Star Cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Maria Gabriela de Farias, and Nathan Fillion
Director: James Gunn
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What’s Bad: Some of the aesthetic choices can feel a bit jarring, and the humor will be hit or miss for some people.
Loo Break: There are no breaks. The film starts with a bang and never stops, and it feels very lean and mean.
Watch or Not?: Yes, this is a great comic book film and also a great blockbuster that needs to be seen on the big screen.
Language: English (with subtitles).
Available On: Theaters
Runtime: 130 Minutes.
User Rating:
Superman is, for all intents and purposes, the quintessential superhero. The definition of the term can be traced back to him and his lore, and as such, it is always nice to see that he has remained part of popular culture throughout the decades. But he is also quite a difficult character to write for, and so, the new Superman film tries to bring the character to a new age of cinema, and also kickstart a new age for DC Comics on the big screen, and the result is quite successful.
A new age for DC Comics on the big screen is right around the corner and there is no better way to start it than with a Superman film, written and directed by James Gunn, who at this point is only behind the Russo Brothers when it comes to a director who has basically dedicated his career to the genre. Using that level of experience, Gunn has managed to create a very solid and entertaining film that goes in a different direction from what the director had done and also where the character had been.
Although many of the plot points that define this film’s story were seen before during the Snyder era, Gunn takes them and focuses on them so they can become the core of the storytelling, while also focusing on Superman as a character and how he deals with these plot points. So, there isn’t anything really original here, but the execution is great, and focusing on character gives Superman a fresh new light in the eyes of the audience.
Gunn also injects a lot of his humor into the film, which definitely gives it a personality, but it might be hit or miss for many people out there. Particularly, I liked the humor, and I felt it never went as far as it did in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, giving Superman its own flavor. There are also enough serious moments to make the story hit hard when it should and make the adventure worth watching.
There are many characters in this film, but Gunn never loses sight of Superman as the main protagonist. In a genre where the villain is often the central piece of each film, Gunn decides to do exactly what Matt Reeves did for Batman in his latest film and gives him all the attention he deserves. There are definitely hints of things to come for this new Superman and the universe he lives in, but these hints also stay in the background, not becoming an obstacle for the storytelling.
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David Corenswet is Superman, and in the way Gunn defines the character as just a good guy because he chooses to be it, Corenswet feels like a great choice for the character. He never feels too big or too out there in terms of physique or personality like it felt when Henry Cavill was in the role, as he was presented more like a god. In this film, the character has an approachable aura about him and makes you care about what happens to him.
Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, and the rest of the cast do a great job. Hoult does a fantastic job as a petty supervillain, and the script gives him wonderful ways to be evil. Brosnahan also stands out as a smart Lois Lane who ends up completing Superman in unexpected ways. All the minor characters have great actors, and most of them have their chance to shine, which is admirable considering there are so many of them.
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James Gunn started his career in the indie scene, but now, he is a veteran of the blockbuster landscape, and it shows. The film feels professional, and while some visual choices feel a bit jarring, it nevertheless feels like a choice, like the film was done by someone with a vision instead of a corporate committee. The visuals are bright and big, and the film goes places, visiting many locations in a very short span of time. However, the action feels the same as in Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy films, being competent but not amazing, and it still remains as one of the director’s shortcomings.
The pacing is blistering, and there is little room to breathe, which gives the film a sense of being chaotic and all over the place, but it just works, making you feel what Superman feels when needed, basically in several places at once, and being compelled to help by your own volition. It is frustrating but also energetic, making the film feel different from many others in the genre, especially Marvel films, which cannot escape their formula.
James Gunn and his team end up creating one of the most entertaining and heartfelt comic book movies in recent times, showing that DC can stand tall by the strength of its characters alone. The film opens the gates for a new universe filled with possibilities, so let’s hope the promises end up becoming a real thing because these are the kind of films the genre deserves, instead of the soulless assembly line that Marvel has become.
Superman released on 11 July, 2025.
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