In the end, though, 90 minutes still isn't enough to do justice to a story with so many competing characters. The film only pays lip service to the central mystery driving the original comic book crossover - which, if any, of these heroes is the real Superman? It seems to lose interest in characters like Steel and The Eradicator fairly quickly, with the latter character essentially vanishing from the plot after a certain point. And in the attempt to juggle subplots like Superboy confronting his own heritage, Lex Luthor's possible redemption, the whereabouts of the Justice League and the tragic backstory of Cyborg Superman, the film never excels in any particular area.
Watching this movie raises the question of whether Reign of the Supermen actually needed all four of these Superman replacements. Had the film focused squarely on Superboy and Cyborg Superman, the narrative would have been much more streamlined and focused. There's a sense that characters like Steel and Eradicator are included because "That's how it was in the comics," not necessarily because it's what this adaptation demands.
That really speaks to the fundamental flaw with this duology of Superman movies. They seem overly dependent on viewers having an attachment to the source material. They follow the beats of the original comics relatively closely, but they never do the leg-work to ensure that those beats have the necessary emotional impact. Nowhere is that felt more than when Superman himself inevitably returns to the forefront. What should be the emotional centerpiece of both movies just... kind of happens.That's not to say there aren't a few moments that resonate on a deeper level. Some of the early moments featuring Superman mainstays like Lois Lane (Rebecca Romijn) and Perry White (Rocky Carroll) grieving over the late Man of Steel. There's also a charming scene involving Lois and Wonder Woman (Rosario Dawson) bonding over their mutual status as Superman love interests. It's enough to make you wish that The Death of Superman wasn't the first dedicated Superman entry of the DC Universe Movies, so that these basic relationships could have already been established.
One thing these DC Universe Movies can be counted on to provide is strong action scenes. There's plenty of that to go around in this sequel, whether it's rival Supermen butting heads in Metropolis or multiple heroes joining forces to battle a potentially world-ending threat in the climax. These movies have never stood out in terms of animation style, but at least the scope and intensity of the action makes up for that lack of style.
It's also worth mentioning that the film ends on a fairly strong note. The final shot pays great homage to Superman movies of years past. And the post-credits scene sets the stage for the next big chapter in the DC animated universe, one that looks to adapt one of the better Justice League adventures in recent memory. In that sense, Reign of the Supermen functions better as a piece in this continuously growing puzzle than it does as a direct adaptation of the source material.
