Superman
★★★★
I’ll admit it—I’m more of a Marvel guy. The last decade of DC’s cinematic universe felt like a string of moody mixtapes trying to keep up with Marvel’s stadium tour, and I largely sat it out. But Superman? This one had me curious. The trailer popped. James Gunn was at the helm. And suddenly, I found myself... hopeful.
And wow—I had a genuinely great time with this movie.
What works best here is that this isn’t another origin story retread. Gunn cleverly sidesteps the “how” of Superman and focuses instead on the “why.” Without getting bogged down in Kryptonian lore, he delivers a character-driven story filled with heart, wit and just enough spectacle to make you remember why Superman is still the superhero.
The casting? Spot-on. The new Superman (David Corenswet) is charming, classically handsome and plays Clark with a gentle naivete that clashes brilliantly with the cynical world around him. Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane is sharp and grounded—less damsel, more bulldog journalist. And Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor? Tech bro menace meets power-hungry sociopath. Think Zuckerberg in a three-piece suit with world domination on his vision board.
But beneath the capes and chaos, this movie has something to say. Gunn doesn’t shy away from modern parallels—immigration, media manipulation, the erosion of public trust—and while that might ruffle some feathers, it’s also baked into Superman’s DNA. If the themes feel “heavy-handed,” maybe that’s more about the mirror it’s holding up.
There’s a scene early on—just a simple, cheeky interview between Lois and Superman—that I thought was brilliant. It packs in exposition, humor, romantic tension and deeper world-building without ever feeling forced. That’s Gunn at his best: making even the smallest moments feel big.
Admittedly, the movie starts slow, and the second half packs a lot in—maybe too much. There are enough side characters introduced to launch a miniseries. But despite the crowded storytelling, it never fully loses its footing. Gunn juggles the moving pieces with a steady hand, guiding the audience with laughs, surprises and smart emotional beats.
I watched this with my wife and her parents, and we all walked out impressed. That’s the magic trick Gunn pulls off—he gets the comic book crowd with deep-cut references, but he also knows how to entertain the casual viewer who just wants a good time at the movies.
If this is the tone-setter for the new DCU, count me in. Gunn has given Superman his soul back—and given me a reason to care about DC again.
Bring on the next one.
