Superman
Released July 11, 2025
Written and Directed by James Gunn
* No Spoilers - but some brief discussion about the premise and story context *
I grew up admiring this character, but I haven’t loved how he’s been portrayed recently. At his core, Superman is a good guy—he’s not dark and brooding, he believes in people and in their capacity to be better. He is a beacon of hope, justice, and goodness. That type of righteous altruism is difficult to present in today's climate of cynicism, but James Gunn nails it. Superman brings that optimism into a fictional world with on-the-nose parallels to current events and centers it’s plot around the moral questions those events pose.
This movie’s greatest success is in how perfectly it captures the essence of Superman. It’s distilled in a conversation where Lois tells Clark, “We are so different. I question everything and everyone, and you trust everyone and you think everyone you’ve ever met is beautiful.” Clark responds, “Maybe that’s the real punk rock.” He owns his kindness and charitable view of humanity. In a cynical world, he chooses to see the good in everyone. Call it naive, but that is the hard choice, the strange thing to do. It’s so foreign to us that an “alien” has to teach us that compassion is powerful and liberating. He is a role model, a good guy in cynical times.
However, that doesn’t mean Superman will be fooled by evil people. He makes it very clear that he stands up against bullies, aggressors, and occupiers. When his origin as an “alien” and an outsider is questioned, the commentary on immigrants and refugees is shockingly overt. The distrust of the other and their ability to “hide amongst us” is coded strongly to particular racist tropes and alludes to classic orientalist fears about the “invading foreigner”.
Even more surprising is the inciting incident of the story. Superman intervenes in world events by stopping the militarily advanced, fictional U.S. ally Boravia from invading their poor, ill-equipped, desert-dwelling neighbours in Jarhanpur, a nation criticized for having terrorist leaders. The Boravians invade with tanks and heavily armed soldiers attempting to annex and occupy Jarhanpur’s land. Sound familiar? The fact that they lean so hard into this was a huge surprise. That boldness, especially in Superman’s resolute choice to prevent their invasion, is so refreshing and gutsy for a large-scale Hollywood film.
As much as I loved this version of Superman, the movie doesn't fully let him stand alone. James Gunn's strength is ensemble stories, and unfortunately that goes against my impression of what a Superman movie should be. He is definitely our POV character and has a lot to do, but feels like a player in a larger cast, rather than the primary driver of the story. Maybe that’s just me holding on to the older films but it’s not quite the stand-alone Superman story I wanted. Reminding me more of the Tom Holland’s Spider-Man films, where he is always paired with a veteran hero like Iron Man or Dr. Strange.
I appreciate that this isn’t another origin story. Superman has been public for some time already. His relationships with Lois and even Lex Luthor are already established. This isn’t his debut but it’s his first time getting involved in a global conflict. A critical question for a character this powerful is; what would he do if people were suffering? I love that this version gives us a clear answer. He would take a moral stand, even if it meant going against the rules, and his own country’s government. He’s the farm boy good guy who just wants to help people. Again, nailing the characterization. His humanity, heart, dedication to justice, and doing what is right no matter what.
James Gunn is a fantastic director who knows how to present heartfelt and earnest characters. The tone is comedic, lighthearted, bright, and colourful, both visually and thematically. There are emotional moments, but nothing that is too intense. It’s light, fun, and always carries his signature thoughtful yet comedic energy. The humour is spot on with jokes that do more than undercut serious moments. Superman has a tongue-in-cheek attitude, not overly quippy but not too self-serious and everyone is aware of the ridiculousness of the situations. It’s comic book pulp but still emotionally resonant. If my biggest gripe is wanting more Superman, that might not be such a bad complaint to have. It means they are doing the character justice and that Gunn understands why we love him.
