“Superman” Review: A Different, More Hopeful Take On A Superhero That’s As Refreshing As It Is Exciting

As explored in our recent article, we all know that Warner’s attempts to catch up with Disney’s MCU with its very own DCEU were a massive flop, with so few successes you can count them on one hand. It needed a breath of fresh air; it needed a reboot; it needed… James Gunn?

After James Gunn took creative control of all things DC, the Big Blue Boy Scout has seen a younger, more hopeful glow-up in a cinematic event that has been hyped up since its announcement back in 2022. Now that it is here, we finally get to see how David Corenswet fares as the new Man of Steel. Alongside Corenswet are Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, and Isabela Merced. Written and directed by Gunn himself, this film is set to be a fresh take that’s meant to distance itself from its far darker iteration.

The film focuses naturally on everyone’s favourite Kryptonian, Clark Kent, also known as Superman. But rather than giving us that lengthy backstory we all already know, we are thrust into a time when people are already familiar with Superman, but are still split on whether they should love him or be wary of him — immediately telling us that he is still pretty early in his career. With that, the film cuts a lot of beats from the traditional recipe and gets to the heart of the matter, rather than spending hours on a side plot that helps escalate the tension but ultimately ends the same.

Believe it or not, it works exceptionally well for this film, as it significantly reduces the time we spend on awkward moments and more on the action and the overall narrative. We already know who Superman is, who he is dating, his archnemesis, etc. — why not respect the audience’s intelligence and move forward to something bold and interesting rather than waste our time on something that we know?

It is a very interesting take on Clark Kent, though we have to admit that it does somewhat mimic what the MCU did with Spider-Man in “Captain America: Civil War”. Through this method, everyone in the movie is already familiar with each other, one way or another, which helps make every interaction among the cast more natural. But that begs the question: how does the new cast fare, especially David Corenswet, as the new Last Son of Krypton?

For starters, he is outright phenomenal. Admittedly, we do feel bad for Henry Cavill being axed the moment he reprised his role in favour of a younger actor, but after watching the film, we do see the vision Gunn has not just for the character, but for DC moving forward. Corenswet is a far more optimistic take on the character, always believing in doing the right thing first and asking questions later. However, this course of action proves to be one of the core conflicts of the film, which is an interesting method of attacking a protagonist’s morals rather than outright beating him up. Corenswet’s performance is what gives this film life; his positive outlook on life and on people provides the ray of hope that Gunn is going for, though it becomes a bit too preachy by the end of the movie.

On the other end of the spectrum is Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. We already know that these two characters are fundamentally different and opposed to each other. Hoult himself has described the character as obsessive, determined, and relentless — a character that stops at nothing to bring Superman down by any means necessary — something he is perfectly able to embody in his performance. He has a cool and collected facade that breaks the moment things deviate from his plans, yet he has enough monetary and mental power to come up with a solution. He is a genius but also extremely petty, which is an interestingly refreshing take on the character.

The two’s performance ultimately sets the tone for the film and for the rest of the cast, frankly. Though they are bitter enemies, they do have their own comedic moments which break a lot of the tension for the film before it becomes too dark again, and yes, it becomes dark when you stop and think about it for a second. This brings us back to the established point that there’s not a single awkward moment among the cast, as each can have a proper conversation with each other that never feels forced.

Naturally, this entry in the franchise is far sillier than the previous iterations. From the jokes and the physical gags, the movie does everything in its power to make it as light-hearted as possible. However, that does not mean it trades that in for the action. “Superman” is packed with a lot of intense fight scenes that are not only epic but fun. Whether it’s from the streets of Metropolis to inside a pocket universe, each action sequence is jam-packed with memorable scenes and various beats that keep things interesting. We also really like how they ditch the shaky camera and sudden jump cuts in between punches and kicks, as this creates a more fluid fight scene that isn’t a chore to follow.

However, the film isn’t without its flaws. Though James Gunn skips a lot of familiar plot points that are already established, he also skips through the formation of the Justice Gang, how Clark and Lois are dating, and why Lex hates Superman, to name a few. Yes, we did praise this decision earlier on, but there has to be a baseline that the audience needs to see rather than be told. This becomes a problem down the line when the characters start overexplaining rather than just showing the audience, especially by the end.

It feels as though this film was made with the intention of pleasing established fans of Superman without giving much thought on how to win over new fans. This is a bit disappointing, as the film is meant to be the starting-off point for the new DC cinematic universe. Though, whether you know the nitty-gritty details of Superman or not, we can guarantee that you are in for a cinematic treat that won’t disappoint.

Overall, “Superman” is a jaw-dropping reboot that deserves your attention. It drops the edge and the angst for a more uplifting, hopeful, and even funny interpretation of the Man of Steel. It has something in store whether you’re a massive Superman fan or not, from its colourful fight scenes to its solid dialogue and story. The only drawback is that the movie overexplains a lot of details that are quite obvious if left alone, or at least hints at earlier on. It doesn’t necessarily destroy our immersion into the film; it’s a small stumbling block for an otherwise flawless film.

“Superman” flies into cinemas on 10th July!