The Batman/Superman Movie: World's Finest (1997)

[Silver Nemesis]

I've been re-watching all the old DCAU films lately, including the ones edited together from TV episodes, and I was surprised by how well World's Finest holds up. It's been a long time since I last watched it – maybe more than a decade – and it was a lot better than I remembered it being. As far as animated Batman/Superman films go, I'd rank it up there with Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009).

Using Lois as the emotional lynchpin to connect Batman and Superman's civilian lives was a good way of streamlining things and keeping the plot focused on those three characters, although it is a little strange hearing Conroy's Batman woo a woman voiced by Delany who isn't Andrea Beaumont. The acting is good across the board, and it's particularly enjoyable to hear Hamill's manic Joker playing off Brown's calm and reserved Luthor. The movie does a good job of contrasting their very different personalities, just as it does a good job of visually contrasting Gotham City against Metropolis. I hope one day we'll see a live action Metropolis that looks as interesting as the S:TAS version.

There's a bit of an "I won't kill you but I don't have to save you" moment towards the end where Batman saves Harley and tells Superman to save Lex, but then leaves the Joker to perish on the exploding wing. Ok, so the Joker had a parachute. But it was Batman's fault the exploding marbles spilled onto the floor in the first place, and he could've easily told Superman to save the Joker as well as Lex. This leads to what is arguably the funniest one-liner ever spoken by Conroy's Batman.

Good stuff. I'm sure we've already discussed this film before, but I can't find a thread on it anywhere on the site. So I figured we ought to have one.

[thecolorsblend]

I've been re-watching all the old DCAU films lately, including the ones edited together from TV episodes, and I was surprised by how well World's Finest holds up. It's been a long time since I last watched it – maybe more than a decade – and it was a lot better than I remembered it being. As far as animated Batman/Superman films go, I'd rank it up there with Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009).

I'd put it ahead of PE, personally.

...

Wtf is going on with that cover art?

Using Lois as the emotional lynchpin to connect Batman and Superman's civilian lives was a good way of streamlining things and keeping the plot focused on those three characters, although it is a little strange hearing Conroy's Batman woo a woman voiced by Delany who isn't Andrea Beaumont.

This is one thing that's aged sort of badly. At least for me. For one thing, I don't remember STAS Lois ever swooning over Superman. Not in a romantic attraction sort of way, at least. So, the "snub" of Lois giving up on Superman to go after Bruce just didn't play all that well for me.

But for another thing, there have been instances of Batman (as a media property) intruding on Superman's (as a media property) turf. Like Lex's involvement with the earthquake in the Cataclysm storyline. I mean, Batman has a lot of his own unique villains. There's no need to poach Lex Luthor like that since Superman's rogues gallery has never been stellar. Esp when I could easily believe that Ra's al-Ghul wouldn't think twice about demolishing Gotham City if he had the means to do so.

It's nitpicky stuff, I know. But there it is.

Still, one thing I've always loved about WF is how it puts Superman and Batman on the backfoot with each other and they have to earn one another's trust. And earn one another's respect. From such humble beginnings, you get Batman and Superman alternately laying it all on the line for each other with JLU. And that all started here. Great movie.

[Andrew]

I didn't really get why or like that Bruce and his company would be working with Lex, that seem pretty forced and underexplained.

[The Laughing Fish]

Still, one thing I've always loved about WF is how it puts Superman and Batman on the backfoot with each other and they have to earn one another's trust. And earn one another's respect. From such humble beginnings, you get Batman and Superman alternately laying it all on the line for each other with JLU. And that all started here. Great movie.

World's Finest is an entertaining movie, but I must admit feeling a bit frustrated how Superman is underpowered at times. His superhuman speed isn't as quick as you might expect, and even Batman was able to throw him across the other side of the room during their first encounter. You don't want to make Superman too powerful, but I can't help but feel that Timm and Dini's Batman bias is showing, to the point that Batman is some respects stronger than he is.