Superman: Brainiac Attacks
By Tom Cassidy,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Superhero cartoon has lots of heavy-hitting action.
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Superman: Brainiac Attacks
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What's the Story?
In SUPERMAN: BRAINIAC ATTACKS, the evil Lex Luthor (voiced by Powers Boothe) teams up with extraterrestrial supervillian Brainiac (Lance Henriksen) in a plot to take down Superman (Tim Daly). But can two villains be trusted to keep up their sides of the deal?
Is It Any Good?
SMASH! KAPOW! -- WOW! The action in Superman: Brainiac Attacks is thrilling. Some superhero movies descend into a confusing mess of explosions shot by whirling cameras. But here the animation is crisp and clear, making every thump and blown-up building a gripping spectacle. The action flows throughout -- first with the Man of Steel withstanding a bombardment to show his indestructibility. Then, through a fiendish plot by Lex Luthor and Brainiac, Superman is weakened by kryptonite and the stakes are raised. These stakes go off the chart when Lois Lane (voiced by Dana Delany) suffers kryptonite poisoning and is declared near to death by doctors.
As well as being a great action movie, Superman: Brainiac Attacks also has an emotional core that works every bit as well. The characters are enjoyable to be around and the movie doesn't play it safe with locations. When we whiz off with Superman to the psychedelic Phantom Zone to retrieve an antidote, the movie is confident to let us experience its weird and wonderful landscapes and be momentarily wrong-footed by the zone's mind-bending trickery. The animation is awesome and the cast bring these heroes to life with their spirited performances. Boothe is the standout, with his portrayal of Luthor among the best there's been -- all gnashing nastiness and slimy mischief. Non-theatrical superhero cartoons can be a mixed bag but this is one big, hard, hit.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Superman: Brainiac Attacks. Was it necessary, or did it seem gratuitous? Why? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
What examples of perseverance and courage can you give from the movie? Why are these such important character strengths to have? Can you think of any times you've shown these traits?
Superman has great power but chooses to do good, while Brainiac chooses the opposite. Do you remember a time you had to make a choice that had two very different outcomes? Why did you choose what you chose? Is it always easy to do the right thing?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: June 20, 2006
- Cast: Tim Daly, Powers Boothe, Dana Delany
- Director: Curt Geda
- Studios: HBO Max, Warner Home Video
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Superheroes, Robots
- Character Strengths: Courage, Humility, Perseverance, Self-control
- Run time: 86 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 25, 2023
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