Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (Video 2009)

When Lex Luthor gets elected US President, he uses the threat of an oncoming kryptonite meteor striking Earth as a rationale to frame Superman.

Director:

Sam Liu

Writers:

Stan Berkowitz, Bob Kane (character: "Batman"),

Stars:

Clancy Brown, Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Clancy Brown	...	Lex Luthor (voice)
Kevin Conroy	...	Batman / Bruce Wayne (voice)
Tim Daly	...	Superman (voice)
Xander Berkeley	...	Captain Atom (voice)
Corey Burton	...	Captain Marvel / Solomon Grundy (voice)
Ricardo Chavira	...	Major Force (voice)
Allison Mack	...	Power Girl (voice)
John C. McGinley	...	Metallo (voice)
CCH Pounder	...	Amanda Waller (voice)
LeVar Burton	...	Black Lightning (voice)
Calvin Tran	...	Toyman (voice)
Mark Jonathan Davis	...	Newscaster (voice)
Brian George	...	Gorilla Grodd (voice)
Jennifer Hale	...	Starfire / Killer Frost (voice)
Rachael MacFarlane	...	Nightshade / Lady Shiva (voice)

Storyline

When Lex Luthor gets elected US President, he uses the threat of an oncoming kryptonite meteor striking Earth as a rationale to frame Superman.

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Plot Keywords:

masked superhero | villain played by lead actor | dc comics | cape | fist fight | 

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Genres:

Animation | Action | Drama | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for action violence throughout and a crude comment

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 September 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Superman & Batman: Inimigos Públicos

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

67 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is one of the few Superman-oriented animated projects connected to producer Bruce W. Timm and Andrea Romano where Lois Lane made a cameo appearance, but with no lines. This is another break away from the original story, where Lois aided Superman and Batman in distracting Lex Luthor with a televised interview while they made their way towards the White House to confront him. However, it is indicated in the film twice that Lois, at this stage, is aware of his secret identity and are in a relationship.

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Goofs

During Lex Luthor's speech as president, according to flag etiquette, the American flags hanging vertically are draped incorrectly. The field of stars should be on the left hand side of the viewer.

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Quotes

Batman: Why aren't you with the boy?
Power Girl: I'm close enough right here. And he's not really that much of a boy, you know? He's 13.

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Connections

Followed by Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010)

User Reviews

The Big Two: Wanted, Dead or Alive

The sixth DVD project from Warner Bros's DC Animated Universe unit, "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" is a fun, socially-conscious adaptation of the six-part comic book story/graphic novel by writer Jeph Loeb and artists Ed McGuinness and Dexter Vines. Sure, it's short (67 minutes) and not to the letter (no continuity-oriented sidebars), but it's action-packed coolness.

America's plagued with crime, economic despair and war, making it easy for unethical corporate shark Lex Luthor (Clancy Brown, "The Shawshank Redemption" ) to run for and win the White House. There, he initiates that meta-humans and costumed crime-fighters serve the U.S. government, but the Big Two, optimistic Kryptonian boy scout Superman (Tim Daly, "Private Practice") and brooding urban detective Batman (Kevin Conroy, "Dynasty") rightfully feel he's full of it (including the "sh"). That gives the mastermind reason to frame the Man of Steel with the murder of "reformed" Kryptonite-powered cyborg Metallo (John C McGingley, "Scrubs"), marking him a wanted criminal and Bats as an accessory. As the Big Two fight both friends and foes, there's a huge chunk of Kryptonite headed towards Earth. The stakes are very high.

With a script by Stan Berkowitz ("Justice League: The Animated Series"), director Sam Liu ("Jackie Chan Adventures", "The Batman") gives "Public Enemies" the blockbuster-with-a-brain treatment, a fashion used in previous DC animated projects. Reprising their roles from the heroes' solo shows, Conroy and Daly are great, emphasizing their characters's differences on how to mete out justice. Brown, also doing a reprisal, nearly counters with their heroism with his callous insanity. The standard but lively animation interestingly echoes the art by McGuinness and Vines.

The other voice actors are competent: CCH Pounder ("The Shield") replaying government liaison Amanda Waller from "League"; Xander Berkeley ("Shanghai Noon", "Year One") as the noble Captain Atom and Richard Chavira ("Desperate Housewives") as his volatile counterpart Major Force. It's weird hearing Allison Mack ("Smallville") as Power Girl, due to the character's…well, you know, but she's durable in the role, even with a subtle, but funny sexual gag, validating the PG-13 rating.

"Public Enemies" should be on every DC Comics fan's wanted DVD's list.