Superman is a game-changer; and proves that nobody, really understands comic book movies better than James Gunn. He’s made the best of the MCU three times over and now he’s made the best comic book movie since arguably, the Richard Donner film that started it all. It’s a Superman that makes his world feel lived in and alive as much as anyone – a film that plunges Clark Kent into the middle of a geopolitical crisis and asks “what would Superman do if he was around to stop Israel committing genocide?” Having him beat up your Benjamin Netanyahu stand-in isn’t a bad way to start your cinematic universe – and the film directly addresses the consequences of those actions viewed by the United States and Lex Luthor, professional hater, back home.
The central trio is excellent. David Corenswet is believable as Superman and honest to the core, a boy scout who gets mad when questioned about intervening just because people were going to die. Whilst the Justice Gang would rather grab the spotlight after killing a giant kaiju, Superman is there to rescue squirrels, make sure the children are okay and do his best to try and save the kaiju from being killed. It’s a testament to how poor some of the adaptions of Superman have been at getting this character right that he doesn’t just save people, he inspires them that it feels a breath of fresh air – the clear difference between Superman and the Gang is evident – he’s an alien, he’s not from Earth – yet he’s more human than they will ever be.
Corenswet’s chemistry with Rachel Brosnahan is the gold standard, or the best since Kidder and Reeve. The journalist narrative that runs through Superman has Lois and Jimmy Olsen – played charmingly by Skyler Gisondo – anchors the script amongst its human characters and has their heart in the right place. Gunn makes this movie an ensemble piece and uses their lense to make Metropolis feel real, lived in and alive – rather than starting with another origin story that we all know, only in 2013 Man of Steel debuted, this feels like we’re dropped into the middle of a third series of a television show around the halfway point. Everyone’s lives are built and established, we’re a few months into the Clark/Lois relationship but they’re still feeling each other out – and the personal touches that Gunn brings to this film, the charm of Krypto – the arc about Superman being cancelled – all something that he had to experience himself, after the faux right wing backlash led to him being dropped from the MCU. Their loss.
The film moves from workplace comedy to screwball 50s romance and keeps the spirit of the 50s silver age comics all over its script. Jimmy Olsen gets the most Jimmy Olsen plot since his solo comic run – and Mr. Terrific steals the scene with a wonderfully serious deadpan performance by Edi Gathegi, a real contrast to Nathan Fillion’s cocky, suave Guy Gardner. Out of all the Green Lanterns to introduce and with that haircut, Guy is a bold choice – but Gunn gets what makes Fillion’s charm work so well. The Justice Gang may not be as involved as Superman in the main storyline but they help show he can inspire everyone just by doing good day in, day out – and as much as he’s Superman, he can’t be everywhere at once. He needs others to help him.
Nicholas Hoult is the second Skins actor on the back of Jack O’Connell to play a great villain this year and the performance Hoult gives as Lex is terrifying. He’s a man obsessed and the character arc that his Lex gets is great – being someone who tolerates the metahumans, but can’t stand Superman because he’s alien. We already have an inbuilt rivalry between the two, Lex has been studying Superman for years. He’s a stand-in for Trump and Musk, a rage-fuelled weapons dealer trying to get his own piece of fictional Palestine when fictional Israel conquer it; so he can be king there. Sound familiar?
Hoult chews scenery like the best of them – and it’s hard not see his character feel threatening especially in one particular gunshot scene that is capable of having a very big impact. But that’s not surprising, anyone who’s watched the Guardians films will know Gunn is capable of doing the big emotional impacts. It helps that Lex is actually evil for the sake of it here, and not just because the movie tells you he is. Gunn has been good at getting villains right from almost day one – his take on Ego was exceptional, to this day one of the MCU’s best.
I like the shakeup to Krypton lore and the decision to cast Ma and Pa Kent as relatively unknown actors – it felt too jarring when Kevin Costner was Superman’s Earth Dad, and Russell Crowe his Space one. The emphasis on the Kents being important to his life and him learning to accept that who you are told to be doesn’t make you who you are is a fascinating touchdown of Superman, that Neva Howell and Pruitt Taylor Vince pull off perfectly, believable salt-of-the-Earth types that raise a good hearted son.
The lack of set-up and plunging you straight into Superman makes it feel authentic and more like a real movie than just a mandatory part of a five year phase four, or whatever you call it. Gunn has made Metropolis feel like a real and lived in city, with members of the public having character arcs of his own – with Clark, a goofy, 50s-type charming and positive character that didn’t feel forced. He’s a character who was made to be a champion of the oppressed and Gunn makes that evident from day one. Braham’s cinematography really gets the best out of the script – it breezes past throughout the film and it feels like at times, the movie borrowed influences from The Matrix sequels for its fight scenes and is all the better for it.
The film ultimately feels earnest, heartfelt, and not overly corporate despite being incredibly corporate. It feels like Gunn’s vision first and foremost and it gets Superman right – a breath of fresh air compared to the misused Routh and the stale Cavill that we’ve had in the past. This is a movie that knows what Superman should be, and knows that he inspires others into doing good – and is all the better for it. That’s five out of five for Gunn. Nobody does superhero movies quite like him. The biggest mistake Marvel made was letting him go – they’ve got some competition on their hands now.