DISCLAIMER: BOF received a free copy of this film for review purposes.
Warner Bros. Animation first released ALL-STAR SUPERMAN back in 2011 on Blu-ray and DVD. Based on the highly-regarded comic series from Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, the movie was met with positive reviews and is a highlight of The Man of Steel in animation.
Now, the same movie is available on 4K disc and digital, with the same special features as before plus a few new ones.
In short, the movie is a great adaptation of the source material, that (in my opinion) trims what it needs (Bizarro) to make a good, tight movie. It hits many notes from the comic series and really excels in carrying over the drama, colors, and burst of optimism that is associated with Superman. I don’t need to rehash similarities/differences between a story and a movie released over a decade ago, but let’s just say I am a fan of both, giving the edge to the movie.
As for the special features, there’s a nice batch of goodies here. The two new featurettes are each nearly 10 minutes and speak with producer Bruce Timm, director Sam Liu, composer Christopher Drake, and character designer Dusty Abell.
AN ALL-STAR ADAPTATION is an overview of the screenwriting, scoring, and designing of the movie with some interesting little nuggets from the creators themselves.
AN ALL-STAR SALUTE TO THE SILVER AGE SUPERMAN is exactly what it sounds like, in discussing the elements Morrison pulled from during the variety of fantastic adventures Superman went on during the 1950s.
THE CREATIVE FLOW is a look at Morrison’s early notes and sketches for the original story.
COMMENTARY features audio from Timm and Morrison.
SUPERMAN NOW is the biggest feature, clocking in just over 30 minutes, and features a lot of insight from Morrison on what was pulled from Superman’s history and focused to insert into ALL-STAR SUPERMAN.
So should you buy this movie?
If you don’t own it, yes. It’s a great piece of work on The Man of Steel, especially in animation form.
If you already own it, then it depends. I’m not a video guru, but I know 4K is greater than Blu-ray and DVD. So if you’re looking to upgrade, then I say yes. – Ryan Lower
