James Gunn opens the door to a brighter DC Universe—with a Superman who feels right at home in it.
Right before heading into the cinema to watch the new Superman movie, I was still fresh after deciding to rewatch Superman Returns. So my brain was a bit soaked in Clark Kent’s lore, even though we know the 2006 picture didn’t age so well. But then again, not all Superman movies have nailed the character.
I’ve always been a fan of Man of Steel and what Zack Snyder tried to do with it, even if it was not everyone’s cup of tea. So I went in knowing that this new attempt would try to get as far away as possible from Snyder’s version. And James Gunn knows how to handle superheroes, and we can see his talent through Superman.
Clark and Lois: back again as the heart of the show
David Corenswet steps into the cape with surprising ease. His Superman isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel – he just is Superman. Kind, sincere, powerful, and yes, a little dorky. But it works. His Clark Kent blends into the background without losing the charm, and his Superman commands the screen without ever shouting for attention.
Compliments also go to Rachel Brosnahan as Lois. Her version of the journalist is strong, and what she brings to the table in terms of her relationship dynamic with Clark is very meaningful. She’s not just there to be the dame in danger. Instead, she pushes the story forward, helps us understand who Clark is and his struggles as Superman, while driving her own arc. You believe these two would challenge each other, not just flirt at the office.
The Gunn effect
James Gunn is a nerdy comic book fan. We know this since we saw the amazing work he did with one of the most underground Marvel groups. And we knew we’d see a lot of the Guardians of the Galaxy style printed here.
Same as we saw Gunn doing in the MCU, Superman leans into its goofiness, but never at the expense of the story. Yes, there are moments where the jokes feel a bit forced, but they land most of the time. There are definitely moments where you feel Gunn’s fingerprints a bit too clearly, but the overall direction holds together better than expected. The big miss is that Superman doesn’t have the same emotional weight we saw in GoG Vol 3, which made us care about the characters more than anything (RIP Lylla).
We can also feel Gunn’s nerdiness in all the references across Superman. From the John Williams theme song with a fresh new coat of paint, to the Smallville inspirations in some characters and catchphrases straight out from the comic book pages, it’s clear the team behind this movie didn’t just read the material; they care about it. But it is not fan service for the sake of fan service. It’s more like the movie is tipping its hat to everything it came before, while still carving its own path.
Metahumans and monsters are just another day in this new DCU
It’s a breath of fresh air to see a superhero movie embrace the craziness of comic books. We have been seeing superheroes on the big screen for almost 3 decades now, and we don’t need to see a grounded version of this type of movie anymore. Superman moves forward with the audience by subtly making the point that in this universe, having superpowers or seeing reality being torn apart is like having a cup of coffee every morning.
The mundane approach to the fights and metahumans is very intentional, and it works so well. Why not have a cup of cocoa while talking about your dog when there’s a full-blown fight with a dimensional monster happening in Metropolis’ sky that you can see just out of your window?
Not everything is perfect
Among so many hits, it’s normal to have some misses. But the ones Superman have are way too big to be ignored. To me, the biggest miss is the casting and writing of the Kents. Somehow, Superman’s parents end up being the most forgettable and unnecessary characters in the whole thing. Which is wild, considering how central they are to Clark’s worldview. They seem to exist just to remind us that Clark grew up in Kansas.
Also, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor is not quite there. It feels his version of the character was dialled 20% above the movie’s pace. In some of his scenes, you can see his good intentions of delivering, but they are misplaced, and it pulls you out. It’s clear that James Gunn wrote this version of Lex inspired by Michael Rosenbaum’s version in Smallville. But Hoult seems not quite to grasp the essence of the character.
I still think Jesse Eisenberg delivered the best live-action version. Unstable, genius, dangerously unpredictable. Hoult doesn’t seem to come close to that level.
There are also the issues of final editing. I don’t know if it’s a personal taste, but in some moments I felt like scenes jumped from one to another abruptly, bringing a feeling of clunkiness to the movie. It doesn’t ruin the experience, but most eyes will notice it.
A strong start for a reboot
Gunn’s Superman is a solid reset button. It captures the hope and sincerity that the character has been missing on screen. It’s light without being shallow, nostalgic without being lazy, and goofy without losing focus.
Most importantly, it opens doors. We’ve got multiverses, metahumans, and a political buildup for the future. The movie doesn’t feel the need to explain everything. It trusts the audience to catch up, and that confidence gives the new DCU some much-needed forward momentum.
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RATING
Buttery Good: Solid story, great acting and production. Worth your time.
POPFICTION 
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