The Man of Steel Has Returned
Superman is back, and he's finally filled with hope (and he has a dog).
This is a non-spoiler review.
Superman is unapologetically a comic book movie. In fact, it might be the most on-the-nose comic book film I’ve ever seen.
James Gunn’s restart of the DC cinematic universe had a lot on its shoulders. On one hand, it had to be a satisfying introduction to this version of Superman—a character so well-known that everyone holds an opinion about him. Meanwhile, Superman also needed to be the on-ramp to the new world that Gunn and DC want us all to immerse ourselves in for the foreseeable future.
For the most part, Superman succeeds in balancing both tough tasks. It’s not an origin story—we’re just thrown right into the world, just like you would be if you were reading a comic book. At times, this is a refreshing new take on the genre. But at others, I found myself a little confused and out in the cold. Maybe the true DC diehards will understand everything, but this regular guy was sometimes a bit out of the loop.
Every scene feels like it was ripped straight out of a comic strip, which is endearing, and sometimes a little frustrating, all at the same time.
Comic books are, for the most part, silly and goofy, and that’s exactly what Superman is. I find it admirable that Gunn decided to switch up the formula from past DC projects, like The Dark Knight trilogy or Zack Snyder’s films, which attempted to ground the characters in our real world. Superman is definitely not a part of our reality and is instead part of some other world that is totally foreign. That’s neat and refreshing, but also a bit frustrating. Character backstories aren’t always fully fleshed out, which is fine for some characters, but for others, it would’ve been nice to know a bit more. Additionally, comic book tropes are well known by this point, so some of what happens isn’t exactly surprising to the keen viewer.
But one of the most underrated elements of Superman is its visual style. James Gunn and his creative team clearly made a deliberate decision to lean into the color and vibrancy of classic comic books, as well as the Christopher Reeve films from the 70s and 80s. Gone are the washed-out grays and overbearing shadows that plagued earlier DC films. Instead, Metropolis gleams with golds and blues, and Superman himself is clad in a suit that actually pops on screen. This is a film that looks like it knows what it is: bright, heroic, and unafraid to embrace a little camp.
The homages to the Reeve movies don’t end with the visual choices. Reeve’s son Will makes a brief cameo that many people won’t recognize, but the diehards that do will have butterflies well up in their stomachs when he shows up on screen, especially if you saw the great documentary Super/Man: A Christopher Reeve Story that came out last year.
Additionally, the use of the original John Williams score as the baseline for every composition provides some much-needed nostalgia. It was a fantastic creative choice that got me levitating off my seat whenever it played.
Making any Superman film in the modern age comes with a lot of pressure. For one thing, portraying the character the way fans want likely comes with a ton of stress, especially in the wake of the controversial Zack Snyder movies, which divided the DC fanbase.
So, I have to give major kudos to David Corenswet for putting on the cape and tackling this challenging character. And for my money, he did a great job capturing everything I want out of Clark Kent and Superman. He was charming, funny, but best of all, filled with hope in humanity. Most importantly, he actually saved people, which is more than you can say about a certain other version of the Man of Steel.
In many ways, Superman feels like a direct response to Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Gunn and Corenswet’s version of Superman isn’t dark and brooding—he’s bright and cheery and wants to help the world. Even when a surprising secret comes to light that could potentially upend Superman’s reputation, Gunn makes sure to show that this iteration would never turn his back on the people he’s there to protect. That’s refreshing. All I want is to see Superman help humanity. When I see Superman jump in front of a child who’s about to die, shielding them from a bunch of sharp shards of glass, that just scratches an itch of mine.
When the credits began to roll, I had a smile on my face. Superman is hope-filled, and that’s really all I want out of a movie featuring Clark Kent. Hope, love, mercy, and the desire to protect humanity are Superman’s greatest traits—and they’re all present here.
Final Rating: 3.5/5
Go see this movie with your family—it’s going to be a fun time. And as someone currently feeling a little bit of Marvel fatigue, I’m excited to see what Gunn’s DC cinematic universe will bring in the future. If they keep up this pace, it should be a fun ride.
Here are some other miscellaneous points about the film:
Lex Luthor is just a pure hater. Never has he been more hateable than he is in this film. As this is a non-spoiler review, I won’t get into specifics, but just know that the second that bald maniac pops up on screen, you’ll want justice served immediately.
Krypto the dog is cute and will surely generate many laughs. I’m not sure if this is how I would’ve introduced a flying dog with super strength into the fold, but what do I know? He’s pretty cool, and I wish he were mine.
Metropolis is not somewhere I’d want to live. There’s just too much going on. Everybody should move to Gotham. I’m sure that place is fine and dandy.
Every character gets in on the action in some way. Whether it’s the Justice Gang, Lois Lane, or even Jimmy Olsen, everybody has a role to play. At times, however, there’s just too much happening, and the sheer number of characters can bog the movie down.
Krypto is undeniably cute, but where did he come from? Did they have dogs on Krypton? I’m in the dark here, guys. Someone fill me in.
It’s time for the Letterboxd Minute (the name is still a work in progress)! Here are some of my favorite reviews from Letterboxd:
ztram (4/5): “This feels like a warm hug. David Corenswet embodies Superman to perfection. There are definitely cringey line deliveries from some characters, but it’s met with moments that brought people to tears. The score absolutely shreds. Lex is a generational hater. So hilarious. It’s romantic, fun, and most importantly it makes you feel hopeful. That is what Superman is all about.”
matt lynch (3.5/5): “He really GUARDIANSed up the Man of Steel. Undeniably a James Gunn movie, for better or worse. Works way more than it doesn’t. The dog rules.”
anto (4.5/5): “Zack Snyder’s Superman found dead in a ditch.”
sam (4/5): “Finally a Superman that acts like he was raised by the Kents and not by the devil himself (I’m looking at you Zack Snyder).”
JoshuaCaine (4/5): “The type of movie that makes you wanna do community service.”