Directed by James Gunn, Superman follows one of DC’s most iconic superheroes in an all-new adventure in an all-new cinematic universe as he embarks on a journey to reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as reporter Clark Kent (David Corenswet). As the embodiment of truth, justice, and the human way he soon finds himself in a world that views these as old-fashioned.
Creature Commandos was the first chapter and our first taste of the new DCU under the leadership of James Gunn but this marks the first cinematic release that is meant to truly begin a new era of DC comic book adaptations, after the failure of the DCEU as a whole mainly due to its poor management by clueless corporate heads. Superman was clearly the one project that needed to be the first DCU film but there was certainly a lot riding on it, given it was the beginning of a new cinematic universe and that it was another adaptation of the iconic character that needed to be done differently to stand out from others in the past.
As always I had full faith in James Gunn being able to pull this off, after having consistently proven himself capable of delivering some of the best comic book projects over the years. I got the chance to see the film at an early screening and I can confidently say that after many years of waiting I can say that there is now an adaptation that has finally done Superman right! Not since the 1978 film have I felt such emotional investment and love for one of DC’s iconic heroes who I felt was being done dirty over the last few years on the big screen by various people who completely misunderstood the character and his stories.
But James Gunn clearly knew what he was doing when handling such an important character as he delivers an epic and beautiful story full of hope, heart, and humanity that is highly relevant to our world in its current state. It incorporates the best and most important elements of all the major Superman stories mixed with a sprinkle of an established universe of existing heroes and villains, similar to other great DC projects of the past like Justice League Unlimited. This film surprisingly manages to balance everything that it has going for it without losing focus on its core characters or feeling like a bloated universe-building mess much like what the DCEU did with several of its failed projects. This is easily one of my favorite DC films of all time and has become my new personal favorite live-action adaptation of Superman that I have seen for numerous reasons.
James Gunn has assembled one of the largest casts he has had in a while that play major and supporting characters from the pages of Superman / DC comics, and as expected he chose the right people for each of their respective roles. Every cast member fully commits to their roles no matter how large or small it may be, delivering highly memorable performances and moments that stay with you for different reasons in the best possible way. But even with the numerous amount of characters, the focus is primarily on the main trio of most Superman stories, which are Superman, Lois Lane, and Lex Luthor.
David Corenswet is the newest kid on the block to take on the mantle of Superman and to be completely honest this man was truly born to play the role of Superman, far more than anyone else since Christopher Reeve. Corenswet fully embodies every single important element and aspect of the character through his performance, from his heartfelt humanity despite being an alien from another world, to his overwhelming insistence on doing good and making the world a better place without bringing any great harm to those he protects and even those he fights against. He is the world’s most powerful meta human and an old-fashioned Boy Scout hero that many know him for, but he is also a very relatable and vulnerable person that you get to see brought to his lowest point before rising up to be the symbol of hope that people need.
He faces not just physical challenges in the forms of supervillains, monsters or massive disasters but also deals with the challenges of coming to terms with his heritage and living in a world that is complex and not morally on the same page as him, which is such a unique and investing journey to have for this character that’s never really been done before in past adaptations. Corenswet also manages to perfectly capture the dual identities of the character going back and forth with Clark and Superman with such beautiful ease not seen since Reeve’s portrayal of the character. He was the perfect choice for this iconic role and he definitely wasn’t the only perfect choice made in this film.
Rachel Brosnahan delivers a marvelous performance as Lois Lane, giving her the fiercely intelligent and feisty nature the character is known for, especially as a journalist, while also showing her own emotional vulnerability in her relationship with Clark. It feels so good to have her not be portrayed as a damsel in distress but as an actual layered character that is able to take initiative and stand up for herself. despite not having superhuman abilities. Additionally, she shares strong chemistry with Corenswet making for an excellent Clark and Lois pairing that felt natural as well as emotionally compelling, despite having not seen how these two versions of the characters first get together.
And similar to the My Adventures With Superman portrayal of the couple, they are shown to not always have a perfect relationship due to their distinct personalities and their respective jobs but are always willing to work things out and be there for each other to the best of their ability, no matter what obstacles are in their way, which to me is the best portrayal of their relationship seen by far in all the film adaptations.
