“The Death and Return of Superman” 4K UHD + Blu-ray Limited Edition Gift Set Review

The Death and Return of Superman home release is an awesome way for fans to rewatch the animated adaptation of an iconic Superman story. Available today, the limited-edition gift set comes with a collectible figure of the character Steel.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of The Death and Return of Superman 4K UHD Limited Edition Gift Set for review. The opinions I share are my own.

Superman is a strong superhero that everyone looks up to. He’s basically unbeatable. However, things change when Doomsday arrives and the world is left to figure out how to move on without Superman. Other beings decide to take his place. We have Superboy, Steel, Cyborg Superman, and the Eradicator. But can they fill Supes’ red shoes? Can the world go on without Superman?

The current home release offers the animated features Death of Superman and Reign of the Supermen as a single collectible. Even though they tell a continuing story, I do think you should still think of them as separate films. I say this because of the tonal shift. The Death of Superman is very emotionally heavy. We get to see Clark sacrifice himself to save Earth. Reign of the Supermen, on the other hand, doesn’t have its predecessor’s emotional heaviness and is more focused on action sequences.

So, if you decide to binge-watch both animated films in a day, be ready for everything (quite possibly) feeling way too rushed because of how Superman dies in one film only to come back in the next.

The animation is standard for what we’ve been getting from the current DC Animated Movie Universe series. Everything looks incredibly clear on the 4K UHD presentation as well as on the Blu-ray. I have to share I didn’t get to see much of a difference between the two when it came to visual presentation. At least, not at the level of when you compare how CG and live-action films appear on 4K UHD and Blu-ray.

So, going for the 4K UHD release isn’t a necessity when picking up The Death and Return of Superman if you don’t have the funds or aren’t interested. You won’t be missing out on much as far as the visuals are concerned.

However, take note, the 4K UHD release does come with 2007’s Superman: Doomsday. Which means you’ll be able to enjoy three Superman-centric animated features.

As for the plastic Steel figure, it’s exclusive to the limited-edition gift set and stands approximately 4-inches tall. I would have liked for him to be striking a dynamic pose while holding his hammer, but oh well. The figure still looks good, though.

You do get a respectable amount of extra features!

• Long Live Superman (Featurette) – Superman is a symbol for hope across the world. Hear the story of how the Man of Tomorrow will always be the hero we need today. Long Live Superman!
• The Death of Superman: The Brawl That Topped Them All (Featurette) – Experience the battle between Superman and Doomsday like never before as creators of the iconic comic and the new film explore the nuances of “The Greatest Fight” with the help of a martial arts expert.
• Lex Luthor: The Greatest Nemesis (Featurette) – Evil Genius. Archenemy of Superman. Misunderstood hero? This documentary will look at one of the most renowned villains in literature and debate his ethics and motivations throughout his publication history and as the calculated anti-hero of Reign of the Supermen. We’ll also explore how Lex Luthor is emblematic of technology without limit, often demonstrating what effect unbridled power, resources, and influence can have on humanity. We’ll discuss the affinity for storytellers to associate Lex Luthor and with the field of science as they challenge our morals and integrity with real-world issues such as cloning and what can happen if science fiction became science reality.
• From the DC Vault: Legion of Superheroes, “Dark Victory: Part 1”
• From the DC Vault: Legion of Superheroes, “Dark Victory: Part 2”
• From the DC Vault: Superman: The Animated Series, “Heavy Metal”
• From the DC Vault: Justice League Unlimited, “Panic in the Sky”

If you’re someone who enjoys Superman-centric animated movies or you have someone you know who does, I do think the current home release is something you should pick up. Also, considering it’s a limited-edition gift set, I recommend buying it now and then giving it to a young one in your family during the holiday season as a pleasant surprise.

The running time comes in at 166 minutes. This animated content has been rated PG-13 for sequences of action violence and action including bloody images, and for some suggestive comments.

Feel free to share your thoughts with us.

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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