DC Studios’ Superman is cut from the same cloth that produced and helped quilt the foundations of fantastical belief residing in the realm of past DC Comics live-action properties. It is a hyper-sensualized living comic book, not afraid to wear the element of heart on its long flowing cape. It never feels zany or out of place as aspects from the treasure trove of the Silver Age comics are replicated and utilized with precision.
Woven into the film’s DNA is the integrity of the Max Fleischer and Bruce Timm animated masterpieces retrieved from the vault and inserted into a modern-day canvas that oozes comic-booky euphoric bliss. This approach restores a sense of purpose and justification among audiences that once grew fatigued and quivered in fear of the genre, as the ability to believe fizzled away.
Director James Gunn revitalizes the messaging of the Richard Donner and Christopher Reeve Superman films, reminding us of a time when the idea of a man flying in a bright blue suit, crafted with care by his mother, captured the world’s imagination. This suit, paired with crimson red trunks, symbolizes peace and justice, while the iconic “S” emblem represents hope.
Gunn also draws inspiration from the early 2000s Sam Raimi Spider-Man films, creating a vibrant and human-centered metropolis that appreciates its guardian. This city exists in a reality filled with grace, fantasy, and Silver Age humor, unafraid to explore the limitless creative potential of its storytelling.
With this vision, Gunn has successfully laid the groundwork for the expanding DC Universe, which is now coming into focus.
Comic-Accurate Landscape and Environments
I stand by the notion that the same elation I once felt with the world of Gotham being created with grime and decay to house a broken and empty husk of a Robert Pattinson-led Bruce Wayne under the vision of Director Matt Reeves, Gunn and company has made a sun-drenched and golden art-deco metropolis brought to reality using a blend of practical locations and almost perfect visuals.
For instance, Norway houses the Fortress of Solitude, which is a pure miracle with imagery pulled straight from the Frank Quietly panels of Grant Morrison’s ‘All-Star Superman’. It is littered with a plethora of easter eggs that would make the biggest fan jump into a cacophony of pure elation.
These include crystals emerging from the snowy tundra, the entrance door adorned with the House of El sigil, and the autonoms, each having a various number showing either rank or emergence assisting Superman. They are crocheted with visuals and movement of the sun being transferred through multiple magnification lenses as a subtle touch, displaying how the Fortress can move in any direction to hone in on the sun’s strength, restoring Superman to full strength. This is done at various times throughout the story.
Running congruent to the city of Cleveland, once the birthplace of creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, now forever enshrined and bottled in the moment, acting as the backdrop to the jam-packed and at times overstuffed sandbox of heroism. The kinetic camerawork of Gunn lifts the frame into the cotton candy blue skies as the Man of Steel is slowing down to survey and ensure every life can be saved, from a little girl to a squirrel about to be squished by a giant Kaiju monster.
Before a confrontation occurs in Guardians stadium housing the fictional Metropolis Meteors, we see a real-life and tangible Daily Planet, fully worldwide, with a sense of ethics and journalistic integrity, as the golden hues adorn the walls. An exterior shot pans outside, showcasing the iconic globe always spinning, all while the score evolves, giving depth to not only the characters but the environments as well. The Planet’s theme sounds similar to a real-life broadcast, with the rapid tempo of horns rising to a crescendo, only to slow down. Meanwhile, Gunn is standing behind the camera as he glides through the bullpen, taking in the fast-paced and kinetic uncontrollable atmosphere, to the spread-out bullpen of the desks of the team forever nearby in reach, rushing to make the deadline and get the next big story printed and published.
Lastly, I enjoyed the rustic hometown feel of how the Kent farm was displayed. It allowed the narrative to explore Clark’s teenage home and understand the empathy and purity the Kents instilled into the Man of Steel. The pride Jonathan “Pa” (Pruitt Taylor Vince) and Martha (Neva Howell) have for their son was perfect in every aspect. Building on how the entire cast did a terrific job, they never felt like they were playing the role; they were just the characters. I empathized with Clark Kent, felt love and flew as Superman, strayed the line of impartial ethics as Lois Lane, while questioning my place in a world of gods, and felt the sadistic anger burning a hole in the eyes of society from Lex Luthor.
