Parents' Guide to

All-Star Superman

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Violence and minor sensuality in reflective Superman tale.

Movie PG 2011 75 minutes
All-Star Superman Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 16+

Based on 1 parent review

TinyToya
TinyToya Adult
July 29, 2011
age 16+

All Star Superman Falls Flat, but Still Manages a Decent Story

*Spoiler Alert!*This movie was not the riveting action adventure I was expecting. This was more of a slow-paced tragedy to be honest. Superman tying up loose ends in his life and fighting off just about any bad guy the writers could think of to keep things interesting. About the violence, I found that the scene in the prison with Lex Luthor shooting, then kicking, and BEATing an already defeated monster was the worst yet, not the electric chair (I mean he was BEYOND brutal on that creature). Alas, by the end of the film you will get tired of Superman passing out and looking about ready to die, but it might still bring you to tears at the end of it. Maybe.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

After rescuing a scientific mission from the surface of the sun, Superman (voiced by James Denton) learns that he has increased powers -- but he also finds out that he's dying. He tries to wrap up some unfinished business, like telling Lois Lane (Christina Hendricks) about his secret identity. Meanwhile, he must also deal with various meddlers -- like super-strong time-travelers Samson and Atlas and lost explorers from Krypton who wish to take over the Earth. Ultimately, it turns out that Lex Luthor (Anthony LaPaglia) is responsible for Superman's predicament; Superman must deal with the villain's nefarious plans, which include turning Earth's yellow sun red, thereby draining Superman's powers. But in doing that, Luthor has unexpectedly poisoned the sun; can Superman survive long enough to save humanity one last time?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (5):

Despite some gruesome violence here and there, the movie is surprisingly powerful as Superman considers his life and legacy. It focuses on strong ideas like forgiveness, empathy, inclusiveness, and tolerance, as well as love. Likewise, the voice performance of Denton, who is new to Superman, is wonderfully soft and modulated; he's the most laid-back Superman yet. Though the action and fight scenes still pack a punch, it's the quiet moments here that are the most memorable.

Based on Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's reboot of Superman, this animated feature has the difficult task of boiling 12 comic books down to a relatively brief 75 minutes. The result is that the movie plays mostly in self-contained episodes rather than in a linear story, but veteran superhero director Sam Liu (Planet Hulk, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths) sustains the thoughtful, reflective mood of the movie throughout.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's violence. Is it exciting here, or is it more ugly and disturbing? How does the movie achieve this mood?

  • How does it feel to watch a movie about how Superman is dying? Is the movie sad or reflective? What kinds of things does it make you think about?

  • How is this Superman different from others you've seen in comics, TV shows, and movies?

  • What lesson does Lex Luthor learn at the end of the movie after "borrowing" Superman's powers?

Movie Details

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