DC League of Super-Pets wastes no time in ramping up the cuteness. The cartoon movie starts out with a puppy licking a baby’s face. Naturally, this isn’t just any puppy and infant. If you need any explanation as to who Kal-El will become as an adult, you probably aren’t the intended audience for this animated foray into the DC Universe. It’s just the baby Kal-El and his pet Krypto.
Not that the intended audience will be familiar with all the major stars that have been lined up for this all-out effort. Along with A-list stars like Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, other actors in the cast include John Krasinski, Keanu Reeves, Kate McKinnon, and Olivia Wilde. Even minor roles have attracted well-known actors like Alfred Molina, Lena Headey, Keith David, Busy Philipps, and Dan Fogler, while Ben Schwartz, Thomas Middleditch, and Marc Maron provide voiceovers for supporting characters.
Years later, when Kal-El (Krasinski) has developed into Superman and Krypto (Johnson) into his devoted dog companion who also happens to have abilities, the action moves to this point. It’s time for them to take a flight, in this case over the streets of Metropolis, as Superman informs his pet that they should go for a walk after they wake up one morning.
Krypto, who fondly refers to his master as “Supes,” is more than willing to assist him in his efforts to protect the environment. However, he is less than thrilled about his romance with Lois Lane (Wilde), particularly when Superman departs from him — on their regularly planned TV night, no less — to go out on a date with Lois, to whom he intends to propose.
Before that can happen, the evil telekinetic guinea pig Lola (McKinnon, playing the part as gloriously insane as you’d expect) strips Superman of his abilities and captures him. Even worse, she cleverly conceals a dose of kryptonite in a piece of cheese, depriving Krypto of his superpowers (“It’s always the cheese,” he bitterly remarks).
He is compelled to enlist the assistance of the other animals he recently met at a shelter, including the sarcastic dog Ace (Hart), a potbellied pig (Vanessa Bayer), a turtle with severe nearsightedness (Natasha Lyonne), and a timid squirrel (Diego Luna). Fortunately, they have lately acquired superpowers of their own as a result of Orange Kryptonite. Again, you’re at the wrong movie if you have to ask.
As this eclectic group tries to save Superman, they also happen to encounter other Justice League members who have been abducted, including Batman (Reeves), Wonder Woman (Jameela Jamil), Aquaman (Jermaine Clement), The Flash (John Early), Green Lantern (Dascha Polanco), and Cyborg (Daveed Diggs).
It’s overkill, yes, but it works, especially with Johnson and Hart, whose voices and screen personas are so recognizable and so well-suited to their characters that — for adults, at least — the movie would still be effective if you closed your eyes. The fact that so many of the actors are talented comedians makes the show more enjoyable, however Reeves may be the funniest because he uses the gravelly voice that has come to be associated with Batman. Of then, given his neurotic demeanor, it’s also the character that lends himself to humor the most: Reeves’ Batman laments, “I miss my parents,” as he observes Superman and Krypto interacting fondly.
Jared Stern, the film’s debutant director, has some background in this area because he has worked as a writer and creative consultant on a number of the LEGO animated movies, including The Lego Batman Movie. Unfortunately, the screenplay he co-wrote with John Whittington lacks the anarchic wit of previous movies, save for sporadic scenes like a villainous cat coughing up grenade hairballs. Additionally, it’s time to stop making the cliche meta-jokes about training montages, which were also heavily featured in the most recent Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank. (This is why film critics make a lot of money; they can put things in the perspective of cinema.)
Too frequently, the movie gives off the impression that it was created for the inevitable line of holiday toys, with a ton of cuddly creatures of various varieties shortly to line the shelves of a store near you. Additionally, the proceedings degenerate into a tedious series of action scenes, where the humor is mostly ignored in favor of frantic spectacle, like so many animated movies.
Nevertheless, DC League of Super-Pets is able to combine two of children’s favorite things—superheroes and cute animals—so its popularity appears inevitable. (The movie closes with a setup for the sequel, of course.) Adult chaperones will also appreciate the many allusions to the DC Universe, and baby boomers’ hearts will probably burst upon hearing the references to the iconic John Williams score for the 1978 Superman film, which is credited with being the film that arguably first popularized the superhero genre.