John Murphy and David Fleming’s score was a modern-day reinterpretation of the iconic and forever-revered John Williams’ theme. However, it found its identity with triumphant horns juxtaposed to the underlying crescendo of percussive elements, along with the inclusion of an electric guitar. This often invoked a sense of connective optimism into the narrative being told, and I felt that was the intention. As fans are to understand, this is a love letter to a masterpiece, but it’s also a variation meant for a new age of honoring the past and creating a new future. It exists in a new atmosphere, relaying that you can still enjoy the purpose of what Superman embodies while understanding the actor and face may change, but the ideals of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow will remain.
Same Old Icons, New Faces
David Corenswet fills the cape and trunks with ease, warmth, vulnerability, and pure human admiration. He offers hope, joy, and a hand of support to anyone in distress, as the inner regret of trying to be everywhere at once lingers in his heart, but never tarnishes his spirit. Gunn’s script allows Corenswet to fully integrate himself and embody the strength and grace of what makes this Clark tick. As every character works into the nature of who this Clark is, we see his connections, how he loves Lois, but fears to push forward in the relationship, his uncertainty, and lingering fears of why Lex despises him, despite feeling human.
He’s an outsider from those in the ‘Justice Gang’ as they wear the badge of Lord Tech as corporate heroes, staying under the grip of controlled and commercialized interventions. As the pressure and tension reach a breaking point multiple times, he continues to keep battling through the adversity put before him, never forgetting his small town upbringing and the conquest to be ‘good’ and never give in.
I also want to commend Gunn for how he went full comic-book with how he framed Superman’s flight, super speed, ice breath, heat vision, and the whole arsenal of powers. And of course, I can’t forget Krypto and how I’m still in shock and awe of how the super-powered canine is 100 percent CGI. I loved the dynamic between Supes and his friend, and how, as a dog owner of two, it was perfectly explored with how they can act sometimes, hope to see more of Krypto.
Rachel Brosnahan is pure Lois in every aspect of the character as she carries a sense of fervent will, fighting for the values of truth and justice, while navigating points of tension, and the chemistry she provides with Corenswet is heartfelt and organic, especially the interview scene, but the moments later in the film when the dynamic of their timeless relationship is pushed to the brink, as the divergent ideals of each lifestyle comes to friction, and how to recover. As the score for Lois and Clark is inviting, it’s a soft strung melody from a ensemble of horns, and a single guitar, acting as the timid nature of a blossoming relationship that is still working out the small things, only to understand the foundation is present and set to take off, it’s the small feeling of butterflies of finding the one person you have longed for all your life, it just works, and acts the eloquent backdrop to alleviate the tension present at the hardest of times.
All executed with precision and a feeling of tangible attachment and reliability to the interactions she has with Jimmy Olsen(Skyler Gisondo) who shines, and Daily Planet Editor in Chief Perry White(Wendell Pierce) having a clear cut blast inside the iconic DC comics landmark and may I confess I loved how the Planet crew even though it was a B-plot got it’s own moment to shine and weighted the conclusion. And of course, the costume department did her justice with the inclusion of the signature Lois purple, and Gunn’s attention to the mannerisms of the animated series held in reference.
Bringing me to the point of flowers being delivered and bestowed to Nicholas Hoult(Lex Luthor) chewed up every frame and had a blast by being able to finally portray a timeless comic-book antagonist as a Lex who is devastated and feels that the world has turned its back on the established order of humanity and policy due to the inclusion of a god or as he refers to the Man of Steel as an “it” shredding any sense of recognition or respect for the Kryptonian, while never being afraid to go past any boundary to get what he feels is his.
I also want to add that the Luthorcorp theme was metallic, and quite nefarious, reflecting the technological reliance of Lex, drowning out the human standards, feeling beneath those around him, and emerging as ahead of the pack, looking to leave those who sided with the Man of the Steel in the same pit of despair that resides in his egotistical machinations dissolved by the lack of empathy present in his subconscious.
