By Will Barber Taylor

When 11-year old Jonathan Kent discovers he has super powers, the half-Kryptonian is thrust into the world of heroes and villains now under attack by a malevolent alien force known as Starro! Joined by assassin-turned Boy Wonder, Damian Wayne, Jonathan must race against time to save their fathers (Superman and Batman) and the world by becoming the Supersons they were destined to be!

Translating characters from text to screen can be incredibly difficult. This is in part because everyone who reads a novel will picture a different, albeit perhaps only slightly different, version of the character to any other reader. They may think the hero is taller, shorter or fatter than another reader might; they might interpret the character’s motivations differently to someone else reading the book at a different time.

Translating comic book characters to the screen can be even more difficult because you do have a definitive image in your mind – it’s right there on the page. There is no ambiguity about what the character looks like because it has been drawn for you, everyone can see it in exactly the same way as everyone else. This means that on the one hand it can be a bit easier to turn a comic book creation into a cinematic beast, but it also means that if you divert away from that source material it will be more apparent to viewers than if you are liberal with adapting a novel.

Striking the balance between faithful adaptation and an imaginative presentation of its characters and story is rather effortless achieved in Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons. Although fans of the young dynamic duo of Damian Wayne and Jonathan Kent may recognize that there have been changes from the original comic books in order to bring them to the screen, they will surely appreciate that this film does its level best to perfectly represent what made the two characters so appealing to audiences originally.

Beginning with Jonathan Kent discovering that he has developed powers and that is the son of Superman, the film follows Jonathan as he attempts to reconcile himself to his newfound powers and his status as the son of one of Earth’s greatest heroes. This personal journey for Jon is matched by the journey undergone by Robin, Damian Wayne. Son of the World’s Greatest Detective and grandson of the leader of the finest eco terrorism group around, the film’s depiction of Damian again in keeping with the comics as a borderline sociopathic avenger. Damian attempts to emulate his heroic father whilst still following the methods and influence of his megalomaniac grandfather is a core part of the internal tension within Damian that makes him such an interesting character. It’s also why his partnership with Jon has been so compelling for readers in the comics and is part of why the film works so well as well.

Both are, at their core, stripped down versions of Batman and Superman – Jon having the Man of Steel’s powers and an incredible optimism that only a child could posses and Damian having the same skills and urge for vengeance as The Dark Knight but without Batman’s restraint. The fact that both are such extreme versions of their respective fathers is why their conflict and eventual friendship is not only enjoyable to watch but does not feel forced at all; the friendship between the World’s Finest heroes is often shown to be antagonistic at first and there’s no reason that of their sons should be any different.

The film excellently reflects this conflict within not just the emotional journey of the two leads but in the plot itself. As Starro the Conqueror, the evil starfish that was the Justice League’s very first enemy in the comics, takes over the various heroes of the JL, Damian and Jonathan are forced together in order to not only save the world but their parents as well. This allows to not only make clear the similarities between the children of the World’s Finest but also their differences in tackling such a massive problem.

The voice acting from all involved is excellent. Jack Dylan Grazer brings the right amount of naivety and boundless optimism to Jonathan Kent and as such truly is the heart of the film. He fully brings out the character’s feeling of awe at discovering he has super powers and the sudden fear and responsibility that is thrown onto him when he realizes it is up to him and Damian to save the day. He bounces off Jack Griffo’s Damian Wayne perfectly and their chemistry lies at the heart of the film’s success – you truly can believe that despite their differences and Damian’s antagonism towards Jonathan that they can be friends.

Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons is a wonderfully upbeat and enjoyable comic book film that embraces the fulsome absurdity of the comic book genre and runs with it totally and unabashedly, as any true comic book film should. With great animation, a fun and lively script and a cast that matches that script perfectly, it is exactly the kind of film you need to see if you are fatigue with comic book films that take themselves far too seriously. This smart, engaging and ultimately, above all else, fun film is well worth your time and may remind you why people liked super hero films in the first place.