Review: ‘Superman’ is a well-cast blockbuster lost in its own self-importance

2025 / Dir. James Gunn

☆ 2.5/5

I don’t know what I was expecting from James Gunn’s Superman. A reset on the DCU’s strategic and aesthetic trajectory? A tonal shift from the bleak and beefy Snyderverse take on Big Blue? A good ol’ slice of Americana popcorn filmmaking? A fun and uncomplicated night at the movies? While it partially ticked some of these boxes (the tonal shift in particular), it was largely just another entangled, CGI slop fest disguised as something meaningful. A disguise as convincing as a pair of glasses. 

I’ll give it credit: Superman spares us another origin story and picks up in a world where Superman (David Corenswet) is already well-established as a global figure of justice and heroism. It wastes no time showing Lois Lane’s (Rachel Brosnahan) revelation that her coworker boyfriend is also, in fact, some dude flying around saving people. It trusts its audience to know that Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) equals bad without ever over-explaining his motives to destroy Superman and achieve global domination. It’s well-cast across the board. And in true Gunn fashion, it keeps the audience afloat with some well-timed comedic moments.

As an elevator pitch, it works. But it loses itself along the way in its failed attempts at sentimentality, its instantly-dated special effects that remove you from anything even remotely tangible, and its overwritten and under-executed script that will leave you scratching your head on more than one occasion. But perhaps most notable, it loses itself in its self-importance. Not only the importance of this film for James Gunn and the future of the DCU, but the importance of portraying a great American icon at a time of great American divide. An importance overemphasized in a cringe-tastic speech delivered by our caped hero in the film’s final battle. 

For many people, this film is simply going to work. Superman super fans will find plenty to fist-pump about in their seats. But until this franchise can embrace the practical effects of yester-Reeves and lower the stakes to something more grounded beyond saving the world, I’m afraid we’ve got many years of computer vomit heroism to look forward to.

Half star for the dog.

Watch if you like: Suicide Squad, The Flash, saying “back in my day” to nobody, and pointing and telling your spouse it’s the woman from The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.