The first movie in James Gunn’s brand new DCU, Superman has flown into theatres, and has cemented itself as the best onscreen iteration of the character in a very long time.
The movie faced significant backlash in the buildup to release, primarily due to many not accepting this version of the character, played by David Corenswet, after Henry Cavill’s portrayal of Supes in Zack Snyder’s DCEU.
In order to fit into the tone of Snyder’s universe, Cavill’s Superman was far darker, with the character feeling colder and stoic, a far cry from how he is usually portrayed in his nearly 100-year history. In contrast, Superman (2025) is far more accurate to the comics, brighter tone and all.
Right off the bat, it is clear as day that the people behind this movie care deeply about the character of Superman. They understand the character, the movie truly feels like classic comics plastered onto the big screen, dropping darkness and grit for vibrant colours and all sorts of strange ideas and concepts.
James Gunn’s direction is on full display here, with multiple longer, one-take scenes sprinkled throughout, along with snappy camera movement and vibrant colours. He also makes creative use of licensed music, although not to the same extent as his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy.
David Fleming and John Murphy compose a standout original score, featuring some surprisingly effective electric guitar, alongside new full orchestral renditions of the classic John Williams Superman theme.
Corenswet cements himself as the best live action Superman in a long time, truly embodying the symbol of hope that Superman is supposed to be. At the same time, he expertly plays the mild-mannered Clark Kent, even if there are surprisingly few scenes of Kent’s personal life.
Nicholas Hoult plays far and away the best live action Lex Luthor we have ever seen. He is smart, completely ruthless, and filled with insane amounts of pure hatred for Superman, with this hatred often blinding his judgement. Rachel Brosnahan similarly plays an amazing Lois Lane, while Skyler Gisondo portrays a great comedic take on Jimmy Olsen.
Also featured are the Justice Gang (not League, they are called the Justice Gang in this one), comprising of Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and Mr. Terrific, played by Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, and Edi Gathegi respectively. All three are incredibly fun heroes to watch, all having great comedic moments as well, with Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific being the standout of the group.
There are even more characters not mentioned here that make the most of their sometimes-limited screentime, which relates to the one main flaw of the movie; it is incredibly dense, there’s a lot going on here, and not everyone gets the time needed to leave a mark on the viewer. It can feel overstuffed at points.
Superman feels like the grand, triumphant return of one of the biggest superheroes ever to the big screen. The movie understands that Superman is not just a nearly-all-powerful alien demigod – he’s a human first, raised by normal humans on Earth, and has lived a human life.
The DCU is off to a strong start, and between the quality of Superman and Marvel’s recent missteps, it just might be DC’s time to shine in the theatre once again.
Rating: 9/10
