In DC League of Super-Pets, Krypto the Super-Dog (Dwayne Johnson) and Superman (John Krasinski) are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime in Metropolis side by side. When Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a rag-tag shelter pack - Ace the hound (Kevin Hart), PB the potbellied pig (Vanessa Bayer), Merton the turtle (Natasha Lyonne) and Chip the squirrel (Diego Luna) - to master their own newfound powers and help him rescue the superheroes...

If, like me, you've become bored with the current glut of animated movies which transcend age boundaries (being just as entertaining for the very young and old members of your family) and have long since gotten tired of the endless superhero films, then DC League of Super-Pets may sound like the last thing you'll enjoy. In fact, quite the opposite is true.

The film takes a collection of DC's most well known superheroes (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and Cyborg) and has them take a back seat to a group of rescue animals who all obtain super powers and end up using them for good to defeat Lulu, an evil hairless guinea pig who was a test subject at one of Lex Luthor's laboratories. In the process they end up having to save the super-heroes as well.

Yes, it's another film that works on many levels, so adults and kids will find much to enjoy, and yes it's another superheroes movie. However, it takes both of these well worn elements and puts a new, interesting spin on them.

The movie opens on Krypton, Superman's home world, with the baby Kal-El's parents preparing to send him off into space to survive their planet's imminent destruction. As his space pod closes, the family puppy, Krypto, jumps on board... the two launching into space towards Earth. What I really loved about this is the way Steve Jablonsky incorporated a snippet of John Williams's 'Destruction of Krypton' from the soundtrack to Superman (1978). Later in the movie I also spotted a nod to the 'Theme from Superman' from the same movie, as well as a nod to Danny Elfman's score for Batman (1989).

Extras include: How to Draw Krypto (6 min, 48 sec); Behind the Super Voices (14 min, 39 sec interviews with the actors); Super-Pets Animation 101 (8 min, 18 sec a look at the early concept art as well as a look at a few of the deleted scenes); The World of Super-Pets (7 min, 41 sec a look at how they borrowed elements from the comics to create a new Metropolis, as well as how they went for a different look from what has been seen before for the super-heroes); Find the Easter Eggs (3 min, 39 sec a look at some of the hidden imagery and nods to other media in the film); and Deleted Scenes (20 min, 48 sec rough animatics of some deleted scenes including a look at how each of the animals ended up in the shelter).

It's a funny, entertaining film with a moral core. This is one film you won't mind the kids watching endlessly on repeat. Oh, and watch the end credits... There are two additional sequences to reward those who sit all the way to the end.

9

Darren Rea