Once again we have Lex Luthor as our main villain for this Superman story, played this time by Nicholas Hoult, who honestly delivers the most compelling and villainous version of Lex Luthor I have ever seen on the big screen. Much like how Corenswet embodies everything about Superman from the best stories, Hoult embodies everything about Lex Luthor in such an amazing way that he felt like a truly credible threat to Superman for the first time in a really long time.
Initially he appears to take on his classically petty yet intelligent corporate CEO persona that is always willing to make a profit from immoral scenarios that benefit him immensely, but as his motives for going against Superman progressively become more clear you can see he is a manipulative, obsessive, relentless and downright sociopathic nemesis that is willing to do anything to get what he wants regardless of how many innocents die in the process, which made me terrified of him. I haven’t felt this invested in a Lex Luthor portrayal since Michael Rosenbaum’s portrayal of the character in Smallville and you can certainly tell Hoult drew a lot of inspiration from that portrayal in his performance, delivering some of best Lex moments in live action that we haven’t had in a long time. After how extremely disappointing Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of the character was in the DCEU, it is safe to say that Hoult has single-handedly saved the character’s reputation with his incredible performance and is guaranteed to silence all who doubted him.
The main trio are certainly the standouts of this film but the supporting cast proves themselves to be just as compelling with their respective performances and spotlight-stealing moments. The Daily Planet crew plays a small yet vital role in the film, with each well known member feeling perfectly cast and performed, with the most notable among them being Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen and Wendell Pierce as Perry White, delivering their own brand of fun and humor that their characters are known for in comics.
Clark’s adoptive human parents, played by Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell, may have a short role in this film compared to previous adaptations but they are once again vital to Clark as a character and never fail to offer immense amounts of heart at the appropriate moments. Lex Luthor’s henchman in the form of the mysterious but powerful Ultraman and the Engineer, played brilliantly by María Gabriela de Faría, with visually stunning nanotech powers are both formidable foes that give Superman a challenge that can’t be simply stopped with strength alone. Even the robots at the Fortress of Solitude are very likable characters on their own despite not being human, being given great voice work by various cast members, including Alan Tudyk, and are wonderfully brought to life through incredible practical effects.
But by far the biggest standouts of the supporting cast are the metahuman heroes composed of Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and of course Superman’s canine companion Krypto the super dog. Mister Terrific ended up being the surprise MVP of this film, not only because of a ‘terrific’ performance by Edi Gathegi but also because he proves himself to be one hell of a badass character that is capable of great things with his high-tech gadgets and sharp intelligence. One of the most lesser-known characters of comics, he really gets his chance to shine in this film, proving to be just as compelling of a hero as Superman with his fun personality and action that is guaranteed to win over many audiences who are completely unfamiliar with his character. A truly perfect portrayal of an underrated character by an underrated yet talented actor.
Another lesser-known comic book character that gets a chance to shine is Metamorpho, a deformed metahuman with the ability to transmute elements in his body into various forms. Carrigan absolutely rocks in this role not only looking amazing through intense practical makeup but also is given such authentic humanity through his performance that makes Superman and the audience truly connect with him on an emotional level even for the short amount of time we get to see him. On top of that his powers are executed perfectly through incredible effects that were clearly given a great amount of time to perfect given how difficult it can be to pull off shapeshifting effects without looking weird or ugly.
Nathan Fillion manages to pull off a perfect portrayal of the most infamous Green Lantern in comics with his hilarious performance as Guy Gardner. He’s cocky, he’s full of himself, he’s a smooth talker and an unapologetic jerk but at the same time he is a fearless hero that has the skills to back up his talk and is someone who is always ready to beat up bad guys who deserve it with his cosmic ability to create constructs with his power ring and imagination. His powers looked fantastic on screen and for as overly abrasive as the character is he’s an enjoyable presence in the film that never fails to make you laugh, thanks largely to Fillion’s performance.
Isabela Merced comes in swinging as fiercely powerful and skilled Hawkgirl while also delivering great chemistry and comedic banter with her teammates. While she doesn’t have as much time on screen compared to Mister Terrific or Guy Gardner, she still proves to be a fun addition to the film, especially in some of her wickedly cool action moments that will likely get people to want to know more about her.
