Superman, from visionary writer/director James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy Trilogy, The Suicide Squad), has a lot resting on its shoulders as the flagship/launch film for DC Studios, the new wing of Warner Bros. tasked with maintaining a new cinematic universe in the DC Comics continuity. WB top brass can rest a little easier tonight as Superman is a rousing success thanks to a phenomenal cast, colorful visuals, and a refreshing approach to its comic book world-building.
Clark Kent/Superman, portrayed superbly by relative newcomer David Corenswet, has been operating in Metropolis in both his identities for a few years as things open. A well-executed bit of on-screen text exposition sets up not only Superman’s career to this point but the entire status quo of this DC Universe. As his popularity grows, so do the stakes of his actions, and when he intervenes in a foreign invasion, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) sees the opportunity to sway international favor against the Man of Steel.
Superman is a wonderfully bright and optimistic comic book movie that never shies away from its roots, and that includes even the more bizarre elements. James Gunn has an impeccable grasp of the core of what makes these characters endure and brings unique takes on its roster never seen before. None more prevalent than his handling of Clark/Kal-El’s Earth and Kryptonian parents, where the script forges new ground within the Superman mythology while driving key emotional moments of the film.
In another example, Corenswet’s Superman/Clark Kent is by far the most human take represented on film to date. He is occasionally overconfident and emotional, and he makes mistakes, but when it matters, he’s still the “Golly, gosh” big, blue boy scout fans have been waiting to represented in live action. This Superman literally takes time to do things like saving a squirrel during a citywide threat from a rampaging monster. It’s this idea of doing the right thing even though it’s not cool or easy that sets Superman apart from other meta-humans (superpowered people) and is a fascinating choice for character conflict.
Happy to bring said conflict is Lex Luthor, brought to life in a scene-stealing performance from Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: First Class). This is the version of Luthor fans have been waiting for; he’s the brilliant tech mogul with an intense hatred of Superman’s alien lineage, and ruthless to no end. Hoult is explosive and intense, and his dialogue and delivery are note-perfect. There are no goofy real estate schemes with this Lex; he’s all business and is the most intimidating version to date – a role previously held, in my estimation, by Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex on the beloved, long-running TV series Smallville.
Cast chemistry is the yellow sunlight that fuels the superpowers of this movie, and the main trio are a revelation together. Rachel Brosnahan is magnetic as Lois Lane, a version ripped straight from the 90s Superman animated series, and her electricity with Corenswet is lightning in a bottle. After the initial action, the film spends a good amount of time in quiet moments with Clark and Lois that explore a lot of themes of their ongoing romance and Clark’s approach to his career as Superman. Through these dialogue driven scenes, Clark and Lois become fully realized characters, and it’s easy to become endeared to them both as a couple and as individuals, setting the stage for much of the trials to come.
Outside the core trio, the cast gets weird, wild, and diverse and is a blast of nerdy fresh air (maybe not the best analogy?). From the instant legend that is Krypto the Superdog to Nathan Fillion’s oafish Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, Superman is a DC Comics fan’s dream of rotating characters. One of the few nitpicks about the film is not getting to spend enough time with its supporting characters. This includes the lovable Daily Planet bullpen, the tortured, multicolored Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan) or Fortress of Solitude robot Number 4 (voiced by Alan Tudyk) just to name a few. Ultimately, the pacing and runtime thread the needle so well that I wouldn’t have wanted the film to throw that off by derailing the plot momentum with more side stories.
Superman is peak popcorn entertainment and will awaken the child in you like a play session with your favorite action figures magically brought to life before your eyes. There’s no hand-holding here, and Gunn is bringing us into a world that feels like it’s in the 2nd act of a larger story. It’s a bold, brilliant move that gets audiences right to the good stuff and a unique approach to cinematic world-building. The spectacle in the film is also next level, but the most important thing about a Superman story is its heart, and Superman has it in spades.
Score: 4 out of 5