Superman

I may not be the biggest fan of Superman (we all know Batman’s better), but I gotta say, James Gunn may be onto something with his latest foray into the world of comics.

Doing away with Henry Cavill’s most recent iteration of the character and outright moving on from the rest of the Snyderverse (RIP Batfleck), Superman acts as a full-on reboot and new beginning for all things DC Comics. Introducing a younger version of Clark Kent (David Corenswet), who has already donned his super tights and made a name for himself as Earth’s personal Good Samaritan, Clark has yet to find a challenge that has pushed him to his limits as Superman, with the budding supervillain known as Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) looking to change that completely. Dragged into a controversy surrounding his handling of the nation of Boravia, Superman’s unbreakable reputation soon shows signs of cracking. And when an unexpected reveal sees the world turn on him, Superman must find a way to prove his dedication to humanity and thwart Lex’s growing influence in Metropolis before it’s too late. Oh, and he’s got a dog named Krypto who likes to fuck shit up.

Kick-starting this new live-action universe on the right foot, writer/director and former MCU creative James Gunn has moved on to spearheading this new DCU by bringing to life a version of Superman who is the epitome of his comic counterpart in terms of his “Boy Scout” persona. Well-known for his unwavering faith in humanity, as well as his ability to inspire hope in the masses, Superman has always been portrayed as a guiding light in a world full of darkness. And I have to say that, despite some early misgivings, David Corenswet embodies those ideals perfectly. Playing opposite a well-cast group of actors (mileage does vary depending on what some of the script’s lesser moments force them do), Rachel Brosnan’s Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor perfectly complement Corenswet’s Man of Steel, nailing a trifecta of characters that virtually every Superman story hinges on.

Feeling more light and fun compared to the Snyderverse while still leaning into some of the more comic book-y aspects of the character, Superman excels whenever its titular hero is onscreen, with his presence further bolstered by some fun additions in the form of the Justice Gang, a proto Justice League rostered by heroes who I can’t wait to see more of. Throw in some thrilling fight scenes that feel ripped right out of a comic, computer effects that (mostly) look fantastic, a great love story between Clark and Lois, energetic cinematography, a variety of wide angles that give the film a sense of scale, and an uplifting score that admittedly does retread the original 1978 Superman theme but repurposes it well for this iteration of the character, and it’s clear that Superman succeeds more than it fails. Still, there are a couple of things that stuck out to me that I couldn’t get over.

For every great story beat, character interaction, dramatic moment, or explosive action scene, there always seemed to be an opposite element that I didn’t fully care for. Whether weirdly accusing Supes of having a harem, inserting a few too many corny jokes (MCU style) into more scenes than what was needed, or making story and character-based decisions that didn’t always make sense, a lot of Superman’s issues really only come from the script not always working where it clearly should. And it’s a shame because most of the script’s lesser ideas, though somewhat underdeveloped, were still appreciated (looking at you, Metamorpho and your freaky baby), giving me the sense that a more pared-down film would have greatly helped with its focus.

And if you don’t like James Gunn or his filmmaking style to begin with, Superman likely won’t change your mind. But compared to Gunn’s other more “in your face” films like the Guardians of the Galaxy series or even the DCEU’s The Suicide Squad, this movie felt more reigned in and palatable, though admittedly only to a point. And if you straight-up don’t like this more lighthearted take on Big Blue, I totally get that too. Yet when I walked out of the theater and saw the reaction of the younger kids in the audience, it was clear that this is the Superman of a new generation, and for that, I can’t fault it, especially when this movie’s ultimate message is all about being a good person.

I’ll likely always cry myself to sleep at night, lamenting the loss of the Snyderverse and what could have been had Warner Bros not screwed it all to high heaven. But with this new DCU giving fans a genuinely great iteration of the Man of Steel, I can’t wait to see where this “Gunnverse” ends up going. It might be a while yet before Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and the rest of DC Comics’ most iconic characters make their debut in the DCU, so if the quality of the already in-development sequel to Superman, titled Man of Tomorrow, and the upcoming Supergirl hold, fans could be in for a real treat at the movies.