'Superman' Review: James Gunn's Take Soars
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The Man of Steel. The moniker conjures up more than just the instantly recognizable visage of DC’s most famous hero, Superman. The name speaks to infallibility, otherworldly strength, power, and an unyielding force. James Gunn does not offer audiences the Man of Steel in his refreshed, colorful take in Superman; opting instead to rally fans behind Superman as an embodiment of vulnerability, hope, and strength in showing empathy where others would use brute force to sway the world.
It’s the summer blockbuster that this writer’s heart has desperately needed and the boost of energy that DC films have been sorely lacking previously.
Superman is not an origin story, but a crossroads. We meet Superman/Clark Kent (David Corenswet) a few years into his career as a symbol of truth and justice; he’s a controversial public figure, a subject of scrutiny in an increasingly cynical world, and, as a man, he’s exhausted. At a crucial moment, Superman’s perspective on himself and what he stands for is shaken. Seizing upon this window of opportunity, billionaire egomaniac Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) launches a full-scale attack with a singular mission: eliminate Superman.
As hostile forces push in and threaten all that he holds dear, Superman must reconnect to his purpose and determine what is truly worth fighting for. Fortunately, he’s not going it alone with the help of the Justice Gang, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo), and alien’s-best-friend Krypto.
It’s crucial to make the distinction that this is a film about Superman and not Clark Kent. In fact, the more mild mannered alter ego does not appear all that much in the film. What difference does that make? The answer is: all. All the difference.
Superman places its narrative focus on Superman as a figure in the world. As an established part of the cultural zeitgeist. Superman’s status as a symbol wrenches control of the narrative surrounding his purpose out of Clark Kent’s grasp and places it in the hands of internet haters, domestic and global interests, and, yes, the individuals that believe in Superman as a force for good and justice.
Superman is something much larger than Clark Kent — whether he likes it or not.
James Gunn, backed by a fantastic performance from David Corenswet (seriously, he is Superman), presents Superman as something vulnerable. Despite his immense power, Superman is not infallible. He’s faced with challenges that do bring him to his knees. Make him bleed. As a man, both Superman and his day-to-day existence as Clark Kent are plagued by insecurity and fear.
Insecurity. Hold onto that word.
Superman crafts both the hero and the symbol as something of an underdog. Not an easy feat, considering the whole alien superpowers thing. But it’s about how symbols can be corrupted. We place our faith in imperfect symbols constantly. It’s our vulnerability that moves us to have empathy and to rise to the occasion.
Corenswet plays Superman/Kent with a subtle, gentle nature that stops just short of wide-eyed idealism and can simply be summarized as hopeful. It’s hope and it’s empathy. Clark Kent’s personal stakes of protecting those he loves add a necessary depth to the script and to Corenswet’s portrayal — giving us all the more to root for — but Superman ultimately leaves us with this idea: Vulnerability either becomes courage or insecurity. One is heroic. The other corrosive.
Which brings me to Lex Luthor; brought to smarmy, insufferable existence by one of my favorite performances from Nicholas Hoult to date.
Man, oh man, is this the villain to end all villains. Every. Single. Detail of Lex Luthor’s on-screen portrayal is designed to incite skin-crawling rage. Equal parts ludicrous and formidable. Inhumane and petty. If Superman is a symbol of courage in the face of vulnerability, Lex Luthor is the embodiment of how all the power in the world cannot satisfy the wounded egos of inherently weak, insecure men.
(If there’s a pointed commentary to be found in Superman, that’s it.)
And thus, Luthor acts as the perfect foil to what Superman is really getting at.
Lex Luthor is driven by envy, his own feelings of insecurity, and it makes him incoherent. He’s the poster child of the idea that whoever manages to scream the loudest wins the argument. His presence in the film is wrapped in tongue-in-cheek criticisms of contemporary media culture; making Lex Luthor the standard bearer of our absolute worst behaviors, in addition to being the antithesis of all that Superman represents.
The devil is in the most minute details of Hoult’s performance and audiences will love how much they hate this baddie.
Whip-smart take on the good versus evil narrative aside, Superman is just a great time at the movies. A perfect summer blockbuster. Of course, James Gunn brings his signature brand of humor (complete with some truly epic needle drops) to the project, but it would be a mistake to dismiss Superman as DC’s answer to Guardians of the Galaxy. Gunn brings a cynical tone that bridges the gap between silly comic book sensibilities and the natural grit that DC’s stories are famous for.
Nobody does fatherly love on film like James Gunn and some of the best parts of the film were the moments between Clark and his adoptive parents. In fact, relationships across the characters and cast give such a great texture to the film. As for the inclusion of Krypto — dog lovers and dog owners will feel particularly seen in every interaction with this Very Good Boy.
This is the Superman we’ve been waiting for. Not since Christopher Reeve has Superman been portrayed with such humanity and heart and Corenswet is as worthy a successor as the character’s legacy could hope for. James Gunn not only injects vital color and energy into every DC project he has undertaken, but he understands exactly what Superman is supposed to be. A rock solid commentary on courage over strength that rises to the cultural moment in more ways than one. I’m looking up and looking forward to what comes next.
Rating: 9/10
Superman soars into theaters everywhere on July 11, 2025