Rating: 8.5/10

James Gunn is no stranger to making comic-book movies. He’s a director who truly understands the characters he’s adapting and isn’t ashamed to embrace the universe’s more outlandish aspects. 

So when it was announced that he was not only directing a new film about the last son of Krypton, but co-leading a new universe of DC stories, fans had every right to be excited. 

After a two year wait, it’s pretty safe to say “Superman” is a great film that is unapologetically whimsical and corny in a way that works for this new universe.

“Superman” is the second entry following the 2024 animated series “Creature Commandos” in the DC Universe. 

The DCU is the revitalization of the brand in media following the poor reception of the DC Extended Universe, the previous franchise of DC-related media. 

It was announced in October of 2022 that Gunn and producer Peter Safran were hired to take charge of the universe, with both leaders focusing on telling a proper narrative rather than rushing productions for a deadline.

Similarly to Marvel Studios’ Marvel Cinematic Universe, the DCU takes a phase-like approach to its franchise, with this first chapter of the saga titled “Gods and Monsters.”

The film’s story doesn’t adapt any specific run from the comics and follows an original narrative of Superman’s (David Corenswet) involvement in an international crisis. He becomes the target of billionaire industrialist Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), who’s hellbent on killing Superman while ruining his reputation.

Gunn has been vocal with how he wanted to approach this rendition of Superman, stating in an interview with The Times of London that Superman is one of three characters whose origin stories should not be repeated. 

“There are three things I don’t ever need to see again in a superhero movie,” Gunn said. “I don’t need to see pearls in a back alley when Batman’s parents are killed. I don’t need to see the radioactive spider biting Spider-Man. And I don’t need to see baby Kal coming from Krypton in a little baby rocket.”

By doing this, Gunn succeeds at getting the story up and running in a matter of minutes, making way for an engaging opening act. 

However, because of this change, the film expects its viewers to be familiar with the film’s several characters and their lore. Each new introduction can be a lot for audiences to keep up with.

Even with these flaws and in the movie’s slower-paced scenes, the stand-out aspect of the film comes from the fantastic performances by all of the cast members involved.

Corenswet is the 12th actor to portray the Man of Steel in a live-action production, and he makes sure to leave his mark. He portrays a version of Superman that feels faithful to creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s original vision and the various iterations that came after the character’s first appearance in 1938.

This Superman exudes feelings of hope and that you don’t need super strength, frost breath or any superpower to save the day. Being kind and helping those in need is just as effective, if not more so.

Superman’s motivation to help everyone is something that has been lacking in other renditions of the character. They often focus on his infatuation with Lois Lane, missing the point that Superman is a hero to everyone, not just a knight in shining armor for his love interest.

Make no mistake, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) is just as important to Superman in this film as in other entries, but Gunn’s writing takes the characters’ relationship far beyond a simple love story. 

Lois is just as independent as Superman and is not afraid to dive headfirst into any situation to help him save the day. Pair this with Brosnahan’s spectacular chemistry with Corenswet, and you get one of the most realistic on-screen relationships.

Hoult’s performance as the bald megalomaniac Lex Luthor is stellar. The character’s motivation is fueled by nothing more than the unbridled hatred he has towards Superman, leading to some of the most memorable scenes from a villain in a superhero film.

Despite the trials and tribulations Superman faces as a result of Luthor’s actions, his will to do what he believes is best for the people on Earth is what moves him forward. 

This acts as a well-balanced juxtaposition to Luthor’s motivations of defeating Superman no matter what.

The action in the film is breathtaking when paired with cinematographer Henry Braham’s nonstop camera movement. As Superman flies from point A to B, viewers feel like they are flying alongside him.

These action-packed scenes also help flesh out the other superheroes in the film including Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and even Krypto, Superman’s dog that he’s watching over.  

If the action isn’t enough to have viewers on the edge of their seats, then surely the score will. Composers John Murphy and David Fleming use John Williams’ original 1978 score for “Superman: the Movie” as a building block towards a score that feels modernized while having heft to stand on its own. 

Unlike Gunn’s other movies, “Superman” only uses three licensed tracks. This makes the scenes with the songs stand out in the movie and helps share the spotlight with Murphy and Fleming’s score.

However, despite all of these positive-sounding attributes, “Superman” wouldn’t be a modern-day Hollywood film if it didn’t have online discourse.

Something that is often associated with the character of Superman is a strong sense of American patriotism. The character is shown to embody “truth, justice and the American way”, which is something not present in this new film. 

Gunn still sees the character as a story of America but also recognizes that since the character’s inception, Superman has always been considered an undocumented immigrant . This has been seen as such for years, even in the promotions of the previous films.

Suddenly though, this idea of an American icon being an undocumented immigrant has led to this film being referred to as “superwoke” by some viewers.

Another controversy “Superman” faced came from fans of Zack Snyder, who directed the character’s previous films such as “Man of Steel,” in the so-called “Snyderverse.” This series of movies took place within the DCEU before its demise in 2023.

These fans have decided to target the film following the universe’s reset, viewing the new entry as a betrayal of Snyder’s darker universe and previous Superman actor Henry Cavill. This led to the recent entry being seen as a “watered-down” representation of the character they love.

Despite several attempts to protest the reset universe, “Superman” has already earned an estimated $220 million worldwide in the box office, with an estimated budget of $225 million at the time of writing this review.

Sorry Snyderverse fans, but “Superman” is a heartfelt yet fun beginning to the cinematic side of the DCU. It is sure to entertain fans of the “Man of Tomorrow” — both new and old. It’s a beacon of hope that is sure to leave viewers smiling with kindness and childlike wonder upon leaving the auditorium.

Look up Marvel Studios, because if there’s one thing “Superman” proves, it’s that the DCU is flying high, faster than a speeding bullet.

For those wondering, “Superman” has one mid-credit scene and one post-credit scene.

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