Rating: ★★★★☆
After years of darker, more brooding superhero films, James Gunn’s Superman arrives like a breath of fresh air—or perhaps more accurately, like a gentle breeze from Smallville. This isn’t just a reboot; it’s a love letter to everything that makes Superman enduring, wrapped in modern filmmaking techniques and delivered with Gunn’s signature blend of humor and genuine emotion.
A New Man of Steel Takes Flight
David Corenswet steps into the iconic red cape with remarkable confidence, bringing a perfect balance of boyish charm and heroic gravitas to the role. His Clark Kent feels refreshingly authentic—earnest without being naive, powerful without being arrogant. When Corenswet mutters “Golly” after taking a beating early in the film, it’s not played for laughs but as a genuine character moment that establishes this Superman’s fundamental decency. Throughout the film, his occasional “gosh” and wholesome demeanor feel natural rather than forced, reminding us that Superman’s greatest strength has always been his humanity.
Rachel Brosnahan delivers a stellar performance as Lois Lane, bringing intelligence, wit, and just the right amount of skepticism to the role. Her chemistry with Corenswet feels genuine, and their conversations about Superman’s intervention in foreign conflicts add welcome complexity to the narrative. Brosnahan’s Lois doesn’t just serve as a love interest; she’s a fully realized journalist who challenges Superman’s worldview and keeps the story grounded in real-world implications.
A Villain Worth Fighting
Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor is a particular standout, delivering an incredibly unhinged super genius whose hatred for Superman feels visceral and personal. Rather than the calculated megalomaniac we’ve seen before, Hoult’s Luthor is brilliantly unstable—a tech billionaire whose obsession with Superman borders on the pathological. His performance crackles with intelligence and barely contained rage, making every scene he appears in electric with tension. This is Lex Luthor at his most dangerous: smart enough to be a real threat and unhinged enough to be truly frightening.
Content Warning: It’s worth noting that Luthor’s villainy goes to dark places, including a scene where he kills a minor character up close and on screen. While completely in character for this version of Luthor, it might be overwhelming for younger viewers. I saw this without my kids and was glad for that choice—this is definitely more suited for older teens and adults.
Visual Spectacle Meets Emotional Core
Gunn’s direction embraces the inherent corniness of Superman mythology and transforms it into the character’s greatest strength. The classic red trunks return in all their old-school glory, and rather than feeling dated, they serve as a bold statement about Superman’s timeless values. The cinematography, handled by Henry Braham, captures both intimate character moments and spectacular action sequences with equal skill, learning from previous DC missteps to deliver consistently engaging visuals.
The action sequences are thrilling without feeling overwhelming, and Gunn wisely focuses on Superman’s selflessness rather than just his power. Every rescue feels meaningful, every moment of heroism earned. The film’s use of John Williams’ iconic Superman theme, updated with fresh arrangements, provides emotional punctuation that hits exactly when it needs to.
Supporting Heroes Shine
The film’s ensemble cast brings depth to Superman’s world, with Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner being a particular delight. Fillion perfectly captures Gardner as the Green Lantern who’s possibly the biggest jerk in the DC Universe, but does so with such charm that you can’t help but love him. His cocky swagger and inability to read a room provide some of the film’s best comedic moments, while Fillion’s natural charisma prevents the character from becoming truly unlikable. It’s a masterful balancing act that shows how to adapt comic book personalities for the screen.
The film’s exploration of Superman’s foundational relationships also deserves praise. The portrayal of Ma and Pa Kent in flashback sequences provides exactly the moral bedrock that makes Superman’s heroism feel inevitable rather than forced. These scenes don’t just tell us why Clark became Superman; they make us feel it in our bones.
Themes That Resonate
At its core, Superman is about hope, kindness, and the power of choosing to do good even when it’s difficult. Gunn’s script tackles contemporary issues—from international intervention to social media smear campaigns—without feeling preachy or heavy-handed. The film suggests that perhaps what our world needs isn’t a perfect hero, but someone who consistently chooses compassion over cynicism.
The movie’s exploration of Superman’s dual identity feels fresh, focusing not on the mechanics of secret keeping but on the emotional weight of living between two worlds. Clark’s relationship with Ma and Pa Kent, shown in flashback, provides the moral foundation that makes all his heroic choices feel inevitable rather than forced.
Minor Turbulence
While Superman succeeds in most areas, it’s not without flaws. The pacing occasionally feels rushed, particularly in the third act where multiple plot threads converge perhaps too quickly. Some viewers may find the tone shifts between humor and drama a bit jarring, though Gunn generally manages these transitions well. Additionally, while the film introduces several other DC characters, a few feel underutilized, serving more as setup for future films than integral parts of this story.
The film’s 140-minute runtime feels mostly justified, though a few scenes could have been trimmed to maintain momentum. Some of the international conflict subplot feels less developed than it could be, though it serves its thematic purpose.
A Super Start to a New Era
Superman succeeds by remembering what made the character beloved in the first place: his unwavering commitment to helping others, even at personal cost. Gunn has crafted a film that feels both timeless and timely, honoring Superman’s 85-year legacy while setting up exciting possibilities for the future.
This isn’t just a good Superman movie; it’s a reminder of why we need Superman stories. In an era of complex antiheroes and morally ambiguous protagonists, there’s something genuinely refreshing about a hero who saves the day because it’s the right thing to do. Corenswet, Brosnahan, and the entire cast bring these characters to life with conviction and charm.
For longtime fans, this Superman feels like coming home. For newcomers, it’s an ideal introduction to the character and his world. James Gunn has delivered exactly what DC needed: a Superman movie that makes you believe a man can fly and, more importantly, makes you believe in the good that humanity is capable of achieving.
Final Verdict: Superman soars with heart, humor, and hope. It’s a triumphant return for the Man of Steel and a promising beginning for this new chapter of the DC Universe. See it on the biggest screen possible—this is exactly the kind of movie theaters were made for.
Superman is now playing in theaters nationwide. Runtime: 140 minutes. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, some strong language, and brief suggestive material.
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