Directed by Sam Liu with a script by Jim Krieg, and Tim Sheridan, Reign of the Supermen succeeds in delivering a largely enjoyable superhero adventure that can stand on its own, while honoring the 1993 comic book arc it is based on. It falls short in juggling too many underdeveloped characters, and trying to tell an epic story in less than 90 minutes. But its flaws are balanced with plenty of action-packed scenes, and stellar voice acting. The world is in mourning following the murder of Superman (voiced by Jerry O’Connell) at the hands of alien Doomsday, the unstoppable supervillain equivalent of Jason Voorhees. But after the hero’s funeral at the end of The Death of Superman, his tomb is smashed open, and the body goes missing – leaving people to wonder if Kal-El of Krypton is still alive. Now, half a year after the events, his absence is felt despite the arrival of a cocky, sexist, 90s-catchphrase-spouting Superboy (Gotham‘s Cameron Monaghan); an earnest Cyborg Superman (O’Connell and Better Call Saul‘s Patrick Fabian); a hammer-wielding, armored Steel/John Henry Irons (Cress Williams, Black Lightning himself); and brutal, visor-wearing Eradicator (Charles Halford) – each wearing the famous “S” logo. And Metropolis seeks to determine who should be given the official mantle of Superman. Superman’s death, and the rise of the supermen, carries a personal weight. It is felt by the staff of The Daily Planet (coincidentally also missing star reporter Clark Kent), and Kent’s parents. But the emotional core, and surprisingly the star of the film, is Lois Lane (Rebecca Romijn). Her grief is complicated, since she only learned the truth of the Clark/Superman identity shortly before his death. Her emotions do not detract from her strength, or make her blind to the truth. Though she grieves for the man she loved, Lois is nonetheless a tenacious journalist. read more: Superman Lives – The Story of the Dan Gilroy/Tim Burton Era Lois sets out to investigate the identities behind the super-interlopers. Cyborg Superman tries to curry her loyalty in a rooftop scene that echoes classic Supes/Lois romance, but she isn’t quick to trust him. Meanwhile, she discovers the LexCorp-sponsored Superboy is a highly-sophisticated clone courtesy Lex Luthor (Rainn Wilson). Luthor wants to corner the market on the officially recognized Superman, and vows in a Trumpian fashion to “Make Metropolis Safe Again” with his creation. The character gets a lot of screen time in Reign of the Supermen, and Wilson delivers an exceptional performance as a Lex who is an arrogant and devious, murdering genius, but one with a droll sense of humor. He is likewise a pragmatist, and understands the importance of keeping Earth safe. The scenes between Lex, as an impatient father figure, and the insolent Superboy are especially fun to watch. read more: The Actors Who Have Played Superman The first act culminates when the planned launch of the Justice League’s Watchtower space station is interrupted by an invasion of parademons from Apokolips (a threat not seen since the 2014 DC animated movie Justice League: War). Superboy joins the League for a battle against the aliens, as Cyborg Superman simply observes, before the team is removed from the action in a rather ham-fisted fashion. Cyborg Superman does, however, save the president. The deed drives the story in a new direction, teasing at less-than-benevolent intentions, and other forces working as a puppetmaster. Lois teams with Steel to uncover the remaining mysteries behind the supermen, discovering a threat that only a true Superman may be able to resolve. read more: Ranking the Superman Movies The movie grapples with the common challenge of too many characters, too little time. Eradicator seems to disappear for large chunks of time, and Steel is underdeveloped despite his promise. Eliminating Steel and Eradicator entirely would be warranted, but considering this is the first adaptation of the Reign of the Supermen story, comic fans would be none-too-pleased. Thankfully Reign of the Supermen is not slavishly devoted to its source material, and does make significant changes while being true to its spirit. In the comics, Cyborg Superman and the villain Mongul destroy Hal Jordan/Green Lantern’s home of Coast City, parademons are nowhere to be found, and Superboy has nothing to do with Lex (he’s instead a clone created by the genetics facility Project Cadmus, and Supergirl – who does not appear in the film – is the one working for Lex). These adaptations largely work, and set up future installments of the DC animated movie universe. Reign of the Supermen would have benefitted by further exploring the loss felt by a world without Superman, though roughneck sailor/restaurateur Bibbo Bibbowski, also voiced by Halford, serves as a stand-in for average joe public, and invokes a lot of heart. It is worth noting there is an incredible loss of life in the movie, and a poignant thread about people who feel helpless, and wish to be empowered supermen of their making. read more: Does Superman Have a Future in the DCEU? Reign of the Supermen is an overall satisfying film. As epic of a story as it is, it also whets the appetite for smaller-scale, Superman-specific adventures. The Justice League will no doubt head off to deal with major threats (as teased in a post-credits scene), but the DC Animated Movie Universe would be wise to explore more of Lois and Clark with Romijn and O’Connell.
