Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Superman: Man of Tomorrow 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

The bad guy's a janitor, LOL.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III August 28, 2020

Chris Palmer's Superman: Man of Tomorrow isn't the start of a new DC animated universe, but it sure feels like a bold step into new territory. This is also not the first time one of their direct-to-video films toyed around with established characters and lore, yet the striking combination of a retrofitted Metropolis and clean, uncluttered visual design -- not to mention a few odd but inspired guest stars, including The Martian Manhunter and fraggin' Lobo -- make this origin story feel fresher and newer than most. Easily accessible to newcomers but different enough to pique the interest of die-hard fans, Man of Tomorrow continues the studio's recent winning streak and looks good doing it.

Our story begins with young Clark in Kansas, recently distraught over "alien" remarks made by a friend late one night. This establishes an immediately humane overtone to the story that continues as he grows up and moves to Metropolis; one that feels old-fashioned and true to the franchise's Golden Age roots but is set in the present day, smartphones and all. He's clearly an outcast, starting out as a coffee boy for The Daily Planet while admiring the award-winning work of young reporter Lois Lane (specifically, her takedown of billionaire Lex Luthor) who, despite her strong work ethic and natural talent, is also not well-liked by her peers. Clark, well aware of his powers but not fully in control of them, is being watched by a mysterious man -- later revealed to be J'onn J'onzz AKA "The Martian Manhunter", who knows all too well about society's prejudices -- but is immediately tested early on by the arrival of Lobo, whose chaotic nature and bad-boy demeanor stand in sharp contrast to Superman's rigid, unyielding moral compass.

Like a romantic comedy, though, the unlikely pair ends up getting together...and, wouldn't you know it, The Martian Manhunter and Lex Luthor are also in on the fun. Their common enemy is Parasite, a being inadvertently created during that initial fight between Superman and Lobo when Rudy Jones (a lowly but strangely authoritative janitor at Luthor's S.T.A.R. Labs) is mutated during an industrial accident. Now cursed with the ability to suck the life force out of anyone he touches, Parasite's hideous alien body grows larger and more power-hungry after every meal.

It's a lot to unpack in just over 80 minutes, but Man of Tomorrow manages to feel like a well-paced and engaging adventure almost every step of the way. The initial arrival of Lobo feels a little forced although his character origins eventually fit their way into the plot naturally, even if The Martian Manhunter -- who can't help but play second fiddle, due to Lobo's brash personality -- is obviously a more compelling character in the long run. Man of Tomorrow also drops the ball slightly in regards to Lois Lane, who takes a backseat during several crucial moments despite a strong overall showing in the first and third acts. By and large, though, these are minor complaints for a film that plays most of its cards right and manages to surprise in a few unexpected ways. The bold and outline-heavy visual design is an obvious highlight, while its excellent voice cast includes Darren Criss in the lead role as well as Alexandra Daddario (Lois Lane), Ike Amadi (J'onn J'onzz), Ryan Hurst (Lobo), Zachary Quinto (Lex Luthor) and more.

Both the terrific visuals and inspired voice casting are showcased nicely by Warner Bros.' new 4K/Blu-ray combo pack (also available as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack), which features very solid A/V specs and a handful of extras.

Superman: Man of Tomorrow 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Man of Tomorrow features a much different visual style than most DCAU productions: one dominated by bold outlines, clean layouts, and flat colors in lieu of strong textures and gradients. (Think Archer or The Venture Bros., but less stiff.) While the Blu-ray remains a fine effort in its own right -- especially considering its low but very efficient bit rate -- the 4K's 2160p transfer is exceptionally crisp and makes for an almost-perfect upscale. In direct comparison the picture is noticeably thicker and more dense, as color saturation is more refined and depth is increased thanks to the benefits of HDR enhancement. The latter also leads to contrast levels that yield better shadow detail, especially in scenes dominated by darkness. Subtle shading is also more distinct, mostly around thicker character outlines.

From a technical perspective, the bit rate is also substantially improved: on average it hovers around 4-5 times higher than its Blu-ray counterpart and that disc's stray jagged edges are also less noticeable. (Some remain, but they may be part of the source material.) Overall, it's a top-notch 4K transfer that should absolutely thrill die-hard DCAU fans and, if this visual style continues, I'd image that the creative team will refine it even further.

For my thoughts on the included Blu-ray's 1080p transfer, please see my review of that edition.

Superman: Man of Tomorrow 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

While the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix doesn't take the DCAU in any new directions, it's still a very satisfying effort that gets the job done. As expected, dialogue is mostly right up front in all but the most crowded scenes (of which there are very few) and the surrounds are mostly reserved for atmospheric touches, action scenes, and the score by Kevin Riepl, whose last musical contribution for the DCAU was 2019's Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. So while there aren't many sonic surprises here and a full-blown Atmox mix would've been interesting, this six-channel track covers the bases nicely and is mixed perfectly well with very good dynamic range.

Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), are offered during the film and extras, although the Blu-ray has more dubs to choose from. Regardless of disc, they're formatted nicely and do not suffer from any obvious sync issues.

Superman: Man of Tomorrow 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc release arrives in a dual-hubbed keepcase with a matching slipcover and two inserts including a Digital Copy redemption slip. All bonus features listed below can be found on the included Blu-ray disc.

• Lobo: Natural Force of Chaos (10:23) - Screenwriter Tim Sheridan, artists Jon Bogdanove and Bernard Chang, DC Daily host Hector Navarro, voice actor Ryan Hurst, and others talk about the character's early years, 1990s reinvention and surge of popularity, favorite moments, different artists' takes on the character (as well as a few stray TV appearances), and of course the version seen in Man of Tomorrow.

• Martian Manhunter: Lost and Found (8:47) - Tim Sheridan, Jon Bogdanove, Hector Navarro, and others offer a like-minded overview of the film's other supporting character, a few interesting comparisons and contrasts to Superman himself, and his depiction in a variety of media during the past few decades.

• A Sneak Peek at DC Universe's Next Animated Movie (11:56) - So fresh they didn't even name it on the menu! Anyway, it's Batman: Soul of the Dragon, a 1970's-infused adventure also featuring Richard Dragon, Ben Turner, Lady Shiva, O-Sensei. A few cast and crew members (including director Sam Liu) offer their thoughts, while glimpses of the upcoming film are seen as finished clips, storyboards, and rough animatics.

• Previews - Short vintage featurettes for Justice League vs. The Fatal Five and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, which have already been included on previous DCAU home video releases.

• From the DC Vault - Two episodes of Superman: The Animated Series - "The Main Man", parts 1 and 2, which originally aired during the first season back in 1996. As you probably guessed by the titles, both feature Lobo. They're in pretty rough shape and have not been remastered in any way since they first appeared on DVD, but hopefully this series will find its way to Blu-ray in the future. (I'm looking at you, Warner Archive.)

• Trailers for Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, Mortal Kombat Legends, and Superman: Red Son.

Superman: Man of Tomorrow 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

DC's latest animated film Superman: Man of Tomorrow finds a comfortable balance between old and new: established characters and settings have been given a fresh overhaul and visual redesign, which manages to make this origin story feel like something new and different. Though not without a few small speed bumps along the way, it hits most of its marks and doesn't drag at all from start to finish. Overall, I enjoyed this one more than expected and Warner Bros.' 4K combo pack offers solid A/V specs and a decent mixture of old and new extras. Whether you opt for this version or the stand-alone Blu-ray, Man of Tomorrow earns an easy recommendation for casual and die-hard fans alike.