The Justice League usually steps in to save the day when the world is in peril, but it turns out that even Earth’s mightiest superheroes have their own team of protectors: the Super-Pets! Sometimes a movie delivers so much more than you could have possibly imagined that you are pleasantly surprised.
Such was our experience with DC League of Super-Pets, a superhero narrative done in a way we had never seen before, complete with a vivid cast of amazing voice actors, a compelling plot, and a very astute writing that was just the perfect amount of funny and heartfelt.
The League of Super-Pets, a new group of superheroes, are eventually revealed to you, and the film guarantees that you will be waiting for them to return! You have been forewarned that there will be some spoilers as we discuss the movie and the new superheroes and villains that we get to see in this video.
DC League of Super-Pets – movie explored
Superman’s origins are well known to all DC fans, and the film only adds a slight twist to the idea to create the ideal plot. The story opens with a young Superman on the planet Krypton, where his parents are well aware of the coming catastrophe that is about to wipe away their home world. They put their son in an escape pod and send him toward Earth out of concern for his safety. A puppy that had formed a special attachment with the baby just before the painful goodbye jumps into the pod, and the parents feel that it will be nice for their kid to have some company.
Along the journey, the puppy assists in soothing and relaxing the infant, and soon the scenario transports you to present-day Metropolis, where both of them are adults— the puppy is now Krypto the Superdog, and the infant has grown into the great Superman. They also have separate personas: Krypto is a regular dog named Bark, and Superman is a reporter named Clark Kent.
The movie is quick to establish the unique bond between Superman and Krypto, where they are each other’s best friends and accomplish various challenges together. However, their brotherly bond is jolted when Superman’s budding relationship with a fellow journalist, Lois Lane starts to make Krypto jealous. He is insecure about his status in this new life, and this makes him bitter and anxious to some extent.
Superman notices the changes in Krypto, and Lois advises him to get another pet as a friend for the adorable superdog so that he doesn’t feel left out. He heads to the animal shelter, and this is when we are introduced to the entire team of the Super-Pets for the first time. Of course, they are yet to get their superpowers, and for now, it is just a misfit group comprising a potbellied pig, a boxer hound, a chipmunk, and a turtle.
The boxer named Ace tries to escape from the shelter, but Krypto who is outside while Superman steps into the store, stops him from fleeing. The chaos stops Superman from getting another pet, and soon he spots some strange activity from his arch-rival Lex Luthor. The latter is shown trying to reel in a massive meteorite that is strapped with orange kryptonite.
Lex Luthor believes that the kryptonite will help him gain superpowers just like Superman, but his plan fails miserably courtesy of the combined efforts of Superman and Krypto backed by the entire Justice League. It is fun to see the likes of Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, Green Lantern, and Cyborg working as a team and Lex Luthor seems to be no match for them. They successfully manage to imprison Lex Luthor and send the meteorite back into space where it belongs – or do they?
It is revealed that one of the animals at the shelter, a guinea pig named Lulu, was actually used by Lex Luthor for his experiments. Lulu was extremely attached to her owner, but during one of their misadventures, Krypto got her to the shelter. It turns out that she hasn’t forgotten all her training yet, and she has somehow built a device that enabled her to reel in a chunk of the meteorite with the orange kryptonite.
Unlike her master, she knew that orange kryptonite is not meant to work on humans, and it only has an effect on the animals. Lulu gains some incredible superpowers, and combined with her evil mind, it becomes clear that she is all set to become the primary antagonist!
As she shows off her new powers and escapes from the shelter, she is unaware that the other animals at the shelter also received some unique superpowers. Ace, the boxer hound has transformed into a super-strong, indestructible dog, the cuddly pig, PB, now has the ability to change her size at will, the turtle named Merton has gained super-speed, and Chip, the chipmunk has acquired the ability of electrokinesis.
Meanwhile, Superman and Krypto, or the rest of the Justice League are oblivious to these new developments. Superman has plans of going out on a date, and he intends to propose to Lois for marriage. Krypto is not too pleased about his buddy leaving him on movie night, and in his depressed state, the superdog puts on headphones and plays music at full blast while hogging down buckets of ice cream.
We soon realize that it is a fatal mistake because the headphones ensure that Krypto doesn’t get the slightest sound of Superman’s calls for help when Lulu attacks him right outside his doors. She uses a piece of green kryptonite to immobilize the mighty superhero, and by the time Krypto realizes that something is wrong, it is too late.
Besides, Lulu also tricked him into having a piece of cheese laced with green kryptonite, and much to his shock Krypto realizes that he has lost his superpowers. He watches helplessly as Lulu gets away with Superman as her prisoner, and without his powers, Krypto doesn’t have a clue about how to help.
Battered and bruised, he walks helplessly looking for Superman, and luckily for him, he comes across the other shelter pets who now have superpowers. Even after his history with Ace, the latter agrees to help him find Superman when he lures all the animals with their dream farm life after the mission. But the rescue attempt is about to get a lot more difficult than they anticipated! Lulu is now simply too powerful, and to make matters worse, she has recruited an army of guinea pigs to fight for her, and given each of them some form of superpowers.
