SUPERMAN (2025)

James Gunn's New DC Universe Takes Flight

Grade: A

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The world of DC Comics has long had an uneven track record when it comes to movies. The company previously tried to make its own franchise to rival Marvel, the DC Extended Universe, beginning in 2013 with Man of Steel. This resulted in a series of films of varying quality, style, and reception, which was brought to a watery grave in 2023 with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Now DC is trying again, with the aid of James Gunn, the director of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, and he’s not playing around. His movie Superman is a reimagining of the legendary superhero, which is both familiar and unconventional, fun yet emotional, entertaining yet thought-provoking, and imperfect yet outstanding.

            It took a while for this reviewer to get on board with Superman. Unlike the previous film versions, this first movie in the new series is not a retelling of the character’s origin story. Instead, we are thrown directly into the action in an opening heavy with exposition describing how an already-established Superman (David Corenswet, taking over from the DCEU’s Henry Cavill) is fighting a losing battle against a powerful being in Metropolis. This villain, it turns out, is under the control of - who else? -Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), who is overseeing everything, along with his employees, from his Luthorcorp tower. Superman/Clark Kent has a strained relationship with his fellow Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and is the subject of controversy for stopping a war overseas. Everything happens so fast, with little to no buildup for these characters or their motivations, that it was somewhat off-putting.

            Then everything changes after Superman and three other heroes-Guy Gardner/Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) defeat a giant, rampaging monster. Luthor actually succeeds in turning public opinion against Superman by broadcasting a message from Superman’s parents (stolen from his Fortress of Solitude), which reveals their true intentions for sending their son to Earth, and they are not as noble as Superman-or we-were led to believe.

Comic book fans may cry foul at this lore-defying twist, but it is actually the moment that Gunn reveals his agenda. He clearly knows that change is needed if his new version of Superman can hope to stand out in the modern landscape of superhero movies, where they mostly blend together and are predictable. By altering this small, yet crucial, part of Superman’s mythology, he enables the character to grow in ways not seen in film before.

            Corenswet plays Superman as a true hero who is both powerful and vulnerable (we see him getting battered around and weakened on multiple occasions) and wants more than anything to do good for others, regardless of how people may see him. In the process he is a bit naïve, as he mentions to his fellow heroes that he wanted to remove the monster alive instead of killing it. The revelation about his parents shakes him to his very core, and he doesn’t know what to do next. But a heart-to-heart with his earthly father Jonathan (Pruitt Taylor Vince) helps him see the light. In the process, Corenswet succeeds in making Superman a likeable and identifiable character.

            The rest of the cast is also impressive, effectively providing entertaining new twists on their characters. Brosnahan’s Lois is still a feisty, intelligent reporter, but she is unsure how he feels about Clark, nor is she ever a damsel in distress. Hoult portrays Luthor as a brilliant yet maniacal man who will stop at nothing to destroy Superman, but he manages to keep from being completely over-the-top. In fact, there is hardly a character present who is disposable; everyone is entertaining and makes their mark in their own way.

            The final third of Superman is a thrilling, CGI-filled extravaganza, as superpowered beings slug it out while a portal threatens to consume the world. This is the type of final battle one would expect from superhero movies these days. The difference is, it is actually earned this time. Despite the rocky start, Gunn has allowed the stakes to feel real, and as a result, the finale is actually exciting and not stale. This is not a movie about spectacle, but about character. And that is what makes Superman a worthy first chapter in the new DC Universe.

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Director: James Gunn

Screenplay: James Gunn (based on characters from DC Comics; Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster)

Producers: James Gunn, Peter Safran

Cast: David Corenswet (Clark Kent/Superman), Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane), Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor), Edi Gathegi (Michael Holt/Mr. Terrific), Nathan Fillion (Guy Gardner/Green Lantern), Anthony Carrigan (Rex Mason/Metamorpho), Isabela Merced (Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl), Skyler Gisondo (Jimmy Olsen), Sara Sampaio (Eve Teschmacher), Wendell Pierce (Perry White), Pruitt Taylor Vince (Jonathan Kent), Neva Howell (Martha Kent)