For Superman, this is a somewhat confusing time. Lois Lane (Stana Katic) is aware that Superman is Clark Kent; they are secretly having a romantic relationship. Superman feels keeping the relationship secret is imperative to keeping Lois safe. At the same time, Superman is trying to educate Supergirl on the dangers of a world in which supervillains regularly look to destroy superheroes and their loved ones. However, when a robotic probe crashes to Earth, Superman’s domestic issues quickly take a back seat.
While Superman believes the object is a drone, Supergirl immediately knows the truth, having witnessed the destruction of Kandor. Horrified, she informs Superman about the power of Brainiac, delivering the news that the worlds-conquering entity would soon be on its way to Earth. Superman decides he must take the fight right to Brainiac, eventually tracking him down in outer space. What he finds is shocking: Kandor, along with thousands of other cities from other planets, are being kept by Brainiac, who assimilates their knowledge and keeps them as specimens. Superman must uncover the seemingly unstoppable alien’s weaknesses, use them against him, free the people of a lost Kryptonian city, prevent Brainiac from destroying the sun, protect Lois from a terrible fate, and teach Supergirl a few lessons along the way. The Man of Steel has his work cut out for him.
The voice cast for Superman: Unbound is universally excellent. While Matt Bomer can be a touch too serious at times, there’s a warmth and confidence in his delivery that makes Clark believable as the protective boyfriend, if slightly unreliable reporter, and Superman, the hero Metropolis needs. As Braniac, John Noble is the perfect counter; the cold sneer and chilling delivery is perfect. Stana Katic is the perfect choice for the voice of Lois Lane. Her voice has enough inflection to give the character the necessary snark needed to go head to head with Clark; yet there quiet moments together are just as convincing and full of longing. Molly C. Quinn rounds out the voice cast, nailing a difficult blend of teen angst and stubbornness. The superior voice performances make Superman: Unbound really stand out among the other animated Superman films.
Presented in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio, this 1080p transfer has some definite issues, Aliasing pops up throughout. Lines pixelate on occasion, and some softness in the image is noticeable. Mild banding is occasionally noticeable in the backgrounds. Colors are rich and vibrant, blacks are inky, contrast is solid and detail is far above average. Though this presentation far exceeds its DVD counterpart, I imagine many fans will have expected better.
Superman: Unbound‘s DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is far more impressive. While the design is somewhat two-dimensional, the voices and effects sound crystal clear. The track manages to be fairly immersive, delivering sonic yjrills throughout that only improve the overall presentation.
Also offered here are lossy dubs in French and Spanish (Castilian and Latin). Subtitles are served up in English (SDH), French, and Spanish (Castilian and Latin).
The following special features are available:
- Superman: The Animated Series (SD, 85:00) Four four episodes from Superman, spanning all three seasons of the series: the first installment of “The Last Son of Krypton”, “New Kids in Town”, and the two-parter “Little Girl Lost”. Brainiac is a central part of the first two, and Supergirl makes her first appearance in the two-parter.
- Kandor: History of the Bottle City (HD, 17:00): Exclusive to the Blu-ray disc, featurette is self-explanatory. These interviews delve into the allure of Kandor throughout the Silver Age as well as what the bottle city represents to Superman as a character.
- Audio Commentary: Exclusive to the Blu-ray, this commentary with producer/director James Tucker, screenwriter Bob Goodman, and DC Entertainment creative director Mark Carlin is a must-listen for fans. They discuss the film’s production, and the original Geoff Johns comic, “Superman: Brainiac,” upon which the animated movie was based.
- Brainiac: Technology and Terror (HD, 25:00) A look at the evolution of Braniac in various mediums, from the ’50s and ’60s all the way through the 1980s.
- Superman: Brainiac (HD): An excerpt from Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s 2008 graphic novel. The panels zoom in as you navigate.
- DVD Copy: In anamorphic widescreen.
- UV Digital Copy.