They wreak havoc across the city, and the Justice League falls in an attempt to stop them. All the superheroes are taken prisoner, and it seems like Earth no longer has its defenders against this evil force. In spite of her plans of world domination, Lulu is still loyal to her former owner Lex Luthor, and she heads to Stryker Island to free him.
The first attempt of the Super-Pets to stop her is a grand failure and it becomes clear that they still haven’t come to terms with their newly developed superpowers. After their defeat they regroup in the Hall of Justice, and Krypto is dejected at his inability to protect his best friend Superman. It takes a few words of inspiration from Ace to get them all back on track, and after dealing with Streaky the Supercat – another super-powered creature, they head to Stryker Island to stop Lulu.
Back at this prison facility, Lulu is about to free Lex Luthor when she is interrupted by the Super-Pets. PB transforms into a giant pig and almost squishes Lulu into submission, but the creature is simply too tactical. She threatens to drop a massive structure on Krypto if the animals don’t walk into individual holding cells, and since Krypto no longer has superpowers, it is safe to say that he would be dead if the others do not oblige.
Much to his disappointment, Ace agrees to Lulu’s conditions, and now, the last hopes for the Justice League are behind the impregnable doors of the holding cells. Unfortunately, Lulu is in for some major heartbreak after she frees Lex Luthor. She realizes that she never mattered to him any more than just a laboratory animal, and he doesn’t want his credits to be shared by a rodent!
He tricks Lulu back into his cell after being released, and this event turns her into a truly evil entity without a shred of compassion. She manages to break free and now, she wants to get revenge on Luthor as much as she wants to destroy the Justice League. She reveals that all the superheroes are about to be blasted into extinction after some time, and there is nothing that Krypto can do to save them. Lulu now believes that if she cannot have her owner, neither can Krypto, and time is running out for the Super-Pets.
In a stroke of luck, the effect of the kryptonite wears off, and Krypto gets his superpowers back. He now breaks out of his holding cell and helps the others out. Since he has his powers back, Krypto doesn’t want his friends to risk their lives any longer, and he sets out to settle scores with Lulu at LexCorp, where the Justice League is kept prisoner. Her army of guinea pigs falls like a pack of cards before him, but Lulu still has a few moves up her sleep.
She captures Luthor and ignites a rocket underneath the building, which starts to ascend into space with everyone. Meanwhile, she also crashes the news helicopter with Lois inside, and now, Krypto has to choose between saving Superman and the other members of the Justice League or Lois Lane. We discover that his Super-Pet friends didn’t really take his advice of staying out of it, and they arrive just in time to help him out. Krypto saves Lois from the crash while his friends work together to rescue the Justice League.
In a final act of defiance, Lulu refuses to surrender and puts some pieces of the orange kryptonite into her brain. It turns her into a ferocious monstrous version of herself, and the Justice League realizes that she has become unstoppable. However, Krypto still had one crucial superpower, the Solar Paw Punch, which is so extreme that it can destroy any supervillain.
But it also means death for Krypto because harnessing the extreme powers of the Sun takes a toll on the hero’s body as well. Even after knowing it all, Krypto decides to sacrifice himself in order to save everyone. The mighty Solar Paw Punch knocks all the kryptonite out of Lulu’s brain, and she is trapped with no more superpowers. To our pleasant surprise, Krypto survives the impact because of Ace, who makes good use of his invulnerability to save his life.
The movie ends on an adorable note as we see Krypto finally accepting Lois in his life and setting up Superman’s proposal. All the shelter pets get adopted by members of the Justice League. Batman gets Ace, Flash adopts the turtle, Wonder Woman takes a liking to PB, and Green Lantern finds the chipmunk irresistible. Cyborg and Aquaman adopt even a couple of guinea pigs recruited by Lulu. All’s well that ends well, they say! This one truly does, and even the post-credit scene introduces us to the possibility of another adorable story coming our way featuring Black Adam and his superhero dog.
Origins of the Super-Pets and their backstories – analyzing the new superhero group!
If the movie was all about the bonhomie between Superman and Krypto, things wouldn’t have been half as entertaining. The perfect superhero story requires some underdogs – a few characters who have nothing going for them until they have the responsibility to fix it all! Well, that is exactly what the Super-Pets from the shelter do. The likes of Ace, PB, Merton, and Chip show the true meaning of character development, and you will be rooting for them the whole time just as much as you would for Krypto or the Justice League.
Ace, the boxer hound, has a rather tragic backstory about how he ended up at the shelter. He was a loyal, devoted pet, and he loved his family with all his heart. The family had a little girl who was a toddler, and one day she was left unattended. Just as she was about to fall down the stairs, Ace pulled her to safety by biting her arm. However, this lifesaving act was misunderstood by the owners who perceived him as a dangerous dog and sent him to the shelter.
Ace dreamed about freeing himself from the confines of the shelter, and his imaginary life at the perfect farm was a dream that he shared and promised to all the other animals. Initially, he comes across as a rough and tough hound who has seen it all, but we do get to tap into his softer side as well.
