This 89% Rated Superman Film Turns Him Into A Soviet Savior & Batman Into His Russian Enemy — Streaming Details Inside!(Photo Credit –DC)
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DC Studios maintains an extraordinary catalog of Superman movies within its home video archives, having conducted more experimental and faithful comic adaptations than any live-action universe, such as James Gunn’s DCU, could accommodate.
While audiences remain polarized regarding Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the heroes’ Russian counterparts have already been pitted against one another in a Cold War setting. Predicated on Mark Miller’s Superman: Red Son, this eponymous film spotlights perhaps the most unconventional alternate history tale imaginable for Superman.
Superman: Red Son features Jason Isaacs’ voice as the Last Son of Krypton, now residing in the Soviet Union. The plot witnesses Superman’s spacecraft landing somewhere in the Soviet Union instead of Kansas.
The movie does not shy away from propelling the gruesome reality of communism, as exemplified by Kal-El’s upbringing under Soviet ideology before he transforms him into the Soviet Union’s premier champion rather than America’s symbol of hope.
First look at Superman in ‘SUPERMAN: RED SON’ (2020).
Superman’s progression remains synchronically ritualistic while subverting his righteousness entirely. This Kal-El genuinely believes in communist convictions due to his indoctrination, discerning capitalism to be a corrupting force that exploits the working class.
Such environmental factors effectuate Superman’s journey from collective farm worker to Soviet premier, reconstituting his identity.
‘Red Son’ maintains Superman’s inherent desire to help humanity while channeling that impulse through Soviet doctrine. Rather than fighting for “truth, justice, and the American way,” he espouses collective ownership and state control, somehow adhering them to “hope.”
Dude, Even as a “Russian Commie Scum” in ‘Superman: Red Son’ he still fought for the poor and downtrodden people. pic.twitter.com/VS3DDL8tDY
— 🐗🇺🇸JRod The Real Rabid Hog🇺🇸🐗 (@GOTDAYUMMM1) July 20, 2024
How Does Red Son Change Batman and Wonder Woman?
The alternate timeline reintroduces Batman as a revolutionary anarchist opposing Superman and the authoritarian Russian regime. Rather than fighting crime, this Bruce Wayne drives an underground resistance movement against Soviet Superman’s oppressive rule.
However, the tension between these enemies is not the centerpiece, as neither Batman nor an ostensibly misandrist yet caring Wonder Woman could resolve the conflict at hand. That glory belongs to Lex Luthor, a force of heroism and intelligence, married to Lois Lane — soon-to-be First Lady of the United States.
The hunger for capitalism that many attribute to Luthor constitutes his incentive, as he renders himself the benevolent and dissident protector against totalitarian dictators.
How Cold War History Gets Altered in Superman Red Son
Similar to Inglourious Basterds, this ideological and historical revisions in Superman: Red Son fundamentally alters the entire geopolitical spectrum of the second half of the 20th century.
While Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin’s blood lay on Superman’s hands, President John F. Kennedy is not only alive in this tale, but serves a second term, erasing 11/22/1963.
Despite its dystopian connotations, the ‘Red Son’ delineates an optimistic note, insinuating communism’s abolition in the Soviet Union, and maintaining Superman’s essential hopefulness.
How Did Fans and Critics React to Man of Steel Bowing Down to Stalin?
A direct-to-video animated feature, Superman: Red Son forwent a theatrical release, earning $2 million from DVD and Blu-ray sales (according to The Numbers). It was also a hit among critics, earning 89% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Where to Watch Superman Red Son?
Superman: Red Son remains available for steam on HBO Max and JioHotstar.
