While not the first to attempt this, much of what I like about writer/director James Gunn’s take on Superman is the idea of arriving late to the party. Here’s a film serving as the latest launchpad to a superhero universe that dares to say, “What if we just got all that Krypton/Smallville stuff out of the way with a few lines of text?” The result is a jam-packed DC Universe movie that comes reasonably close to delivering a week in the life of Superman. It’s not to say this adventure isn’t challenging or given the maximalist treatment in regards to all the spectacle on display, but rooting this attempt in what emerges from this individual’s choice to do good the way he knows how has led to a pretty fantastic summer blockbuster – one that is colorful, entertaining, and unsubtle in its Superman-worthy messaging, no less.
This time around, we’re three years into Clark Kent’s emergence as Superman. David Corenswet plays the character as human as it gets. Superman is “the most powerful metahuman” Earth is aware of, but that doesn’t mean he can’t take a beating, let alone become emotional regarding the questioning of his actions. Having to deal with so much could be a burden, but the film is more playful than that. Yes, Clark exclaiming that he saved lives isn’t quite enough for Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane when considering additional political implications of some of the Man of Steel’s latest actions, but the film doesn’t choose to be bogged down by the weight of these decisions either. If anything, the most stress Superman has to deal with is getting his dog, Krypto, under control.
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From the get-go, it was clear that James Gunn would be moving Superman into a lighter direction, compared to the attempt at retro Americana-turned-ultra-dark take found in the previous incarnation, when the mantle was held by a capable Henry Cavill. Naturally, a concern of having an over-correction could have come into play, but judging by Gunn’s work on The Guardians of the Galaxy films, finding a proper balance in tone didn’t seem like the main challenge. I think the best Superman stories come from writers who know how to challenge this character in ways that extend beyond his physical abilities. For a film to truly deliver, it would have to find a way to convey that cinematically, while featuring plenty of Superman action.
By letting audiences in on a universe that not only features Superman, but also houses Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) and his cronies, the Daily Planet staff, and the Justice Gang (Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Mister Terrific), there’s an assurance that the film’s business won’t let it get too bogged down in just emotional baggage of Clark (carried way too far overboard in 2006’s Superman Returns) or rely too much on thinly motivated, extended super punch-filled climaxes (2013’s Man of Steel/2016’s BvS: Dawn of Justice). But is the film overstuffed or overly ambitious by insisting that audiences just go along for the ride? I don’t really think so.
Yes, it’s unfair for me to assume that all audiences will be familiar with the Superman origin story enough to not need all the details, or be okay with having other super characters around, who have even less of a luxury when it comes to knowing what their deal is. However, confidence in filmmaking means understanding that world-building can be a benefit when deciding just how rich to make this super-powered universe surrounding our lead character. A lot is going on, but between the introspection that can be gleaned from the interactions between Lois and Clark or the fun seen between various Justice Gang members and Superman, by keeping the story relatively simple, there’s plenty of payoff in the way these characters are utilized.
As far as the story goes, it’s easy – Lex Luthor hates Superman. He is devoting all his resources to finding ways to discredit the world’s favorite superhero, while also establishing further means to increase his own power. This gives way to a variety of aerial battles, a kaiju fight, robot dismemberment, the trials and tribulations concerning a pocket universe, and the ramifications of Superman’s involvement in geo-politics. Most of this is, frankly, very cool, but I can certainly entertain the complicated thoughts of that last point.
In the beginning (and various TV interpretations), Superman stood for “Truth, justice, and the American way.” The fact that this phrase has become more loaded and therefore less emphasized is, to say the least, complicated. However, one does have to wonder what stops this alien from another planet from doing all that he can when it comes to the world’s concerns, not just those of Metropolis, USA.
Now, being that Superman is a character who is stronger and faster than anyone, let alone has other powers that come in the form of further ways to cause destruction (or defend himself), it’s not surprising that his sense of diplomacy can only extend so far. Gunn has been very forward in speaking to the pro-immigrant nature of both the character and this film, but what is his responsibility to deliver on this in more nuanced ways? Perhaps this is a question worthy of further exploration in a feature not as broad as this one. Still, I can appreciate the notion of Superman speaking up for what he stands for and letting his actions support it.
For me, even as one who was always more of a Batman guy than a Supes fan, it is the unrelenting optimism and primary colors that speak to what I think Superman should stand for and be represented by. There are ways to challenge that, which this film successfully pulls off, but Superman stands out by being very unambiguous about his inherent goodness. By having that in place, it allows Gunn to do a lot of messing around as well.
Along with having the budget to deliver a gorgeous-looking film, complete with a terrific score by John Murphy and David Fleming (with some riffing on John Williams’ original 1978 Superman score), there are so many fun details that allow this movie to reward those who came to sit down and take it all in. For example, Nathan Fillion’s Green Lantern (the jerk-ish Guy Gardner version) and Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl do as much as needed to show the different sides of living these lives, but Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific is something else. Playing a gadget-heavy superhero with incredible intellect, the choice to also make him as slick as they come is the sort of blend between casting and Gunn’s instincts on how to write characters that allows for surprise standouts that still don’t overtake the film.
I can say similar things about the leads. Following her work on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Brosnahan felt like ideal casting for Lois Lane. It pays off, as she’s allowed to be the no-nonsense reporter with the feisty screwball energy that made Margot Kidder’s take such a winner decades ago. Meanwhile, Hoult nails his interpretation of Lex Luthor, allowing the character to be just menacing enough, as well as petulant, and even self-aware, without coming off as too big for his own good.
This brings everything back to Superman and what Corenswet delivers in what will become a defining role for the young-ish performer. To put it simply, I felt for this person. His hardships seemed clear, yet his effortless kindness never wavered. No, not just because we see him save both people as well as an innocent squirrel, but because there’s something in this performance that reflects a man built on good values, and an understanding that he’s not perfect. He may be tall and built in a way that emphasizes the sheer might he can use to hold up falling buildings or take on legions of henchmen at once, but the fact that he can support himself based on an understanding of proper decency shows how effective Corenswet is in the periods given to Superman when he’s not in action.
With the aim of beginning things anew in the DC universe, I’m glad to see Gunn providing a voice for Superman that allows him to fit into an ideal mold yet still be refreshingly different. As a superhero movie, there’s plenty of bang for anyone’s buck. The fact that it comes with a variety of characters, environments, and ideas only speaks to the kind of success that can be had with a strong focus in place to deliver on comic book-level goodness, fit for a major tentpole flick. So, I had no problem looking up, and I’ll be plenty happy to look again at this Superman and whatever else is in store.
Superman opens in theaters and IMAX on July 11, 2025.