After he gets his superpowers, Ace becomes invulnerable and super-strong, abilities that he uses repeatedly to save the life of others. He is far from the self-centric, rough character that he wants others to see him as. He doesn’t hold grudges against Krypto, and even though he hates to admit it, Ace does care for the superdog and the members of the Justice League.
Even after all the terrible things that happened to him, he strongly believes that dogs should love unconditionally even if it ends up hurting them – it simply doesn’t get any purer! Who is best suited to adopt someone with a scarred childhood? You all know the answer and that is exactly what happens when Batman takes in Ace as the Bat-hound and their moment of awkwardness soon turns into love for each other.
Krpto is the perfect example of just how loyal our canine friends can be! He started his duties as a puppy, and even into adulthood he continues to love and protect Superman the same way. There are moments where Krypto is super-mature, and the next moment you see him behaving like a typical happy dog who is delighted by his Bruce Wayne squeaky toy! We also see a lot of character transformation from the superdog, who learns about life without superpowers the hard way.
He learns to be humble after being reduced to a regular dog, and he understands the meaning of acceptance when he welcomes Lois Lane into Superman’s life. His powers are shown to be almost equal to that of Superman – he can fly around, has extreme strength and durability, and he can shoot powerful lasers from his eyes just like his best friend. This simply cannot be the last time DC brings him on screen, and we cannot wait to see more of this incredible superdog.
PB, the potbellied pig, is that character who fails to believe in herself in the early stages of the story. If the course of events teaches her something, it is self-love, and she could harness the true strength of her superpowers only after gaining that confidence. We don’t get much of a backstory about her, but she is presented as someone with a lot of heart right from the beginning. PB is the first one to feel sorry about Krypto’s loss, and she is often the string that binds the team together.
Merton, the turtle gains superspeed (just like Flash), and there is a time when she seems even quicker than the Justice League superhero. This character is perhaps the funniest among the lot, having the best of wisecracks and some adult jokes that are only for the mature audience to figure out. Merton might be no more than a sidekick for the likes of Krypto and Ace, but she does the job flawlessly.
Finally, Chip the chipmunk is probably the kid in the group. When everyone else gets superpowers after Lulu’s fiasco, Chip is the last one to realize that he has one too. A tiny, timid chipmunk shooting out powerful electrical beams with his electrokinesis abilities is an inspiring sight for the viewers. It just goes on to show that appearances can be deceptive, and once he develops command over his powers, Chip becomes a valuable addition to the team of Super-Pets.
Marvelous Verdict: This classic good guy vs. bad guys story has a lot more to it!
It might be easy to dismiss this movie as just another superhero flick that follows the conventional template, but a closer scrutiny will prove otherwise. Besides the story on the surface, there are a lot of underlying themes in the narrative that makes it such a rewarding experience. It is a movie that makes you laugh, promises a few emotional moments, has some power-packed action, and also spreads a lot of warmth with the overall theme of love and friendship.
The story is essentially about one of the deepest ties in the world – that between a man and his dog! Krypto is shown to be Superman’s guardian, protector, and best friend ever since he was a child, and the equation has remained the same. Yes, there have been obstacles like in any other relationship, moments of immaturity and jealousy, but eventually, it all comes down to their heart-warming bond. The storytelling rests largely on this unconditional love, and even the ties that develop in the course of the movie, teach a fun-filled lesson or two about the true essence of relationships.
Even the so-called antagonist, Lulu, is simply a victim of fatal attractions. She was so attached to her evil master that it stemmed the seeds of destruction inside her, but deep down, all she wanted was some love and appreciation from him. The character developments in the movie are phenomenal, and it wouldn’t have been possible without a team of superstars as the voice actors. You know the duo of Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson simply cannot go wrong, and their portrayal of Ace and Krypto respectively is the heart of the movie.
For his brief role, we loved Keanu Reeves as Batman, and knowing that it was his dream to be cast as Batman someday, we all know how much he must have enjoyed his performance. The movie takes a comical stance towards the Dark Knight, but never really demeans him in any way. In fact, the comical approach works wonders, thanks to the quirky performance from the veteran actor. Kate McKinnon shines as Lulu, and the evil in her voice has been captured to perfection.
Others like John Krasinski as Superman, Vanessa Bayer as PB, Natasha Lyonne as Merton, and everyone else put together a fine specimen of teamwork that adds the special touch that the movie required. The intelligent script coupled with some terrific expressions from the voice-actors promise plenty of laughs, and there is simply not a single dull moment in the film.
The kids will love the entertainment, and even the adults will enjoy some of the subtle maturity, and interpret a few adult jokes differently! There it is – we just described the ingredients of a perfect family movie, and if you haven’t watched DC League of Super-Pets already, we suggest that you book your tickets immediately.
Do let us know in the comments below about your thoughts on the movie. Tell us about the characters you loved the most, and also let us know where you would want the story to go next! Clearly, we will have a follow-up to this massive hit!