DC League of Super-Pets: Who’s a Good Boy!

Sometimes you just need a good fluffy movie that has no other purpose than to entertain, cause a few chuckles and warm your heart, and nothing does this better than movies about pets.  DC League of Super-Pets is a tongue in cheek computer animated comedy film that centers on Krypto (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) and some new animal friends who all have recently acquired superpowers, just as Krypto lost his own abilities. In an animal shelter, Lulu (Kate McKinnon), a hairless guinea pig and once test subject of Lex Luther (Marc Maron), uses orange Kryptonite to give herself telekinetic superpowers, also imbuing several animals around her with their own unique strengths.  Ace (Kevin Hart), a boxer who becomes super strong and invulnerable, PB (Vanessa Bayer, a potbellied pig who can alter her size, Merton (Natasha Lyonne), a turtle who gains superspeed, Chip (Diego Luna), a squirrel who can shoot lightning from his paws.  When Lulu easily captures the Justice League using a team of supped up guinea pigs, Krypto who swallowed a piece of green kryptonite temporarily making him a normal dog, must train his new team in order to save Superman and the rest of the Justice League, learning what it means to be a true friend in the process.

I was not really a fan of the pets in the comic books as they just seemed corny and out of place, but in this format they shine.  The film never takes itself too seriously and is formulaic, but it is well performed by all the voice actors, has a fun story, clever writing and tugs at the heart strings where needed.  The humor ranges from visual physical gags to poking fun at the human heroes, Aquaman and Batman bearing the brunt of those jokes.  There weren’t a lot of big laughs, but I chuckled throughout most of the film. In the end, everyone gets what and who they deserve including the audience who should walk away with a good feeling.

The animation was done by Animal Logic in Sydney and Vancouver who also did The Lego Movie series, and the art was inspired by Art Deco architecture and the Superfriends animated series focusing on the Silver Age of Comic Books. The music was composed by Steve Jablonsky and is reminiscent of other DC films creating a familiar connection. Besides Kevin Hart and The Rock, the cast includes some heavy hitters, John Krasinski as Superman and Keanu Reeves as Batman, with Alfred Molina and Keith David playing Jor-El and Dog El respectively.  The entire cast does a great job with the subtle humor and comic timing.  There are a few brief LGBTQ+ references, which was nice to see, without any fanfare and just presented in a matter-of-fact manner.  The movie was released in theaters on July 29^th, 2022 and is available for Premium Digital Ownership on August 23^rd, 2022.