With the DC brand still reeling from the Snyderverse, comic filmmaking guru James Gunn and co-CEO Peter Safran had a lot riding on the quality of Superman as they attempt to launch a new universe that already houses John Cena’s Peacemaker on HBO Max, has a Milly Alcock-led Supergirl already wrapped filming, and many auteur-driven projects, including Mike Flanagan’s Clayface, on the horizon.
While Gunn’s signature style developed with Guardians of the Galaxy wasn’t exactly what Superman delivered, what Gunn did bring to the table gave Superman gave the film its own flavor in a genre that has struggled to find new ways to captivate their audience. While the phrase ‘comic book movie’ has become derivative of anything stemming from a comic-based IP, Superman might not deliver the peak of the superhero genre, but it does deliver our finest ‘comic book movie’ to date as Gunn’s product feels like a comic book come to life. From its world building to its dialogue, matched by its larger-than-life CGI and impressive sound effects, every detail of Superman feels taken from a graphic novel and pasted into a cinema. Being true to the narrative of the source material is one thing, but discovering the capabilities of the source material is another thing altogether, truly making Superman standout in an oversaturated movie market. Perhaps, the biggest factor in the success of the feel of Gunn’s Superman is the fact that its vibrant comic nature is a perfect contrast to the recent, far darker offerings of Zack Snyder, giving Gunn’s vision an immediate pulse and identity separate from previous forays into the Man of Steel.
The feel of the movie matters, but ultimately the film hinges on its casting. While they’re two very different actors with very different performances, the ultimate praise given to lead actor David Corenswet (Pearl, Twisters) is that much like Christopher Reeve in the Donner movies, Corenswet encompasses Superman. With the way that he sounds, the mannerisms he chooses, and the delicacy you can find within Corenswet’s physicality that adds the intangible human element of the character and his will to do the right thing, Superman feels embodied, as if Corenswet came from Krypton to play the role for us. Opposite Corenswet’s desire to do all things good, Nicholas Hoult (The Menu, Juror #2) portrayed perhaps the most inherently yet subtly evil villain in superhero movie history as a Lex Luthor that is willing to do anything it takes to get exactly what he wants. The crown jewel, however, is Rachel Brosnahan (Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, House of Cards) who delivers the best live-action Lois Lane to date.
The shrewdest aspect of Superman lays in its ideology. Not even particularly from its political acumen, but rather its story acumen. The film starts after Lois had already started dating Superman, the public knew about Superman, and Superman had already saved it, allowing the film to refrain from an origin story that has been told numerous times over. Furthermore, the script leaned into the idea that only kryptonite can kill Superman beyond his organs exploding from within, while only the sun can heal him. This allowed the film to humanize Superman in more than just personality, as Superman was not impervious to pain, only death. The inability to heal away from the radiation of the sun is one of many things that made the character more relatable, but it’s also something that allows the villains of the franchise to get an upper hand on a character that otherwise would be too unrealistic to physically get an upper hand on.
The film isn’t without flaws, primarily in its pacing. The film tends to breeze past specific moments and characters at the speed of Superman flying, which works in a sense that it keeps the focus on Superman as it introduces other characters that’ll be integral to the universe, but it also feels as though some of the film wasn’t as fleshed out as it could have been otherwise. Ordinarily, this would be something to blame on a studio executive who wants to keep the film concise and in a certain time window. However, with the director being the co-CEO of DC Studios, the filmmaker is the studio, making it a blatant choice, just one that might not connect with the entirety of the audiences. Another thing that might not connect with general audiences is the aforementioned comic book feel, but for its base of fans, this is as comic-centric as you’ll ever get, making it a real winner toward its demographic.
Ultimately, Superman demands to be seen on the largest screen with the loudest sound system. The film opens everywhere on Friday, July 11th, in all premium formats.
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