Cementing the fact that Hoult’s Luthor despises Superman, quite literally hates him, and feels that it’s his birthright to lead humanity. It’s a performance that pulls from every corner of the historic 87-year lifespan of the character that Gunn had at his disposal. Hoult takes what was asked and runs with it as he was astounding through the use of his facial expressions, line delivery, monologues and frequent tirades, all while laying the groundwork and foundation for offering a point of future appearances due to the deep rooted hatred that Lex and Supes haven’t been able to explore on the big screen in nature compared to Batman and The Joker—a dynamic that if executed with the right direction will be talked about for generations to come with how perfect Corenswet and Hoult embody the duo. There’s still room for growth to emerge.
In the case of other villains, I thought María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer was pretty good, but I felt I wanted to see more. With that noted, her performance was quite strong and led to some action-packed fun, along with a unique display of her powers fleshed out.
Coming full circle as I noted before, the inclusion of the Justice Gang, which consisted of the trio of Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) gave the film a bit of comedic levity, but also a point of difference in direction of what it means to be a hero, as their actions at times especially upon first appearance juxtaposed how Superman acts, and even though for some the role was minor, I felt each had their moment to shine, most particular Gathegi’s performance which had my theater jumping for joy, as many could admit Terrific was a scene stealer as well.
Also, to add the intrigue of a fully fleshed out Green Lantern corps set to take stage soon, as the question of what it means to be a Lantern and ‘The oath’ is noted in a passing expositional confession, did have many rushing to see what the next proverbial chapter of this infant universe entailed, as I left my theater, instilling a sense of the conquest and fixation of ‘what’s next’ hooking in the viewer to stay on the rollercoaster that Gunn has built as the realm of DC properties are now behind the gates of the amusement park set to open.
However, I do wish that Hawkgirl had a bit more to do. Still, her inclusion as one of the younger members did shed some light and offered a point of connection to the upcoming audience, and seeing a prototype Justice League begin to take shape was well worth the price of admission as well.
The visual enjoyment of seeing the various Lantern constructs, to an exploration of a pocket dimension, where I felt the visuals were a bit odd, if honest, but when the bombastic coat of paint which cinematographer Henry Braham utilized was when Gunn let loose, and allowed the various arrangements of cameras at his disposal to be a character in itself, offering a vision not yet felt or seen in recent DC films, even though I still felt some moments I thought I was in a interactive video game, instead of a polished and realistic canvas.
Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason/Metamorpho was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed the practicality of his amalgamated prosthetics. I won’t go any further besides Carrigan buys in and doesn’t shy from the zany nature of the character, needless to say, leading me to the point of how the film does beg the question of offering quite a bit of established exposition.
It felt like if you understand the lore of DC comics, then you can jump in quite easily and be caught up, but for some in the general audience will be feeling a bit of confusion as you are left trying to play catch up, as Gunn stretches the boundaries of the ordinary a few times too many, as the screenplay speeds by a bit quick. I feel that some scenes could have benefited from having the ability to slow down and let the intention or thought of the characters be fully fleshed out and navigated.
The final verdict
Meaning that despite the film being a bit overstuffed I still regained a sense of hope that Gunn stays the course with the sandbox over at DC Studios, that continues, and I hope will only build in size and stature as this world is given a chance to breathe and be explored with each project to follow, because from what I’ve seen with how Gunn handled Superman, I am all in for what’s next. And honestly, you should as well.
“Superman” is never afraid to stretch the limits of fiction as it’s unique, inspiring and full of hope, and the best way to describe what Gunn has crafted is it’s a perfect harmony of the animated series bestowing a point of euphoric bliss, possessing the integrity and thematic of the the Richard Donner films while never shying away from being just a living comic book brought to reality with grace, fantasy and silver age hi-jinks, unapologetic in the execution of bombastic camp forever found in the panels and lore of the DC comics brand and license.
All about ‘Superman’
“Superman” stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as star-studded Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as photographer Jimmy Olsen, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Nicholas Hoult as classic antagonist Lex Luthor, Neva Howell as Marhta Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Jonathan “Pa” Kent, Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Christopher McDonald as Ron Troupe.
The cast also includes Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Terence Rosemore as Otis, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, and María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer.
“Superman” is slated to arrive in theaters on July 11, 2025.
DC Studios’ “Superman” is never afraid to stretch the limits of fiction, as it’s unique, inspiring, and full of hope. Director James Gunn has cemented his first steps forward for the vast and burgeoning DCU, which is now coming into focus.
