While it seems like DC Comics’ live-action movies are flopping left and right – I was genuinely excited to see the new animated debut of “DC League of Super-Pets.”
It helps that the voice cast was pretty diverse and talented.
Plus, there’s a handful of adult jokes sprinkled among all the kid-friendly fare.
Overall, it’s worth a few laughs and has a decent message about personal growth, sharing, and friendship that young and old could benefit from.
DC League of Super-Pets is a 3D computer-animated superhero comedy film based on the DC Comics superhero team Legion of Super-Pets.
Directed by Jared Stern, who co-wrote the script with John Whittington, the film stars Dwayne Johnson as the voice of Krypto alongside Kevin Hart, Kate McKinnon, John Krasinski, Vanessa Bayer, Natasha Lyonne, Diego Luna, Thomas Middleditch, Ben Schwartz, and Keanu Reeves.
It’s also 105 minutes long and rated PG for action, mild violence, language, and rude humor.
During the destruction of the planet Krypton, a Kryptonian Labrador Retriever comforts fellow infant survivor Kal-El as they head in an escape pod toward Earth.
Years later, now known as the famous superheroes Krypto (Johnson) and Superman (Krasinski), they live in the city of Metropolis under their dual identities Bark and Clark Kent.
Clark is a reporter and journalist at the Daily Planet, a newspaper company, and dating Lois Lane (Wilde), a fellow journalist whom Krypto is jealous of.
Thinking that Krypto needs a friend to distract him, Clark heads to an animal shelter to find one for him.
A Boxer named Ace (Hart) tries to escape the shelter, but Krypto decides to stop him.
Later, Superman and Krypto spot their archenemy, LexCorp CEO Lex Luthor (Maron), reeling in a meteor strapped with orange kryptonite with a tractor beam, intending to gain superpowers.
He is easily defeated as the two are aided by the Justice League.
Meanwhile, Lulu (McKinnon), a guinea pig test subject from LexCorp sent to the shelter, manages to reel in a piece of orange kryptonite with her own tractor beam, which gives her flight and telekinesis.
Unbeknownst to her, everyone else in the shelter also gains superpowers.
Ace is now super-strong and indestructible; PB (Bayer), a potbellied pig, can change size; Merton (Lyonne), a nearsighted turtle, becomes super fast; and Chip (Luna), a squirrel, gains electrokinesis.
While at home, Superman and Krypto have an argument when the former plans to propose marriage to Lois.
However, Clark is captured by Lulu.
Krypto tries to save him, but due to a piece of Jarlsberg cheese inside a Batman toy he ate laced with green kryptonite, he loses his powers.
Later, Krypto comes across the shelter pets who agree to help him, with Ace only agreeing after Krypto blackmails him.
Meanwhile, Lulu recruits a group of guinea pigs, captures the Justice League, and heads to Stryker’s Island to free Luthor.
The shelter pets try to stop her but fail miserably.
They regroup in the Hall of Justice where Ace tells a distraught Krypto he used to be the puppy of a family with a toddler.
One day, the toddler nearly fell down the stairs when Ace bit her arm and pulled her to safety.
Upon seeing the bite marks, the parents assumed Ace attacked her and sent him to the shelter.
However, Ace stands by his actions and ideals.
Encouraged, Krypto leads the pets to LexCorp to save Superman and the rest of the Justice League members.
Still, things don’t go exactly as planned for the heroes or the villains but, in true cartoon fun, it turns out alright in the end.
Plus, it’s nice to see each super-powered pet gain confidence in its skills.
While the movie is available in some theaters, it’s also streaming on HBO Max.
