Unconcerned about sincerity, backstory and lore, Superman kicks off Gunn's DC run with a bang.
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Considering how film production works, almost no movie is an immediate or direct reaction to current events. Basically between finishing a script, casting, pre-production and filming, it often takes years not months to get a film made before it's even ready to release into theaters. This means that a movie or TV show feeling relevant or an accurate depiction of modern problems is more than likely an accident. One of the most famous examples is The Handmaid's Tale, whose first season came out in 2017 in the wake of the first Trump election and thus felt more like a vision of the future than a cautionary tale. It's also why the later seasons that were reacting to the political climate in America felt too on the nose for a lot of viewers, including myself. Which brings me to James Gunn's Superman, a movie that is a very traditional Superman story that also feels like the most politically relevant superhero movie in years.
The Setup
Starting well into Superman's work as a superhero the movie finds Superman at the biggest point of turmoil in his life. Public sentiment has turned against him after his direct intervention in a military conflict, his love life with Lois Lane is rocky and for the first time in his life, he lost a fight. But as Superman does his best to fight for what's right, his biggest public detractor and private nemesis Lex Luthor, has put plans in motion to incapacitate and kill the Kryptonian hero.
I love this movie. It's bright, funny, generally upbeat with a solid blend of big budget spectacle and character moments. You know, what I've come to expect from James Gunn. Combine that with Grade A casting across the board and set pieces that all provide a variety of locations and kind of action (i.e. it's not just a bunch of big punches) and you've got a pleasing summer blockbuster. But why does this movie feel so different compared to other superhero movies and especially recent Superman movies? Let's start with Superman himself.
Superman: The Character
If I had to pick one reason the Zack Snyder Superman movies failed, it was the fixation on Superman's power and the implications of said power. Because while that is a compelling question (i.e. what should Superman do and not do with his seemingly limitless power) is a good question for a movie about Superman to ask and it's one that Gunn's Superman is grappling with as well.
The major difference is that Gunn and company dedicate an awful lot of time to showing who Clark Kent is and what he values. Which is...a naively nice and sincere man who sees every life as precious.
And this goes beyond the "character stating their values" moment of Clark declaring he had to act because "people were going to die." It's in dedicating screen time to Superman saving and checking in a on civilians during giant battles, how vigorously he defends the world's best/worst dog and how devastated he is after the loss of a single life that he couldn't prevent.
The appeal of Superman is that he really is that sincere, that empathetic, and that dedicated to helping others over himself with a smile on his face to ensure as many people as possible are physically and mentally ok. And David Corenswet is such a good guy for that role. Not just in looking the part, but in how he
The appeal of Superman is that he really is that sincere, that empathetic, and that dedicated to helping others over himself with a smile on his face to ensure as many people as possible are physically and mentally ok. And David Corenswet is such a good guy for that role. Not just in looking the part, but in how he
Which is also a near impossible way to exist in the human world that is primarily defined by cynicism. Because operating in good faith in a world that primarily doesn't can open you up to some pretty intense backlash and enemies. And now enter in Lex Luthor.
Lex Luthor/The Villains
Something else that Gunn gets extremely right is his characterization of Lex Luthor and how he's able to combat Superman. The modern Lex Luthor isn't vastly different that the original Lex Luthor. He's a genius-level intellect with the same level of hubris to match and a chip on his shoulder because everything that makes him special, isn't enough in a world where Superman exists.
But the modern version of Lex isn't just smart and proud, he's also a master manipulator. Something I think Americans understand all too well is that the worst people in the world can gain power and wealth to do awful things, if they manipulate the right people and lean into folk's worst impulses.
But the modern version of Lex isn't just smart and proud, he's also a master manipulator. Something I think Americans understand all too well is that the worst people in the world can gain power and wealth to do awful things, if they manipulate the right people and lean into folk's worst impulses.
That's why scenes where Lex makes his gross sales pitch for his superhuman fighting force are so chilling. Because while we might know that Superman has a good heart and Lex is drumming up fears about an other that will both enrich himself and move himself closer to his own goals...it still works. The wrong people being able to manipulate the levers of power to their whims is, to be it bluntly, an evergreen fear that is even more omnipresent now.
It's also not lost on me that Superman's secondary conflict, both as a person and as an idea, are how someone like him can operate in and around systems that prioritize nebulous concepts like self-interest or allyship over doing the right thing. Half the reason Superman has any public backlash in the movie is because he decides to intervene against the military occupation of a sovereign people by it's dictator run neighbor, that just so happens to be a U.S. ally.
This distrust of systems and the attempts to dehumanize Superman are both what make this movie stand out and make it feel of its time.
Not that it's without a sense of fun.
Not that it's without a sense of fun.
Plenty of Fun and Joy
As much as everything about Lex Luthor and the conflict in this movie is both specific and generic enough to feel like a snapshot of everything wrong with politics in 2025, it is still a Superman movie. Which means we've got plenty of hope, jokes and sincerity seeping through this thing.
This includes almost everything involving the Justice Gang include Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner and Edi Gathegi's Mr. Terrific. Everything about Krypto, especially him being a bad dog. And jokes and moments of love and connection cutting through the cynicism flying around. This works especially well as we watch Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane go from mild skeptic about Clark and his worldview to intense advocate and ally.
There's also a number of what I'll dub "fun" action scenes. Now for an action junkie like myself almost every action scene is fun, but the ones that are really fun are when the hero is in total control of everything and gets to wreck face with almost no push-back, or finally turns the tables and gets the upper hand.
So is there anything to critique? I have a couple nitpicks. There's a couple of action beats that are a bit chaotic to follow in the CGI environments on the big screen and there's moments and progressions that feel a bit rushed.
But in terms of delivering a satisfying superhero and Superman story? This works really well.
The Verdict: Refreshing
Unconcerned about sincerity, backstory and lore, Superman kicks off Gunn's DC run with a bang. 8/10
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