David Corenswet is not Christopher Reeve, no one will be, but he is excellent as Superman, Clark Kent, and Kal-El, though not what we might be used to seeing. He is vulnerable, physically and emotionally. He's getting his butt kicked throughout the movie, and the first time you see him, he’s in shambles. It’s this humanity that makes him far more relatable. He's fun, warm and kindhearted, with enough conviction to stand firm and even shout, when his ideals are questioned.
We barely see him as Clark Kent, but Corenswet shows a lot of range. One of my favourite scenes is when he goes to his parents’ farm. The reassurance from his family at a point where he is questioning his role, reinforces the themes of moral conviction. He is told that his choices make him who he is, not where he came from. I think I need to see more of Corenswet in the role to solidify what I think of his performance, but what I’ve seen so far is great.
Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane is fantastic casting. She is every bit the spunky, energetic, intelligent, and resourceful reporter she should be. This is the best chemistry for the two characters since Reeve and Kidder. I love that her character challenges Superman’s values and isn’t just there to be saved, with her fair share of action too.
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor is the standout of the main three leads. The rage and envy is intimidating and perfectly arrogant. They don’t shy away from making him truly sadistic. He is not a sympathetic villain. He is a manipulative jerk that is perfectly irredeemable. The rest of the cast was great too. I loved Jimmy Olsen, looks the part, and though his characterization is different, it totally works. Isabela Merced as Hawk Girl has a pretty limited role but Nathan Fillion is hilarious as Guy Gardner.
My favourite supporting character by far was Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific. His confident swagger and charismatic Shaft-like attitude, are infectiously entertaining. He got the most laughs from the audience and every one of his jokes landed with impeccable comedic timing. He is playing the stoic straight man, but not an idiot. He is the extremely intelligent tech guy, using his tools and smarts, rather than brute strength, to give us the most memorable action scene of the movie.
This is a bright, colourful film. Not dark, desaturated, or brooding. Wide open angles show off the action. Even with heavy CGI, it’s used well. The flying scenes feel visceral with so much more force and sensory energy. Wind sweeping past his face, and water beads hitting him is intentionally a bit overwhelming. Neither graceful nor violent, it just feels real. The fight choreography evokes comic book vibes, with ridiculous angles, and characters almost morphing and bending as they come close to the camera.
Beyond the action, the film uses a varied colour palette, with the darkness of the pocket dimension, the bright sunny cityscapes of Metropolis, and the quiet calm of the Kent farm. It’s poppy, but not overly stylized. Though there are enough unique angles, with zoom-ins on eyeballs or slow-mo punches, this isn’t Raimi or Wes Anderson. Gunn’s visual style feels more objective.
The sound design is excellent. I saw it in IMAX and the immersive soundscape is one of the movie’s strongest aspects. Whether it’s Superman’s billowing cape or the earth splitting beneath him, you feel it. Gunn is known for its stellar musical choices and this is no different. The score blends the iconic 1970s John Williams theme with Hans Zimmer’s Man of Steel motifs beautifully. The original tracks like Lex Luthor’s textured technological theme and a song by “The Mighty Crabjoys” are also great.
Superman is a blast. It may not rise to the emotional highs of Guardian’s of the Galaxy, but it’s right up there with Gunn’s best work. It’s more mature, less crass, and genuinely hopeful. Superman is so wholesome, and confidently good, that it may be the most faithful interpretation of the character on film. However, part of me still wishes this was a more traditional solo Superman story. Having other heroes already present makes sense from world building perspective but it slightly dilutes his narrative focus.
Tons of laughs, lots of fun, and great action sequences. But the real triumph is Gunn nailing the characterization of Superman, distilling his core ethos so well. The bold political parallels were an added bonus for me and the fact that they had the guts to go there absolutely earns points.
8/10 - A great summer blockbuster and a fantastic superhero film. Even if it’s not a perfect Superman story, it is the most faithful cinematic portrayal of who this character is. James Gunn understands Superman and delivered a relevant rendition of his hope, optimism, and dedication to being a good guy…THE good guy.
A spoiler-free review of the character-driven drama Marvel’s First Family has always deserved.