Oscar Meagher soars into Metropolis to see if James Gunn’s Superman is a hero for our times.
Created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the character of Superman now evokes a quaint view of heroism. If there's a cat stuck up a tree or a disenfranchised youth in need of a PSA on the importance of recycling, Superman is there to save the day. Needless to say, the last two decades of cinematic superhero dominance have enforced a near-total abandonment of the source material silliness. How can a character like that exist in a world where cynicism has replaced kindness and irony has killed sincerity? It doesn't. James Gunn's Superman wholeheartedly embrace the absurdity and comic book spectacle that has seen the caped crusader remain an icon for almost 90 years.
For the uninitiated, Superman is an all-powerful alien from the planet Krypton. He wears a red and blue suit and can fly while fighting for truth, justice and the American way. While that might not seem like a whole lot to go on, the film spends even less time on introductions. Rather than a grand re-explanation of the character’s roots, Superman begins in a world where his exploits are already well documented and a regular occurrence in his home city of Metropolis. Superman, AKA Clark Kent (David Corenswet), attempts to juggle the responsibilities of super-heroism while maintaining a private romance with his girlfriend Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan). When a dark revelation regarding his heritage is revealed, he must wrestle with self-doubt, public mistrust and the Machiavellian scheming of his arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult).
Many comic book enthusiasts will be pleased by the reverence for the source material, but just as many cinemagoers may be baffled by the film's devotion to the esoteric. We aren't so much eased into this world of gods and monsters but thrown in headfirst, an odd choice considering that this is apparently the start of a proposed cinematic universe. This could not be more apparent either, with so many characters and scenes superfluous to the plot.
A character like Superman always runs the risk of being a little dull on account of his “dad-like” personality. Thankfully, in this iteration, there’s some charisma in front of the cape. Corenswet proves himself to be an exemplary Man of Steel; likeable as both Superman and his bumbling alter ego, Clark Kent. His puppyish optimism is all the more charming given how oblivious he is to his own innocence, amplified even further during his attempts at macho posturing. His scenes are infused with energy thanks to Brosnahan's performance as Lois Lane. The pair have a natural chemistry that far outshines any recent on-screen depictions. Other supporting characters do not receive as many dimensions. The film's villain, Lex Luthor is angry and mean – and that's it. However, Hoult injects the role with so much comic book supervillainy that he's a blast whenever on screen.
Writer and director James Gunn proves himself an oddly suitable captain for this ship. Odd only because his past ventures in the genre, such as Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad, had a generally comedic approach to their fantastical source material. Superman certainly boasts moments of humour, not all of which land, but Gunn's superpower is his ability to realise this world with a totally straight face. It's all there – the bright colours, the flying dog and, yes, the bright red briefs on the outside of blue spandex. While prior adaptations (such as 2013’s Man of Steel) stripped the character of his colour in an attempt to ground the world in the sombre, Gunn leans in with such sincerity. As Superman himself asks Lois during a tender exchange, "Isn't that the real punk rock?"
While the core elements of the character are faithfully retained, some receive a contemporary update. The ethics of a Superman-like character give way to introspection. The idea of this all-powerful being who is virtually impervious to most things is an uninteresting and mildly disturbing concept. What's to stop him from doing anything he wants? As this movie makes abundantly clear, "He's not a god, he's a man." Actions have consequences, and the titular character thankfully is never portrayed as infallible as his reputation suggests. He gets knocked down – quite frequently - and then gets up again. Plus, what’s power and indestructibility when an unkind word from Lois Lane packs triple the punch? Gone is the boring stoicism and finger-wagging moralising. This Superman retains the character’s core values while ditching the attitude; we're always looking up at him, but he's never looking down on us.
Introspection is all well and good, but a spectacle like this needs some action. Thankfully, there’s a lot of it – and it’s fun. The film’s rollercoaster thrills are not be passively viewed. Action scenes are kinetic and bursting with energy. We’re right up there in the sky with Superman, participating in every punch, and the visual presentation is ambitious and vibrant. However, the lighting and direction of key sequences aren't necessarily awe -inspiring, as many of the action scenes are delivered via rather uncanny VFX, particularly during those aerial sequences. The tagline for the Richard Donner 1978 original was, “You’ll believe a man can fly.” That might not be the case this time, but the movie conjures enough good will to look past this.
In this critic’s opinion, Superman is the character's finest cinematic outing in nearly 50 years, and with David Corenswet in the lead and James Gunn at the helm, it’s hard not to enjoy it. This is a big, silly film that wears its heart on its sleeve without a shred of embarrassment. And that kind of enthusiasm is infectious.
Superman is in cinemas 11th July 2025.
