Superman review

SUPERMAN: 

LOOK UP IN THE SKY, IT’S A DAMN GOOD SUPERMAN FILM! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

DC STUDIOS (WARNER BROS. PICTURES)

David Corenswet in Superman (2025)

 

            James Gunn (Super, Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, The Suicide Squad (2021)) kicks off DC Cinematic Universe Attempt #2 with this new film version of Superman, based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name. The Man of Steel has had quite a history in terms of film adaptations ever since his inception whether it’s through film serials, the first two Christopher Reeve movies from 1978 and 1980 which are often seen as classics and hailed as some of the greatest comic book films ever made, and the bumpy first attempt at a DC Universe with the DCEU. 

            Now James Gunn has left the Marvel Cinematic Universe after completing Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 to give DC the shared universe it so rightfully deserves…hopefully. It’s hard to determine how great a cinematic universe will be just off of its first entry, but as a movie goes, I thoroughly enjoyed this Superman. 

            While I can’t say this film reaches the height of Superman: The Movie (1978) or its sequel, it understands the character a lot better than Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and his subsequent films in the DC Extended Universe and gives audiences an upbeat, entertaining, but not lazily assembled summer escape movie. In an age where comic book movies feel the need to be dark and challenge its audience, sometimes simple lighthearted “Super” fun with compelling characters and enough emotional levity is all you need. 

            The film follows Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman (David Corenswet-House of Cards, Pearl, Twisters), an alien with extraordinary powers who was sent as a baby to Earth after his home planet, Krypton was destroyed and now protects the planet under the alias, Superman. When billionaire, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult-X-Men franchise, Mad Max: Fury Road, Juror #2) conducts an evil plan to turn the public against him, Superman must prove that he is the world’s protector with the help of Daily Planet reporter, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan-The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Courier, The Amateur) and a few Justice League (Oh sorry, Justice Gang, huge difference!) members…oh, and Krypto the Superdog too!

            The film also stars Edi Gathegi (Gone Baby Gone, Twilight 1 and 2, X-Men: First Class) as Michael/Holt/Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan (The Forgotten, Gotham, Death of a Unicorn) as Rex Mason/Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Castle, DC Animated Universe) as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Isabela Merced (Transformers: The Last Knight, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Alien: Romulus) as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, and Skyler Gisondo (The Amazing Spider-Man 1 and 2, Booksmart, Licorice Pizza) as Jimmy Olsen. 

            Overall, Superman (2025) takes the Man of Steel back to his upbeat comic book roots with a bright and colorful superhero flick with solid action scenes, great performances by the leads, and it doesn’t shy away from heavier or dark moments either. I doubt it will become a classic like the first two Christopher Reeve Superman movies, but as a start to a new cinematic universe, I found this movie very entertaining and it got me interested in the future of this DC Universe. 

            The film takes the Spider-Man: Homecoming, Batman (1989), and The Batman (2022) route and has the character already established without going beat for beat into the backstory because let’s be real, everyone already knows Superman’s origin story just as much as they know Batman and Spider-Man’s. But the core elements are still there and his past is brought up at various points in the film so nothing is really lost here. 

            James Gunn and the rest of the crew knew this so they decided to focus this movie on Superman trying to prove his worth to the planet as its protector by facing off against Lex Luthor and saving lives along the way and I think it’s done very well. Seeing Superman interact with the citizens of Metropolis whether as the Man of Steel or Clark Kent is an integral part of the character that gives him his humanity which is something I felt the Zack Snyder Superman was severely lacking despite Henry Cavill clearly trying to make the films work. 

            This Superman saves a squirrel from Lex Luthor’s destruction and let me tell you, if Henry Cavill did something like that while fighting General Zod in Man of Steel, it easily would have been a far better movie. The movie understands Superman and him being a symbol for hope and empowerment and a lot of that does come down to David Corenswet’s performance as the Man of Steel. 

            I’ve only seen him in a handful of things, but I thought David Corenswet was perfect in the role of Superman and I love too that while this is a more uplifting and positive portrayal, he isn’t trying to replicate Christopher Reeve from the original four movies or Brandon Routh from Superman Returns. I’m sure Corenswet was probably inspired by those performances in some shape or form, but he is clearly giving his own take on Superman and portraying him as a man who wants to do good and inspire those around him while still understanding the seriousness of the situations he’s in.

            However, I will say this movie makes the strange but interesting decision of downplaying David Corenswet as Clark Kent which is usually just as important as when he’s Superman. Aside from a scene in the beginning, there is barely any Clark Kent in this movie and I don’t know how I feel about that. 

            Rachel Brosnahan played a good Lois Lane and I enjoyed her chemistry with David Corenswet’s Superman as sort of an on-again, off-again relationship, but in a charming way. They don’t make her the damsel in distress like in other Superman media and she even helps him out during the action at times such as flying a spaceship. 

            Nicholas Hoult is probably one of the last actors I’d expect to play Lex Luthor, but he effectively captured the charismatic and threatening businessman from the comics and is easily my second favorite movie Lex Luthor behind Gene Hackman from the original films. Now I’m convinced, if he had better material and direction maybe Jesse Eisenberg could have played a decent Lex had things been different. 

            The action is very exciting though it is reliant on a lot of CGI that doesn’t always look convincing, but they do cool things with it especially with characters like Green Lantern and Mister Terrific. It isn’t just flashy superhero fights between giant monsters and other super people, sometimes it’s just Superman rescuing an alien baby from a collapsing pocket dimension or a gleefully silly sequence involving Krypto that puts Hulk and Loki from Avengers to shame. 

            Despite a few hurdles, Superman (2025) is the upbeat, fun, and positive superhero movie we need especially with so much negativity in the world lately. If you’re looking to escape all that then go to your local theater and see this feel-good summer blockbuster.