Follow the world’s most famous superhero and comic books’ most famous journalist as they deal with all the stress, pressures, and complexities that come with being working parents in today’s society.
In “Superman and Lois,” Clark Kent (Tyler Hoechlin) and Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) deal with the ups and downs of parenting, while still making time to save the world. They have two sons, Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) and Jordan (Alex Garvin); the latter of which is discovering his superpowers. After the death of their matriarch Martha, the Kents have traded in their Metropolis cityscapes for Smallville’s cornfields.
At the boys’ high school, Jonathan is the star quarterback while Jordan is a loner, struggling with anxiety and learning disabilities. When the boys remain unscathed after an accident in their barn, Clark is forced to reveal his true identity and their Kryptonian genealogy. During a bonfire party with their classmates, the brothers get into a fight and Jordan unintentionally uses his powers. Like father, like son, Jordan shoots red lasers out of his eyes, referred to as “an ocular release.” Somehow, the fellow partiers do not notice the laser show, but Jonathan becomes jealous of his superior sibling. Over time, Jordan must learn to control his abilities (like tuning out the world’s pleas for help with his hyperactive senses) while dealing with typical high school drama.
Meanwhile, Superman is battling a man known as The Stranger, from the ends of the earth into outer space. The Stranger wears a suit of armor that mimics Superman’s powers and he wields a shiv forged from Kryptonite. This formidable foe claims to be from a parallel Earth which had been destroyed by Superman. And fellow absentee parent Lois is investigating Smallville’s version of Lex Luthor, the industrial titan Morgan Edge (Adam Rayner). Edge is conducting some unorthodox experiments that could bring about the end for the Kent family and the citizens of Smallville.
Since “Superman and Lois” is a series it does not contain the quarter-billion-dollar budget of features. Overall, the VFX team bites off more than they can handle with some very ambitious set pieces, but the dark color grading hides a lot of flaws. The writing is a mix of Norman Rockwellesque sweetness and hyperbolic declarations recalling social media posts. For yet another superhero outing on the typically lackluster CW, it is not that bad. But if I had superpowers, it would be to diminish the number of caped crusaders being portrayed on screen.
Now available on Blu-ray and Digital HD
