Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons

• Directed by Matt Peters
• October 7, 2022 (New York Comic Con) / October 18, 2022 (Video)

Voice Cast

• Superboy/Jonathan Kent-Jack Dylan Grazer
• Robin/Damian Wayne-Jack Griffo
• Batman/Bruce Wayne-Troy Baker
• Superman/Clark Kent-Travis Willingham
• Lois Lane-Laura Bailey
• Lex Luthor, Starro-Darin De Paul
• Green Arrow, Penguin-Tom Kenny
• Jimmy Olsen, Melvin Masters-Zeno Robinson
• Jor-El-Nolan North
• Wonder Girl, Lara-Myrna Velasco

When the evil Starro starts taking over Earth it’s up to the children of Superman and Batman to save the day.

I had my doubts about DC direct-to-video venturing into the CGI realm as this film does. I had just viewed a couple of older direct to video CGI films and found them lacking in quality. Even when I first saw them they did not look good and had only aged very poorly. Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons actually looks good from the start. They use a CGI style that mimics their animation style which somewhat eliminates the point of CGI in my opinion. There is depth and texture to the characters and for the most part they have a decent level facial expression that communicates how they are supposed to be feeling at the time. The environments have detail.

The focus of the narrative, despite the names above the title, is indeed the super sons of Batman and Superman. And because of that this movie manages to have a childlike enjoyment to itself while not talking down or feeling simplistic. Superboy/Jonathan Kent and Robin/Damian Wayne are portrayed very differently as individuals yet Jonathan’s energy is what you feel in the story. Jonathan is portrayed as fun and energetic with an unbridled enthusiasm about what he has learned about his father and himself. Damian on the other hand is portrayed as overly serious and almost a parody of the popular Batman persona that is clearly not in on the joke.

After an initial introduction of Batman and Superman, those two individuals quickly fall into the background of the narrative with our heroes Jonathan and Damian taking the clear lead. They sort through the assorted issues though in the narrative do not actually figure out how to stop Starro. That honor for some reason falls to Lois Lane. It’s not a bad thing but if you’re going to introduce these two characters to the animated world they should be the ones to come up with a way to save everybody and not be just those that do the footwork.

Once they get that important bit they somewhat stumble along until they come up with a solid plan to enact the way to destroy Starro. Events push them along with them like carried by things as they try to figure out what exactly to do. Then again these are kids and if they were too competent it would lead to a lot more questions. While supers, they act like kids and are not tiny adults.

Starro is employed as a villain very well here. His (its?) execution is done in a way that generates paranoia. Starro can be anyone in this story and seems to be just about everywhere. It (I decided it seems) is a genuine threat and not merely an entertaining idea to act as a bit of a joke as in The Suicide Squad. And his defeat is equally as difficult with an implied very high cost in the case of failure. They turned a threat that looks like it should not work in a serious way on film into one that indeed does work in a serious way on film. 

There is plenty of action and excitement in Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons. Paired with the fun feel that this movie has it’s a thrilling ride from start to finish. And the finale is just great with the mains and their fathers teaming up to take out Starro completely as a threat. Damian and Jonathan probably could have done it on their own at that point, but it provided a superpowered bonding moment needed to complete the two characters’ personal narratives.

The voice acting with 99% of the characters is good to great. The only one where it fumbles is with Superman. A lot of actors have handled a part, but Travis Willingham feels like he gave a halfhearted effort. It is just generic. He does not have a voice that fits here. He does not sound like a leader or a trusted authority figure. He does not sound like a father or a hero. There is nothing in the vocals that says, ‘Big Blue Boy Scout.’ Not my favorite that they have had as he does not do the character justice.

While not perfect, Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons is one more very enjoyable film in DC’s direct-to-video catalog. It has excitement and great visuals and does a fine job with the CGI. This is something that both fathers and their children who like superhero movies can thoroughly enjoy. I highly recommend it!