features adapted from classic DC stories, Superman: Doomsday re-tells the much maligned Death of Superman saga from the early 90's in animated form, and despite what many of the negative reviews here say otherwise, it works. The Man of Steel (voiced by Serenity's Adam Baldwin) is in love with Lois Lane (voiced quite stiffly by Anne Heche) and both are enjoying their relationship, until his world is rocked by the arrival of the murderous creature Doomsday, who is inadvertantly let loose by Lex Luthor (Buffy the Vampire Slayer's James "Spike" Marsters). If you've read the comics, you know what happens next, but the animated feature wisely ignores the Reign of the Supermen part of the arc, in place of an imposter created by Luthor, which results in an apocalyptic showdown. Being the first in a line of newly animated features, don't go into this expecting something among the lines of the DC animated series' that had come before it. The animation itself looks similar to what we've seen before (veteran animator Bruce Timm is heavily involved here), but the tone is noticibly different. The voice acting is solid (Marsters is magnificent as Luthor, while Baldwin is servicable as Superman) and the action is nicely orchestrated as well, all of which makes Superman: Doomsday an animated treat. This new two-disc edition has a few new features, including episodes from the underrated 90's Superman animated series, but there isn't anything else here that really warrants getting double-dipped for.
  
  
• Naysayers need to look up the definition of the word "Adaptation"
  By A2J7NLY3L6F21N on 2007-09-20
  For those of you who aren't hardcore comics geeks, please don't be put off by the bad reviews given by people lamenting that this movie isn't a strict recreation of the "Death of Superman" comic book storyline. Those people need to get out a dictionary and look up the meaning of the word, "Adaptation." The epic comic book tale, featuring four (rather than one) surrogate Supermen, Supergirl, a somewhat different Lex Luthor and guest appearances by the Justice League as well as the additional villain Mongul would be impossible to do in a 75 minute movie.
  
  Different media have different needs and what Bruce Timm and his team have done is create a great story that captures the spirit of the comics while bringing some entirely new twists. Some of the changes (such as sending Clark to Afghanistan at the beginning of the story, thus making his unexplained silence after Superman dies easier to explain) are improvements on the original. Other alterations offer some really surprising twists to the fans who do know the story (one, including a terrifyingly redesigned Toyman will have true Superman fans gasping). And most of all, the relationship between Superman and Lois has never been handled with such depth and complexity... it offers some genuine emotion at a number of points in the film.
  
  The action is great, the voices are mostly excellent (although Anne Heche's gruff Lois takes a while to get used to) and it's fun to see how the animators have integrated elements from many sources, including SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE (there's a shot of Supes taking off that's lifted directly from the film), SMALLVILLE and SUPERMAN RETURNS (Jonathan Kent isn't alive in this and Martha seems to have the same kind of melancholic disconnect to her son as in that film). Of course, small nods to comics creators are in evidence and there's even an inside dig at producer Jon Peters' infamous edict to have Superman battle a giant spider (voiced by an animated Kevin Smith).
  
  The film's not perfect... one wishes that the Doomsday portion of the film would've had just a tad more heft to it, and a subplot involving Jimmy Olsen being wooed by a Tabloid feels forced, but those are minor quibbles.
  
  The plethora of added bonus features, including an in-depth look at the hysteria that the original "Death of Superman" comics wraught, make this a must-have for even a casual Superman fan. Pay the One and Two Star Reviewers no mind! They're too wrapped up in their myopic fanboy worlds to appreciate this project for what it is: An exciting, adult Superman adventure that easily stands on its own.
  
  
• Where do I begin..............
  By A3C8RT5BUIHYI4 on 2007-09-21
  Who is Superman? That is what has been lacking ever since Supe escaped the "confines" of the printed page. Forget that it seems no one who even read the original story worked on this film, but it seems that the best way to make a Superman movie is to hire people who don't even know who he is. There is not enough space to tell you all that I would like to but here's a quick list.
  
  1. Pre-marital sex..... Supe has a moral fiber that people keep stomping on.
  
  2. The suit..... Where's the "S" on the cape? Who decided to take this away. It's been gone since Supe was animated in the first series.
  
  3. Supe can't kill....... oh forget it.............
  
  4. The Justice League......... not included? not even at the funeral?
  
  5. Who drew Supe in this movie??? Why did he look 80??
  
  If ya love Supe, don't buy this DVD.................
  
  
• EVERYONE READ THIS BEFORE BUYING!!!!!!!!!!
  By A2ZAI81P787HP6 on 2007-09-21
  IF YOU ARE SOME PARENT BUYING THIS CARTOON FOR YOU YOUNG CHILD THEN MAYBE JUST DISREGARD THIS BUT IF YOUR A FAN OF THE ORIGINAL STORY THEN READ ON...Okey, I, as a fan of the original "Death of Superman" saga feel obligated to tell the truth before you all spend $15 dollars of your hard earned money. DO NOT BUY THIS IT SUCKS!!!!! I dont even feel like writing a long drawn out review for such a crappy piece of material, I just wanted to help. Basically it's nothing like the original story and you'll be disappointed, seriously. If I were you, I would A.) Borrow it from somebody else, or B.) Rent it. Thats all I have to say. If you buy it afyter reading this and are disappointed...I told ya so!!!!!
  
  Matt
  
  
• This could have been the best selling animated movie of the year
  By A2NTPAQUFSSC9L on 2007-09-21
  DC skimped on this project. There is no way around it. There was a cd adaptation of this story done a couple of years ago that followed the story and was a delight to listen to. This movie was a disappointment. The writer did not abridge the story, he rewrote it to a point where it is unrecognizable. To do this movie right would require a three hour movie to be produced. That was the length of time of the cd adaptation that I liked. This movie was about an hour and a half.
  
  Spoiler warning for those familiar with the story.
  
  
  No Steel
  No Superboy
  No Yellow Visored Superman
  No Cadmus
  No other Heroes.
  
  DC please redo this and do it thoroughly. People will buy it. Seriously. Ask the Lord of the Rings people if fans will buy a three hour movie if the movie is well done.
  
  
• What did they do to my favorite story
  By A2F6IYJSVKAOED on 2007-09-25
  I've been waiting since the comic book and graphic novel for DC to step up and turn this into an animated or live action movie. When I saw the commercial, I just knew I had to get it. Then I watched it and was totally disappointed. They took so much away from the story that was told in the graphic novel. Where were earth's hero's at Superman's funeral? Where all those who claimed to be superman? Steel, superboy, etc? I know it would be hard to squeeze into one movie, but to tell the story this way would have been worth waiting on a couple more movies. The story was okay but I wanted THE STORY.
  
  
• Good movie
  By A2DQNG8N7G8P2U on 2007-10-12
  I bought this movie the week it came out because I loved the Doomsday storyline as a kid and since there is no live adaptation, I'll take this. I liked how the movie though not following the entire storyline still caught the emotion the storyline created when it first came out in print. Now if you are expecting to see the supermen, then you'll be dissappointed although it is a lot of fun watching the Superman Doomsday fight. The funeral was nice though it could have been longer. This is a good addition to the Superman films and shouldn't be counted out just because it doesn't follow panel by panel what you read in the comic. Also, take a peek at the extras with the team who came up with the story and see just how awesome it was to be around (or sad depending how you look at it) when Superman died! To those who say this movie sucks are just being biased because they have to have it one way or not at all. This is worth a peek and I think many will like how even though there was a lot left out but enough left in to create an enjoyable film.
  
  

• Justice League - The New Frontier (Two-Disc Special Edition)
• Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer
• Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme
• Smallville - The Complete Sixth Season
• Batman Gotham Knight (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)