Krypto the super dog won over everyone’s hearts on the internet the moment he showed up in the first trailer and that is exactly what he does through the entirety of the film as a hilariously uncontrollable but pure hearted canine that brings enjoyable chaos. He doesn’t overstay his welcome by being used too much for laughs and he proves himself to be a vital ally to Superman in times of great need despite his disobedient nature. But let’s be honest with his adorable design brought to life through beautiful effects how can you not love him?
There are also some major cameos present in this film that establish connections and build foundations for upcoming projects in the DCU that are more than likely going to excite people, including one major one by the end that was completely unexpected and got a big reaction out of my audience.
This film’s narrative and tone leans very heavily into its comic book roots, delivering a larger than life superhero epic full of hope, wonder and chaotic imagination, yet still manages to keep it all balanced and emotionally investing for all audiences to enjoy. Without the need of revisiting things we already know about Superman from past adaptations and we are able to jump right into Superman’s impactful story without feeling lost or confused in this new universe. While this definitely plays out like a classic Superman story in various beats there are some twists and additions that Gunn makes to this adaptation to make it stand out on its own while staying true to the core elements that make this character and his world so beloved and inspiring.
Characters and themes are the forefront of this film rather than relying purely on action and spectacle, which is the right way to tell a Superman story, especially this one that has a lot to say with its strongly relevant themes about self-actualization, the complex nature of heroism, the blurring of fact vs fiction, kindness being the ultimate superpower and much more. These themes have all been featured in various Superman stories over the years and Gunn brings them to life masterfully in this film that may have a mostly light-hearted tone to it but isn’t afraid to hold back on showing the dark realities of our world through this universe.
We are living in a world where humanity, kindness, morality, and common sense are considered to be an inconvenience or weakness to people with flawed mindsets and positions of power, so this film and the character leading it serve as a important reminder of how we need to be better and more human like Superman is. A lot of comic book films and shows over the years have had relevant themes but there is no question that this film, next to Thunderbolts*, may be the most important and highly relevant project we have had this year, going beyond being simply an entertaining action film with colorful characters.
The technical elements of this film are masterful on every level, making this film truly feel like a big and bright comic book brought to life. Gunn and his crew have delivered some incredible action sequences in the past but the action sequences of this film were some of the largest and most intense work they have ever produced, especially when it came to all of the flying and fighting sequences. You feel the adrenaline-pumping thrills of Superman’s flight and the raw power of every super ability or punch that gets thrown, all while being filmed in such a satisfying manner. You feel like you are in the middle of the action, with every sequence feeling fully absorbed into the adventure. And it all looks visually stunning thanks to a wonderful combination of beautiful practical effects, gorgeous CGI effects, stunning sets, stellar editing, magnificent cinematography, and incredible sound design. Nearly every frame of this film looks like a panel from a comic book, with colors that leap off the screen and stay in your mind long after seeing the film.
And if all that wasn’t enough we also get an amazing score from composers John Murphy and David Fleming who deliver a vast array of awesome tracks, the greatest among them being their iteration of the 1978 Superman theme by John Williams. The music energizes all the various emotions this film puts on display and really makes you get into whatever mood is happening. It may honestly be my favorite score amongst all of Gunn’s works. For those expecting some signature needle drops of licensed songs you may be surprised to find that this is the first superhero project of Gunn’s not to feature that many, allowing Murphy and Fleming’s score to stand out as the real energy driver for most scenes, which is honestly a nice change of pace. There are still some great songs that get used for awesome moments in the film, such as the Mister Terrific action sequence, and the ending sequence is guaranteed to get you emotional.
This film was everything I wanted in a modern Superman adaptation on the big screen, and it feels like the perfect cinematic start to a new universe, with a bright future ahead of it as well as a clear direction. If every film and show going forward is set to be on the same level of quality as Creature Commandos and this film then I say we are well on our way to seeing an era of consistently amazing DC projects of various tones and genres that all kinds of audiences are going to love. They got something special going on here and they better not stop because I’m eager to see more of these characters and this universe in whatever direction they go next. I’m going to give Superman an A+ = 100.
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