REVIEW — “Superman”

With colorful aesthetics and a punk rock tone, James Gunn’s Superman is a big, bold and uplifting take on the Man of Steel that is an unapologetically wholesome, defiantly human, and incredibly entertaining film, laying a hopeful foundation for the future of DC Studios.

The film follows Superman (David Corenswet) on a journey to reconcile his heritage as the Kryptonian Kal-El with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. We first meet Superman as a 30-year-old superhero who has just lost his first battle—a direct result of his intervention in a foreign nation’s invasion of another country. When Superman’s actions abroad to protect human life put Metropolis in danger, narcissistic tech billionaire and master deceiver Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) seizes the opportunity to manipulate public opinion against the vulnerable metahuman to get rid of him once and for all.

Together with the aid of intrepid Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), the newly formed “Justice Gang” including Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi), and Supes’ four-legged companion, Krypto, Superman must race to stop the megalomaniac before he completely destroys all of Metropolis.

Xenophobic, insecure and fueled by jealousy and contempt, Lex Luther is extremely envious of all the attention Superman is getting as a hero on the world stage. While this iteration of Luthor is indeed a cold-blooded and calculated intellectual threat who’s always one step ahead of Superman, perhaps the character could have been a bit more menacing. This is no fault of Hoult’s. He is great in the role. I just felt the script made him come off as more of a whiny incel than the evil brains to Superman’s heroic brawn.

Driven by kindness, compassion, and an inherent belief in doing good, Gunn’s Superman is truly the embodiment of truth, justice and a better tomorrow. As the titular hero, Corenswet delivers the most human Superman ever. His words, mannerisms and attitude expose an earnestly old-fashioned but frustrated hero who’s just trying to do what’s right in a cynical, judgmental world. A natural leading man with a likably goofy Brendan Fraser-esque star quality, Corenswet is a rock solid Superman and believably endearing and unrecognizable Clark Kent.

Paired together with a commanding yet extremely easy-to-love Brosnahan, the duo ooze natural chemistry and are perfectly cast as Lois and Clark. The couple’s mock interview was one of my favorite parts of the movie, even though I saw most of the scene in an extended trailer. The scene showcases Lois’ unbiased journalistic integrity and adept interviewing skills as she asks Clark hard hitting questions that challenge Superman’s motives and make him defend his selfless role as humanity’s protector.

Featuring 70s-era wardrobes, running gags and a bizarro pocket universe subplot, the film is full of Gunn’s signature campiness, for better or worse. At times, Gunn’s film gets a little wacky, reminding me of the less restrained impulses of Taika Waititi on Thor: Love and Thunder. Similarly, Gunn often chooses to go for jokes instead of lingering on heartfelt story beats and letting those moments breathe. Thankfully, the dynamic performances from his magnetic leads and impressive ensemble cast help reign the story in.

A few scene stealers include Gathegi’s brilliant no-nonsense Mr. Terrific (who should get his own film), Fillion’s arrogant, middle-finger flipping Green Lantern Guy Gardner, and the energetically loveable but frustratingly destructive Krypto the Superdog, who’ll next be seen alongside Milly Alcock in the upcoming Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. While an enjoyable and delightful addition to the film, the “Krypto is a bad dog” joke runs a little long, kind of like the annoying goats gag from that aforementioned Marvel film.

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, the film definitely does not shy away from its political implications with the fictional Boravia and Jarhunpur serving as a stand-in for either the Israel/Gaza or Russia/Ukraine conflict. James Gunn has even been quoted as saying that the story of Superman is very American as Supes is essentially an immigrant, an illegal alien coming to a new land who is feared by others because he is different; however, he only wants to do the right thing.

DC Studios heads Peter Safran and Gunn produce the film, which Gunn directs from his own screenplay, based on characters from DC and Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The film also stars Anthony Carrigan, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, María Gabriela de Faría, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, Christopher McDonald, Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell.

As the first entry in the Gods and Monsters chapter of their newly revamped DC Studios, Superman is a very big and bold swing for the filmmaker. While not a complete homerun, the bases are loaded for a promising interconnected DC superhero film saga full of compelling characters and a proudly beating heart. One that can finally give the MCU a run for its money. I’m in. 3.5/5

Rated PG-13 with a running time of 2 hours, 9 minutes, Superman opens only in theaters and IMAX® nationwide on July 11, 2025.