Superman
Like it or not, the most politically charged Hollywood blockbuster of the year is about a guy in tights flying around and throwing punches. Yep — Superman is back, and this time James Gunn is in the driver’s seat, trying once again to reboot the notoriously uneven DC Universe.
Let’s be honest: DC has always had a killer combo of compelling, complex characters, rich comic book history, and some incredibly bold side-projects. But somehow, the cinematic universe never quite managed to stand on its own legs. After the divisive Man of Steel with Henry Cavill, here comes a clean slate — a new Superman, a new tone, a new era. Enter David Corenswet as Clark Kent and James Gunn with his signature cocktail of chaos, comedy, and commentary.
So what’s the verdict? Surprisingly vibrant, quite lighthearted, and — no pun intended — kind of comical. This is, without a doubt, the most comic-book-accurate take on Superman to date. It leans heavily into that aesthetic too — to the point where some scenes feel almost like a theatre production or student film. Characters are arranged across the scene like chess pieces, shot in isolated takes with little directorial inventiveness.
Still, there’s life here. There’s genuine freshness. And yes — this absolutely feels like a new beginning. The pacing is brisk, the energy is contagious, and you do get curious about what comes next — which, let’s face it, is half the job of a first chapter like this.
But here’s the thing. As much as I root for DC — and I genuinely believe they can one day strike the perfect balance between quality, fan service, action, and substance — Superman doesn’t fully deliver the super-powered cinema magic I was hoping for. Because where Marvel drowns in quips and glitter, DC has always taken risks. Sometimes those risks flop, sure, but at least they’re trying something. This? This felt like too many “big ideas” crammed into not enough runtime.
Let's say the obvious: this movie is full-on satire. Pointed, sharp, and often chaotic social commentary. There’s a diss for everyone: billionaires (hi Bezos, hi Musk) who are very elegantly compared to Hitler, world leaders who are very elegantly compared to Hitler as well, corrupt governments, propaganda-addled idiots — even Ticketmaster catches a stray. And while I love the audacity, the result is... cluttered. You’re not quite sure where to look, what to focus on, or even what tone the film wants to settle into.
Because underneath all the color and cartoonish energy, Gunn is trying to say something real about power, corruption, and who gets to play god in this world. But somewhere between the satire and the slapstick, the stakes get lost. Even when Metropolis is literally being torn apart — I didn’t feel that gut-punch of tension the film clearly wanted to deliver. The suspense just wasn’t suspense enough.
As for the cast — David Corenswet is, on paper, the perfect Superman. Charming, relatively unknown, a little clumsy, with that heroic jawline and boy scout energy. And the press tour? Phenomenal job, PR team. They made me root for this guy. But in the film itself... he doesn’t quite own it yet. In some strange way, it feels like he’s not the star of his own movie. There’s a lack of emotional depth — a lack of something behind the eyes. I get that we’re moving away from tortured antiheroes, but even so, Corenswet’s Superman feels a little too surface-level. His only real personality traits are “I want justice” and “please like me.” That said, I do think he’s a solid foundation, and I genuinely hope he grows into the role.
Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane? Totally fine. She’s one of the baddies (in a cool way) of the movie, and her energy worked. I’d love more development for her outside the Superman dynamic, but maybe that’s for next time. Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor is probably as good as it gets — sharp, unsettling, unpredictable. The rest of the cast is a bit hit-or-miss, but overall, it works.
In the end, Superman is an enjoyable but slightly lost film — one that tried to be so deep, it landed somewhere a little shallow. It’s promising. But not groundbreaking. There's a ton of potential here, though, and I really hope the next chapter dials up what does work and tightens what doesn’t.
Oh, and remember: sometimes a selfie can save the world. Or a hundred of them.
6/10