What if the world's most powerful alien landed in the Soviet Union instead?
In short: In the 2020 animated film Superman: Red Son, the iconic hero does not land in Kansas, but in a Ukrainian kolkhoz. Raised under the Soviet regime, he becomes a tool for Joseph Stalin, sparking a geopolitical struggle that pits communist ideals against the capitalist ambitions of Lex Luthor.
Released as the 40th entry in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line, the film adapts the 2003 comic miniseries by Mark Millar and a team of artists including Dave Johnson and Andrew Robinson. The narrative reimagines Superman as a Soviet asset, leading to a world where the Berlin Wall is demolished by his hand and the Korean War is ended through his intervention. This alternate history forces a collision between the Man of Steel and U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who recruits Lex Luthor to develop countermeasures against the alien threat.
The film explores themes of power and propaganda, depicting a Soviet Union that uses Superman to maintain control, including the lobotomization of dissidents. The plot spans decades, featuring encounters with iconic characters like Wonder Woman, Batman, and Brainiac, while charting the rise of Luthor as a global political force. The conflict eventually forces an uneasy alliance between the two rivals as they face a common threat from Brainiac, who has been manipulating the Soviet leader to facilitate his own conquest.
Critical reception has been mixed. While Rotten Tomatoes reports an 89% positive rating from 18 reviews, some critics, including those at IGN and various Russian outlets, have pointed to underwhelming animation and a loss of the original comic's depth. The film sparked controversy in Russia, where presenters on the channel Russia-24 labeled it an example of Russophobic hysteria and part of an information war. Despite these polarized reactions, the film remains a notable entry in the DC animated canon, earning over $2 million in domestic home video sales before its digital and physical releases in early 2020.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Superman: Red Son (film)
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