Review: Finally, a 'Superman' brave enough to be earnest

Warner Bros. Pictures, 2025.

Superman is not just an alien, he's from another time. And until James Gunn's "Superman," no other filmmaker has had the courage to lean into what has made him one of the most - if not the most - aspirational character in the history of American fiction.

Grade: B

"In all of the history of literature, there are only five fictional creations known to every man, woman and child on the planet...Mickey Mouse, Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Robin Hood...and Superman...he is our universal longing for perfection, for wisdom and power used in the service of the human race...he is our highest aspirations in human form." - Harlan Ellison, from "Superman at Fifty: The Persistence of a Legend."

There wasn't a less-popular comic book on the shelf than "Guardians of the Galaxy" when I worked my first job, at a comic book shop, in the early 1990s. Where books featuring Batman, X-Men, Spider-Man, Spawn and Superman were flying off the shelves, we would order one copy of the newest "Guardians of the Galaxy" comic book each month...and if you visited our store, you would have been able to purchase the entire run of the series dating back at least a few years. In other words, it completely sucked.

Flash-forward 30 years, and "Guardians of the Galaxy" is one of the hottest properties Marvel Comics has. It's all because of what filmmaker James Gunn did with the characters and the franchise, across three movies (not to mention their multiple appearances across other MCU films).

Suffice it to say, expectations were through the roof when it was announced that James Gunn would be given the reigns not only to the future of a DC Comics Movie Universe, but to reimagine and reintroduce their flagship hero, Superman, to the modern, superhero-fatigued audience. 

Gunn smartly reckons that nobody needs to see Superman's origin story again. Much like if you were to enter a comic book shop today and pick up a copy of any of the various Superman titles, his "Superman" movie plops you directly into the middle of an ongoing adventure. That decision alone, sets the tone for Gunn to give us the very best of what has made Superman so endearing - so persistent - in pop culture over the last 86 years, since being introduced in the pages of Action Comics back in 1939.

Superman (a perfectly cast David Corenswet) has just been given his first defeat, and has retreated back to his icy Fortress of Solitude. He's retrieved by his scene-stealing pup sidekick, Krypto, who is a dog with superhero abilities much like Superman, although the origins of the dog's powers are never explained. Not that they need to be OK? Superman just has a Super-Pet, and that's all you need to know (and be thankful that Gunn decides only to introduce Krypto, and not the gaggle of Super-pets that exist in Superman's comic book canon).

Resident Metropolis billionaire Lex Luthor (a no-nonsense Nicholas Hoult) follows Superman to his hidden fortress, and discovers a key piece of Superman's past, which he exploits to turn the public against him. Superman, with the help of fellow superheroes known as the "Justice Gang," are left to fight for truth, justice and the American way...or whatever that looks like in 2025.

Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnhahan), in this version, already knows Superman's secret: that her co-worker at the Daily Planet, Clark Kent, is really the Man of Steel. Jimmy Olsen (perfectly cast Skyler Gisondo) is given a very funny twist to his character even if Chief Perry White (Wendell Pierce) isn't given much to do. The Justice Gang, - made of up of Green Lantern Corp member Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) - all get their time to shine...unlike many other movies in this genre, they don't muddle things up or feel shoe-horned in to the point of distraction. They even find a clever way to introduce Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan) into the mix, as well as a sly and brief cameo from Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn), who comic book fans will notice could be a direction as to where this franchise heads next.

There are lots of action-packed battles, funny moments and some general silliness baked into the mix. But it would be a mistake to say that Gunn's film isn't to be taken seriously. At its core, it's a sly examination of the values that we all once championed in Superman: He is an embodiment of optimism, compassion, moral clarity, strength, humility and perhaps above all, hope. He rushes in not just to save people from certain danger...but in this version, he also can be seen saving a squirrel and risking his life for his dog. He even toys with a gigantic monster in the middle of Metropolis, as he tries to ascertain how he can get it out of the city without harming or killing it. When the "Justice Gang" shows less sympathy for the beast, Superman isn't judgmental.

In a quieter moment in the movie, Superman and Lois talk about "punk rock." Lois makes fun of the wholesome Superman, who used to like the lamest of lame mainstream punk rock bands on the planet. Superman is a lot of things, but he was never "cool." And under today's standards, he's also a relic. But Superman confidently reminds her of his unwavering values, of his selflessness. "Maybe that's punk rock," he tells her.

This scene strikes at the heart of what James Gunn gets right: He is unabashedly unafraid to show Superman as he is...he is not afraid or pressured by the "dark," morally ambiguous, anti-hero culture that we find ourselves in today. All of the characters that surround Superman can live in today's world...having become hardened and cynical, and perhaps with good reason. But Superman represents a bold alternative and refreshing path forward.

Recent depictions of Superman on film have tried to bring Superman into this modern darkness. With Gunn's "Superman," he goes in the opposite direction. Superman is the immovable pillar, and he tries to pull this harsh, divided world closer to his direction...not with words but through action. Even if - as the movie explores - you are rooted in an age-old purpose, you still have the power of choice. His powers are not what makes him super...it is most definitely his empathy and his refusal to give up on people.

​It's a bold, impossible mission...but if there's one superhero up to the task, it's Superman.

Grade: B

Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
Run Time: 2 hours 9 minutes
Rated PG-13

Starring: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Skyler Gisondo, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, Nicholas Hoult, Frank Grillo, Neva Howell, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced.

​Written & Directed by James Gunn ("The Suicide Squad" - 2021, "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3").

"Superman" is in theaters everywhere on Thursday, July 10th, 2025.