Superman

Say goodbye to the Snyder verse and hello to the era of James Gunn. And what better way to begin than with a character who symbolises hope.

As a fan of Gunn’s work with the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy from Marvel, my expectations were high. He understands how to have fun with comic book films, skilfully balancing quirky characters with emotionally intelligent writing so that everything feels connected, human, and grounded in tangible concepts.

The film is set 30 years after Superman has arrived on Earth. Everyone knows that he and the other Metahumans (those with abilities) exist, so we can skip a lot of the origin story preamble.

We first meet our hero beaten and battered. He’s just lost his first fight and needs help from Krypto, his badly behaved dog. Already playing with expectations, and a key theme of the film – Superman never reaches full power. A wise move from Gunn to allow other themes to breath as we take a more insightful look at the character.

What is Superman’s role on Earth? How does he, as someone with extraordinary abilities, help the people of Earth and act with diplomacy within the laws of Earth’s governments? How does he hold himself accountable, be a symbol of hope, and manage his frustrations navigating social and governmental politics?  

Balancing the weight of this complexity with an existential crisis, carrying the emotions of what makes us human – wanting to fit in, to be loved, to have relationships and find a home – and you know, have fun along the way. Conveying this into one film is a challenge.

Which is why David Cronenswet is the perfect Superman to Gunn’s direction and writing, and why, as much of a fan as I am of Henry Cavill’s version, I cannot see Cavill conveying all this as superbly as Cronenswet does.

There’s a scene when Clark lets Louis interview him as Superman that perfectly encapsulates this. After 30 years, his frustration at knowing what he can do as Superman, versus what he should do, is reaching boiling point. Made worse by Lex Luther (Nicholas Hoult) working against him in the background to tarnish his reputation and character. He oscillates between his identity as Clark Kent and Superman, making small but noticeable changes to his voice and physical movement, symbolising his own slightly blurred perception of his place on Earth balancing his two roles.

It’s a fantastically written and choreographed moment. An interaction that only works with this version of Louis Lane. She feels a real person, being first and full most a reporter and calls him out on his actions. Did Superman act as an independent agent, or did he work with the governments to bring peace?

In the Snyder films she was more an attachment to Superman, in Gunn’s version Louise Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) is a character in her own right. Developing the romantic relationship with Clark Kent, and a professional career through investigating Lex Luther. While the film does of course lead onto their own romantic relationship, having these real moments feels more human, making the relationship feel more earned, human and authentic.

No hero story is complete without a classic villain. I love Hoult’s portrayal of Lex Luthor. He’s charming in a slimy way, formidably intelligent which with his deep hatred of Superman means he can execute a near plan to defeat Superman. I loved his passion when commanding his team, a cross between a video game and digital war room, matched by the raw emotions when he’s losing. Lex is the kind of villain Gunn knows how to write, a humanised one.

The film is full of action, fun, and laughs, with deeply heartfelt moments dotted throughout, and accompanied by a beautiful soundtrack. It’s vibrant in colours and with well-placed introductions to new characters which brings it all to life, including Krypto the dog who Superman is looking after. You can always trust Gunn to successfully adapt animals for films.

So, it plays even better that Lex is as an unhinged villain, ready to use the full might of his power and break every boundary to defeat Superman physically and mentally. Amplifying the darker shocking moments and the funnier ones. Like using literally thousands of monkeys hammering away at computers in a pocket universe to troll Superman online – such a comic book thing to do.  

There are few minor flaws mixed into the fun, and one bigger one. I don’t know when this is supposed to be set, but the language is confusing. A mix of ‘Golly’ and ‘Gosh darn’ to expletives. The film also has a small lighting issue. Both Lex and Superman have a big monologue scene, but the backlighting is blinding whenever their heads aren’t blocking it, which is a shame as it dampens the effect. On this, I can see what Gunn is trying to do, add to their moment of glory, but it’s unnecessary. There are other scenes that do this, like Superman saving the building from falling on the bridge, which opens to a wide shot as he emerges from the debris, perfect, it’s all you need.

I also don’t quite know how to feel about changing Superman’s origin story. Clark lands on earth with a message from his parents that was damaged on route. The first half is the classic, protect the people of earth, then the second half is recovered which says, humans are weak minded creatures so actually be a God and rule them. As far as I know from the comics, he is sent to Earth as the most habitable planet to live a life happy life among humans and protect them.

Lex finding the second half of the message is an obvious plot device and is a little jarring, reimagining the origin story to fit Gunn’s vision in an otherwise authentic Superman film – I was waiting for a third reveal. But all in all, I don’t really mind, it mostly fits with this new direction, and the fun of the film outweighs it’s problems.

In a time of superhero fatigue, I think Gunn is off to a strong start. It’s a new iteration of Superman that feel fresh and carries a lot of heart. It’s exhilarating, filled with new characters who are nicely balanced and set up, and with each re-watch I’m enjoying it more and more. Between Marvel’s Thunderbolts and Superman, they’ve renewed my hope for the future of superhero films.

 Overall 4/5

Superman is available to rent or buy digitally