James Gunn’s “Superman” brings us a comfortable hero confronting painfully uncomfortable times. While the titular hero will always remain bound by the fundamental “goodness” and somewhat simplicity of the character, this latest iteration goes from good to great as a byproduct of the release timing.
A hero born of the World War 2 era, Superman has always felt somewhat constrained by his paragon of goodness. As remakes have come out and we’ve seen times of (mild) peace, we’ve seen heroes with more complex morality rise to popularity. Yet of late we’ve fallen into what feels like the darkest timeline, and in these disheartening days we need reminders that good is still out there. Good in this case comes in the form of everyone’s favorite alien immigrant. Kudos to Gunn for saying with his chest that this is indeed an immigrant story. A theme that likely took on extra resonance between the filming and release.
A Modern Superman
In fact the film is chock full of themes that pack an extra gut punch due to their relevance today. A bevy of them are crammed in and it often means we don’t get to dig in much more than surface level, but this is not a problem unique to this version of the Man of Steel.
Gunn ends up sticking to a plot that’s relatively cookie cutter for a “Superman” story (though with some gobbledygook deep cut comics lore interwoven in that doesn’t always benefit the film). He infuses the film with his signature comedic style while also trying to remain true to the earnestness of the character. This is where the weakest points come through, but nothing so egregious as to make the film unenjoyable.
David Corenswet steps into the famous tights and cape with comfort and ease. Though he doesn’t necessarily redefine the role he certainly feels like he carries it with confidence. Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen also slip easily into their comic counterparts.
As he’s done with his other comic go-arounds, Gunn manages to succeed in taking the lesser knowns of the DC Universe and shoving them center stage. His strategy is a clever one, disabusing the audience of any preconceived notions. Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, and Edi Gathegi bring a levity to the film as Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and Mister Terrific respectively. A particular shout out to Gathegi. Someone who most folks will have an opinion on is Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Hoult is someone we consider a great actor, and while he does a good job as the bald baddie it doesn’t necessarily feel like it HAD to be him in the role. The rest of the cast is rounded out by Anthony Carrigan, Sara Sampaio, María Gabriela de Faría, Wendell Pierce, Beck Bennett, and Alan Tudyk.
The real star of the show (and marketing) is Super-dog, Krypto. Much like how Gunn was able to turn a little known Flora colossus named Groot into an absolute sensation in “Guardians of the Galaxy” he’s reapplying that formula (to great success) with this chaotic canine.
Super-fans won’t find themselves disappointed by this “Superman,” and the timing of this latest iteration may just make a convert out of those casual fans who are disheartened by the world.
“Superman” hits theaters July 11, 2025.
