James Gunn is a filmmaker who undoubtedly loves what he does for a living. He can adapt smoothly depending on the stories and characters he’s writing for. His “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy (2014–2023), solo film “The Suicide Squad” (2021) and HBO Max series “Peacemaker” (2022–Present) prove this.
“Superman” (2025), starring David Corenswet as the last son of Krypton, is Gunn’s first film to not center on a protagonist who’s an outcast or morally gray like in his previous works. Superman is the best portrayed as he’s ever been since Christopher Reeve’s version in Richard Donner’s classic 1978 “Superman.”
Gunn doesn’t waste time establishing Superman’s origin story and instead jumps right into the immediate aftermath of a fight scene. For three years, Kal-El has been living as Clark Kent and working for the Daily Planet while protecting Metropolis from outside dangers as Superman.
His reputation as a hero is divided after stepping in to protect the civilians of the country, Jarhanpur, from the neighboring country, Boravia. Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), along with the United States government, sees an issue with Superman’s intervention in a foreign conflict and decides there must be some level of control over him.
Clark’s girlfriend and colleague Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) interviews him as Superman about his recent efforts in the Boravia-Jarhanpur conflict. The interview goes south and results in a growing tension in an already strained relationship between Clark and Lane.
After a turn of events, Superman turns himself in to the U.S. government in the hope of clearing his image and also recovering his stolen super-dog, Krypto. Superman learns of Luthor’s plan for him and for all of those who pose a threat to him. After escaping and hearing words of encouragement from Ma (Neva Howell) and Pa (Pruitt Taylor Vince) Kent, Superman does what is best for Earth, Lane and ultimately himself.
Corenswet’s take on the character does not feel like a betrayal. Henry Cavill’s portrayal of the character could’ve been a generational Superman; however, the scripts for the films he was in hardly make an attempt to make his character grow or change in any way.
Superman isn’t just a hero for the U.S., or even the fictional city of Metropolis. He’s a superhero who correctly serves all those on Earth and even protects those he may not personally like, such as in the case of Lex Luthor.
There is no group of people or lifeforms Superman views as of lesser importance compared to others. He sees that all life should be viewed as sacred, even if the world is against him. He won’t stop doing what is right. Corenswet was an excellent choice to play the role.
His costars Brosnahan and Hoult do their characters justice, respectively. Their performances are ripped right off the page of a Superman comic book. Brosnahan’s Lois Lane holds her own and often grills people for information like a proper journalist should.
Hoult stands out as Lex Luthor in this Superman film. Luthor’s big evil plan doesn’t involve taking over the world or seeking vengeance—it’s more about showing his pure hatred and jealousy of Superman. In every scene with him, the audience can tell that Superman is living rent-free in his head.
Gunn does a good job establishing a world where there are already superpowered characters in it, like Superman. The “Justice Gang,” composed of Green Lantern/Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), have a handful of scenes together and are about as entertaining as one would expect.
This version of “Superman” includes elements that other Superman-related media have not dared to incorporate. Krypto, Superman’s robot assistants, Luthor’s pocket universe prison and the introduction of kaiju-level threats are all new to the Superman genre. But Gunn is a filmmaker who is fine with having those elements, no matter how goofy they can be.
However, the film does at times feel a little bloated with how many characters there are and with what happens in the plot. It isn’t too much that the viewing experience can be overwhelming.
Gunn’s “Superman” is definitely not a flawless film, but it does provide a bright future for what DC Comics fans can expect from both Gunn himself and Peter Safran.
Rating: 3.5/5
