Based on the story from Action Comics #866-870 (2008) by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, Superman: Unbound (2013) is about the first time Superman meets Brainiac, the evil alien cyborg, whose quest for knowledge leaves behind a path of destruction through the cosmos. And yet it is Superman’s knowledge that leads to its (temporary) defeat in this timely tale about an out-of-control artificial intelligence.
Buy Superman: Unbound Blu-rayAfter Lois Lane offers to be a hostage for terrorists in Metropolis, she is rescued by Superman (Matt Bomer) and his cousin Kara / Supergirl (Molly Quinn). Having only arrived on Earth a few months ago, Kara is learning how to deal with her new powers and the responsibilities that come with them. Superman is learning how to deal with a teenager and how to deal with the secret relationship he is in with Lois.
In Arizona, Superman encounters a robot so powerful he feels its attack, an unusual occurrence. After defeating it, he takes it to his Fortress of Solitude. When Kara sees the battle on the news, she goes to see Superman. She previously encountered one of these robots, when their controller, Brainiac (John Noble), used them to miniaturize Krypton’s capital city of Kandor, which he keeps aboard his ship along with all the other bottled cities he has captured. It was after this attack that Kara was sent to Earth.
Superman searches space for Brainiac and finds the cyborg’s robot army attacking a planet. After Brainiac’s technology miniaturizes a city, it then destroys the nearby sun which leads to the destruction of the planet. The ensuing explosion knocks Superman unconscious and Brainiac brings him aboard. It learns Superman resides on Earth, which Brainiac heads to after shrinking Superman and placing him within Kandor where he meets his Kara’s parents, his uncle Zor-El and aunt Alura. Once Brainiac arrives at Earth, Superman and Supergirl work to stop it from bottling Metropolis and destroying the planet.
While the genre dictates the ending, screenwriter Bob Goodman does a good job balancing the superhero action with character dynamics, making the plot more interesting as the audience connects to the characters. It’s good to see Superman use his intelligence to defeat Brainiac rather than just relying on brute force. The animation and the voice actors do a great job bringing the characters to life. However, Lois frequently in low-cut tops and short skirts is a distracting choice that contradicts most modern interpretations of the character.
Superman: Unbound is an enjoyable superhero adventure recommended for Superman fans and also those new to character.
