‘DC League of Super-Pets’ satiates DC hunger despite average structure
August 1, 2022
“DC League of Super-Pets,” released July 29, follows Krypto the Super-Dog (Dwayne Johnson) after Superman (John Krasinski) is kidnapped by an evil guinea pig named Lulu (Kate McKinnon).
While the idea of Superman getting kidnapped by a villainous guinea pig makes for an amusing concept, the execution of this story is average in that its emotional moments feel cliché and its character interactions are predictable. That being said, plenty of emotional moments sprinkled throughout the runtime will strike a chord with any and all pet owners.
Two vulnerable moments stand out among the rest, and they both center on two central canine characters. Krypto, the movie’s protagonist, faces a challenge regarding his relationship to Superman, resulting in a heartwarming plot about man’s best friend. The other instance can be found in the backstory of Ace (Kevin Hart). Though predictable, Ace’s backstory still manages to pull on every heartstring, and its twist will leave audiences in shambles.
What the film lacks in a dynamic storyline is reconciled by humor appealing to every age group — both silly jokes for kids to enjoy and more subtle adult jokes to appease the older audience. A turtle with super powers (Natasha Lyonne) says swear words that get bleeped out, and while it may be shocking to hear in this PG animated flick, it’s a treat nevertheless. They also make comedic references to other works, such as “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “The Warriors” and even “PAW Patrol.” While not every joke lands, the ones that do are well planned, perfectly timed and sure to leave audiences belly laughing.
While the project’s star-studded cast was originally thought to be the biggest draw for audiences, their performances felt as if the actors did not want to be there and were merely trying to earn a paycheck. When looking at the cast and seeing names like Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, John Krasinski, Ben Schwartz, Olivia Wilde and many more, the dry nature of the characters may confuse and disappoint audiences.
The only two stand-outs are Kate McKinnon as Lulu, the movie’s villain, and Keanu Reeves as Batman. Both of these actors put effort into their voice acting, and it shows. Kate McKinnon plays Lulu with a sense of maliciousness and hurt that shines in a sea of mediocrity. With just around 10 lines, Keanu Reeves captures the essence of Batman and will make audiences laugh with every dark and brooding joke from the iconic vigilante.
“DC League of Super-Pets” is a perfectly serviceable movie that doesn’t stray too far from its formulaic storytelling. Compared to most of the recent DC projects — with exception to “The Batman” — it’s refreshing to see a superhero movie featuring the Justice League that could be considered decent. Kids will love the movie for its goofy characters and vibrant animation, and adults will enjoy its excellent execution of adult humor and deep dive into the psychology of human-pet relationships.
3 Batman chew toys out of 5
