Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		2.5

Superman: Red Son Blu-ray Movie Review

В Советской России фильм играет ВАС!

Reviewed by Randy Miller III March 10, 2020

Based on writer Mark Millar's 2003 three-issue Elseworlds comic series, Superman: Red Son is Warner Bros.' latest DC Animated Universe (DCAU) adaptation. This "what if?" story imagines a timeline where Superman is raised in the Soviet Union rather than small-town America, with his powerful presence greatly affecting The Cold War and other aspects of history in both countries and the world at large. Featuring guest appearances from Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Braniac, and others -- many of whom greatly differ from their "standard" counterparts -- Red Son offers a mostly compelling tale that shows the versatility of one of DC's most iconic and enduring franchises.

Perhaps the most prominent theme of Red Son is "nature vs. nurture", as it's clear that Superman's built-in morality often supersedes the crushing oppression of his environment in the Cold War-era Soviet Union. He's there to advance the cause, different as it may be this time around, but unafraid to question the steps needed to reach certain goals. (There are exceptions, of course, including a violent detour from the original comic that's probably not worth spoiling.) Other changes are also present: Batman is a much more ruthless vigilante, Wonder Woman is now a lesbian who grows to despise men -- not hard, given the men she deals with -- and the original comic's ambitious "closed loop" finale is traded for something more immediate but less satisfying. Do any of these changes seem necessary or worthwhile? Not especially, and some of them even work against the source material in a way that will likely alienate established fans. More tolerant ones, on the other hand, might just be happy that both versions exist.

Storytelling issues aside, one fundamental flaw can't be ignored: the pacing. Converting a three-issue series into an 84-minute feature might normally be doable, but its scope is too large for the format. Years and decades tick by too fast while less important moments are dwelled upon, creating a stop-and-start momentum that further dampens what's left of Millar's original tale. I often found myself along the way; Red Son has a frustrating habit of introducing characters and events with almost no context, which quickly burned through my admittedly narrow knowledge of DC history. (Ironically, those more knowledgeable might be even less forgiving of its flaws.) While a second run-through softened some of my initial disappointment, it's still easy to see that too many compromises were made here.

Red Son may not the most worthwhile or accessible entry point in the DCAU, but it does excel in a number of other areas; perhaps my favorite was the original score by returning composer Frederik Wiedmann, who contributes a dynamic effort that fits the film's atmosphere like a glove. Other character moments, whether part of Millar's original story or newly-added, also added some humanity in unexpected places. But Red Son still has the aftertaste of a missed opportunity, and one whose most compelling ideas and moments were already written by someone else. Nonetheless, I'd encourage you to make up your own mind -- and if nothing else, Warner Bros.' Blu-ray offers a decent amount of support for the main feature including a solid A/V presentation and several short but enjoyable extras.

Superman: Red Son Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Much like previous DCAU releases on Blu-ray, Superman: Red Son benefits from a very good 1080p transfer that remains faithful to its source material. Colors veer towards muted palettes for the most part, largely due to Superman's less vivid costume and a number of darker scenes that emphasize the doom and gloom of gulags and other run-down environments. Of course, this only makes the more brightly-colored moments stand out even more: the bold hues of the Green Lantern(s), Superman's glowing heat vision, bright blue skies, and the deep primaries of the Soviet and American flags. Black levels run nice and deep with very little crush, although banding was regularly present on many of the harsher gradients (including the aforementioned heat vision, which also shows clear evidence of compression artifacts). Textures, such as they are, come through cleanly and the linework shows very few signs of jagged edges or other imperfections. Simply put, it's a very good effort that's obviously handled a little more smoothly on the 4K release, but those limited to Blu-ray (or with smaller displays) won't find much to complain about overall.

Superman: Red Son Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The default DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix treats viewers to a very refined and, at times, bombastic presentation that adds a lot of interest. Fights and other action scenes are the most obvious standouts, with hits and explosions often reaching deep into lower frequencies for added weight. Surround channels are also used nicely during these moments with frequent panning effects that establish a consistently engaging atmosphere. Frequent DCAU composer Frederik Wiedmann also contributes another great score that sounds exceptionally full and dynamic at times. Dialogue remains clear and intelligible throughout, rarely drifting into the surrounds aside from echoing outdoor events, large indoor gatherings, and other crowded environments. (As all the speech is presented in full English with occasional Russian accents, no forced subtitles are present.) No obvious sync issues or other defects were present, and only a handful of small moments -- including a third-act fight between Superman and Batman -- begged for just a little more oomph. Otherwise, Red Son stands as one of the most sonically pleasing DCAU productions in recent memory.

Optional subtitles, including English (SDH) and a variety of foreign dubs, are included during the film and many extras. These are formatted perfectly and, like the default audio mix, do not contain any obvious sync issues. But geez, why not include a Russian dub too? A completely missed opportunity, both for the audience and added authenticity.

Superman: Red Son Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Red Son arrives on Blu-ray in a standard dual-hubbed keepcase with two promotional inserts, including a Digital Copy redemption slip. The cover artwork evokes the style of a vintage Soviet propaganda poster and its matching slipcover has a handsome matte finish with subtle metallic highlights. It's a great packaging presentation that really suits the main feature. The on-disc bonus features are similar in size and scope to other DCAU releases.

• DC Showcase: Phantom Stranger (15:07) - This all-new short serves up a bit of psychedelic Scooby-Doo mystery by way of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with a dash of The Twilight Zone. It's not as immediately impressive as other recent DCAU shorts, but the flexible format could make for interesting adventures.

• Cold Red War (16:57) - This behind-the-scenes featurette, which covers both the original comic's translation to animation and real-life events that inspired its story, features a good amount of vintage art and historical footage that helps establish a lot of context without resorting to major spoilers. A few key crew members and other notables are are interviewed including artist Dave Johnson, history professors Miriam Neirick, Ph.D. and Michaela Crawford Reaves, Ph.D., director Sam Liu, and DC Animation creative director Mike Carlin.

• Superman: Red Son Motion Comics (6:03) - Not really a fan of motion comics in general, and this severely abridged one isn't particularly impressive. Do yourself a favor and just buy the original comic instead.

• Sneak Peek: Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (10:23) - This short preview features a few finished clips from the upcoming animated film, vintage comic art, and brief comments from screenwriter Ernie Altbacker, co-director Matt Peters, voice actors Jerry O'Connell and Taissa Farmiga, executive producer James Tucker, and others. It's set for a Blu-ray and 4K release on May 19th and I look forward to reviewing it.

• A Preview of The Death of Superman (7:05) - An old featurette advertising this 2018 DCAU movie.

• A Preview of Gotham By Gaslight (8:09) - Another featurette for this 2018 DCAU movie.

• From the DC Comics Vault - The two-part Justice League episode "A Better World" from that show's second season. It looks identical to that 2011 Blu-ray but unfortunately has been "cropped" to Dolby Digital 2.0.

• Trailers for Batman: Hush and The Death and Return of Superman.

Superman: Red Son Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Although it struggles with pacing and the story undercuts its source material, Superman: Red Son has several great moments and a fine original score. That said, it's for seasoned fans only: the sudden appearance of certain characters and events often comes without any context, so anyone unfamiliar with deeper aspects of Superman lore may feel lost along the way. Warner Bros.' Blu-ray supports the film with a solid A/V presentation and a few promotional or loosely-related bonus features. This one's probably closer to "try before you buy" than a clear recommendation, along with one additional note: those with 4K setups may want to opt for that version if and when the time comes.