Superman vs The Elite: A Moral Tale
Superman´s most recent animated film differs from all the previous ones in terms that is not just another Superman story, it is also a moral tale (superhero-style, of course). In this story a new group of superheroes has come to scene. They're brash and reckless. His leader is Manchester Black, a young man whose approach to justice goes like: "Shoot-first-ask-questions-later". He favors the use of full force against criminals which is something Superman abhorrs. Enters the Atomic Skull, usually a second tier that has received an upgrade for the purposes of this story. S.A. is depicted here as a killing machine that feels no remorse for what he does and can take any blow, or superblow. The Elite faces him and if not aided by Superman they cannot defeat the A.S. At the end of this fight the Skull is on his knees unable to reignite himself but feeling confident that he will be able to escape again as he has done several times in the past. This time it will be different for Manchester Black kills a defenseless Skull adopting the executioner´s role.
What DC is offering with this story is an interesting clash of philosophies. On one side there is Superman's vision, the viewpoint of a man who 's decent and honest and wants to use his tremendous might not to rule but to serve and set an example. On the other side, there is this a more modern, realistic and practical method which implies not to get into trouble with The Elite because they are just too powerful when combined and they are not playing games either: if they find you guilty then they will take the law on their own hands and you will pay.
The confrontation is inevitable and amazingly the common man supports The Elite's way. Superman seems to have been defeated and perhaps broken. He rises immediately, showing his dark side and showing the world what a Superman with no restrains is like. What the world sees is dreadful, an ugly picture. Supes easily defeats The Elite now and even nullifies Manchester's brain powers with a microsurgery in Black's brain. (using his X-ray vision). Definitely not what Superman would do, but it´s all a ruse. He has planned everything from the beginning to prove the world that justice is something else, not eliminating the scum of the world and getting down to their level in the process; but an ideal that is so important that every effort to achieve it is worthwhile.
Is this a movie for kids of all ages? Not at all. Even in The Avengers you won't see a criminal being executed as when Manchester Black uses his psychic powers to create a psionic weapon that tears The Skull's skull apart, nor will you see a villain turning innocent pedestrians into ash statues just because he can.
Still this is a great animated film, and another cool Superman story that fits perfectly in the collection that slowly but steadily Warner Bros has been putting out ever since Superman: Doomsday.
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What DC is offering with this story is an interesting clash of philosophies. On one side there is Superman's vision, the viewpoint of a man who 's decent and honest and wants to use his tremendous might not to rule but to serve and set an example. On the other side, there is this a more modern, realistic and practical method which implies not to get into trouble with The Elite because they are just too powerful when combined and they are not playing games either: if they find you guilty then they will take the law on their own hands and you will pay.
The confrontation is inevitable and amazingly the common man supports The Elite's way. Superman seems to have been defeated and perhaps broken. He rises immediately, showing his dark side and showing the world what a Superman with no restrains is like. What the world sees is dreadful, an ugly picture. Supes easily defeats The Elite now and even nullifies Manchester's brain powers with a microsurgery in Black's brain. (using his X-ray vision). Definitely not what Superman would do, but it´s all a ruse. He has planned everything from the beginning to prove the world that justice is something else, not eliminating the scum of the world and getting down to their level in the process; but an ideal that is so important that every effort to achieve it is worthwhile.
Is this a movie for kids of all ages? Not at all. Even in The Avengers you won't see a criminal being executed as when Manchester Black uses his psychic powers to create a psionic weapon that tears The Skull's skull apart, nor will you see a villain turning innocent pedestrians into ash statues just because he can.
Still this is a great animated film, and another cool Superman story that fits perfectly in the collection that slowly but steadily Warner Bros has been putting out ever since Superman: Doomsday.
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