DC League of Super-Pets – Silly Superhero Fare With Heart

The DC live-action film slate may arguably be in a state of flux as of late but their animated offerings have tended to fare better. Mostly going the home video/VOD/streaming route, DC League of Super-Pets goes the theatrical route, resulting in one of the best animated films of the year so far. Everybody likes animals thus countless films have tapped into that emotional connection in countless ways. The next logical step is seemingly to put them in their own superhero film which could very well become something more. Assembling a stellar voice cast and featuring a boatload of DC characters, the film delivers a hilarious and surprisingly-heartfelt watch that will more than likely appeal to audiences of all ages, offering something for everyone. It may not bring much new to the table in terms of originality but for what it lacks, it certainly more than makes up for in earnestness, making it is easy to look past a lot of those flaws. Though its plot and lowbrow humor aren’t new by any means, the film definitely sells them thanks to some strong writing and heart.

DC League of Super-Pets follows Krypto the Super-Dog (Johnson), lifetime friend and ally of Superman (John Krasinski). Sharing the same powers, the two fought crime together and life was perfect. As time passed, the two began to drift further apart as the latter’s interests shifted towards the future and someone to spend the rest of his life with. That would of course be Lois Lane (Olivia Wilde). Defined by his powers and relationship with Superman, Krypto needed to learn to adjust to life out of that shadow to prove that he could to not only Superman but also himself. He would soon get that chance when Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped by a psychic guinea pig named Lulu (McKinnon). In order to save them, Krypto must learn to work together with a pack of shelter pets all with recently-acquired superpowers, including a hound named Ace (Hart), a pig named PB (Vanessa Bayer), a turtle named Merton (Natasha Lyonne), and a squirrel named Chip (Diego Luna). While getting the team ready was going to be a challenge, the fun comes from watching them and their personalities come together as a team.

Though the film’s premise is admittedly silly, within that silliness came plenty of strong moments ranging from the heartfelt to the absolutely hilarious. It clearly knows what it is and has no aspersions otherwise as it aims solely for fun above all else. Embracing the ridiculous, the pet perspective provides an interesting take on the superhero genre as the film also takes shots at the genre as a whole. The pets fully take charge in a story that is on the predictable side but despite that, remains compelling thanks to its characters. Those looking for action will not be disappointed as the animation is up the task, creating some exciting sequences with scale which highlight the wide range of superpowers possessed by the film’s wide range of pets for which the writers match near-perfectly and utilize in inventive ways. Meanwhile, the animation overall is also up to the task as its multitude of characters, human or animal, and environments offer vibrancy and detail. Introducing a new version of the DC universe, the film is merely a taste of where it could all ultimately go granted its success though the chances of that are good.

At the end of the day, the best part of DC League of Super-Pets is its voice acting. Another Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart collaboration, they and their chemistry come through once again but the film goes much further than that as the rest of the cast all have shining moments of their own. The writing plays a large part but the standouts were actually McKinnon and Lyonne as Lulu and Merton, using their comedic timing to their benefit.

DC League of Super-Pets is silly but winning animated fare that goes beyond the DC universe by offering a little something for everyone assuming they buy in.

still courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.