If you’re going to compare James Gunn’s Superman to some of the cinematic Men of Steel who preceded him, a good place to start is color. Right from the beginning of the movie, the alien otherwise known as Clark Kent (David Corenswet) pops against a snowy background thanks to his bright blue and red suit, and that’s comparatively one of the more drab scenes, given the vivid hues present even in the darkest of dimensions. The color doesn’t feel just an aesthetic choice. It’s a visual promise that this time, we’re going to have some fun.
That isn’t to say that Superman, which serves as the true relaunch of the DC Comics universe on screen, is devoid of darkness — there are solemn moments and big stakes packed into the superhero adventure. Yet grim and gritty are words this movie firmly rejects, instead leaning into the human side of everyone involved, even its villains. There are a few choices that work less well than others, but the end result is a movie that doesn’t sacrifice its titular character in service to franchise-building. Instead, it focuses on celebrating the values that Superman himself has embodied from the beginning.
The movie begins with Clark Kent having a really bad day, only just a few years into his public life as a meta-human capable of wondrous deeds, and things honestly don’t get much easier for him from there. Clark’s girlfriend Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) is feeling skittish about their new relationship, for one thing, and the foes Clark’s been facing have been increasingly tough to fight, thanks to the behind-the-scenes scheming of billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). Also, Krypto the Superdog is, like all dogs, a very good boy. But he could maybe use a little extra training.
From that starting point, Gunn leans on the shorthand established by so many past Superman stories to bring his Metropolis to life — a Metropolis where Superman isn’t the only metahuman around. That was actually a point of concern from the beginning of this movie’s development, as more and more casting updates revealed the wide scope of characters to be featured — enough to maybe indicate that this movie wouldn’t have much of an opportunity to actually, y’know, be a Superman movie.
However, between the script, direction, and performance, Superman is still extremely centered in who, exactly, Superman is as a person — not a swashbuckling hero, but a kinda shy dork from Kansas who just happens to be capable of amazing things (while, yes, looking like that). That proves to be the movie’s greatest strength, with Corenswet really playing this character as the unique icon he is. Plenty of other heroes have similar power sets, but none of them have this kind of kindness and confidence.
Additionally, something that feels like a very conscious part of this movie’s construction is the best way to tell a story about a man with extraordinary abilities. With a character as powerful as Superman involved, how do you make sure there are serious stakes that couldn’t just be solved by a blast from his laser eyes? The solution, in this case, is to make sure the forces stacked against him are equally formidable, which both the script and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex ensure.
Superman (Warner Bros.)
Like so many superhero stories, Superman is left as a slightly passive protagonist, reacting to the evildoings of the designated supervillain involved. But the momentum of the movie never relents, thanks to the way Gunn throws us into the thick of the action, and Hoult really owning Lex Luthor in all of his self-righteous determination to bring Superman down. Lex doesn’t necessarily fall into the canon of Hoult’s other great monster boy roles (a zombie in Warm Bodies, a War Boy in Mad Max: Fury Road, a Renfield in Renfield) but the same energy is present — specifically Hoult’s complete lack of fear when it comes to bringing out the ugliest sides of his characters.
Also, while it’s still pretty much impossible for any actress to top Margot Kidder’s defining Lois Lane from the Richard Donner films, Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) does come close with her sharp tongue and menswear-inspired ensembles. Also, she’s a very active character in the movie, rarely if ever requiring any saving from Superman. Instead, she works to solve the movie’s mysteries using her own superpower: journalism!
Other supporting characters who pop include Edi Gathegi’s slightly impatient Mr. Terrific (who wears a very cool jacket that says Terrific on it), Gunn BFF Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner (the goofiest Green Lantern), and Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl (who could have used more screen time, but still gets to whack a fair amount of stuff with her big hammer).
There are definitely portions of the movie that play much more like an ensemble piece — a sweet spot of Gunn’s, considering the Guardians of the Galaxy films and his 2021 take on The Suicide Squad. At one point, even, there are two different teams working simultaneously on a problem, in addition to Superman fighting his own battles.
Yet this movie doesn’t ever lose sight of who its Superman is, and what kind of story it’s trying to tell. And there’s such playfulness throughout, whether it be a battle scene set to Noah and the Whale’s “5 Years Time” or Guy Gardner’s power-ring-powered antics, or the presence of Krypto, who is a freaking star. It’s the best possible way to relaunch a franchise, at the end of the day: Screw the table-setting, just make a movie people will actually enjoy watching. One where the message is that Superman’s humanity is his greatest strength.
Superman is up, up, and away! in theaters beginning Friday, July 11th. Check out the latest trailer below.
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