‘Superman’ Review: James Gunn Heralds a New Age of Superhero Cinema

It’s been a long time since a superhero movie has carried as much weight as James Gunn’s Superman, in multiple respects. Many folks will be quick to compare it to Iron Man, in that it’s starting a new cinematic universe, or Man of Steel, because of the titular character and the similar situation that it fundamentally holds next to Marvel’s parallel counterpart.

But, all things considered, Gunn’s reimagining of the DC Universe has a harder job than either of those movies did. Iron Man, as hard as it is to believe now, came out to essentially zero risk. At the time, the character wasn’t remotely as popular as he is now — Jon Favreau’s surprise smash-hit sparked what is arguably the most successful franchise in cinema… but if it hadn’t? It’s not like another competitor in the same space was actively vying for the throne at that time.

And Man of Steel, while attempting to replicate Marvel’s connected universe triumphs, was DC’s first true attempt at the feat. The relatively underwhelming performance of that film, and eventually of the DCEU as a whole, was a slow death that resulted naturally from Marvel’s unstoppable dominance throughout the 2010s. Superman, on the other hand, is a new effort that is being pushed at the most opportune time possible. With Marvel in somewhat of a downturn as of late and with audiences and critics alike having finally put the previous DC cinematic experience to rest, Gunn’s revival has the pressure of both learning from past mistakes as well as finding a way to set itself apart for the future. Another failure to start here would likely mean the death of DC on the silver screen for a long while… or, it would have, if Superman wasn’t one of the best comic book movies to come out in the last decade. But it is.

Gunn’s latest is perhaps the purest translation from comic to screen since Superman (1978) – it’s only fitting that such a return to form for the genre would circle back around in the character that essentially started it all. Despite the narrative itself being rather complex, there’s a simplicity to Superman that exhibits all the best qualities of the character in their most essential forms. Clark Kent is goofy, mild-mannered, and well-intentioned; Superman is stoic, gentle, and obsessively attentive to life; both are passionate, loving, and wonderfully inspiring. Not only are these things apparent on the page, but David Corenswet embodies them all to a meticulous tee.

In the same way that kids walked into the theater in 1978 and saw Christopher Reeve as Superman – a figure so tangible and certain that he must exist in the real world somewhere – kids now will surely do the same with Corenswet’s iteration of the same figure. It goes beyond the calculated voice and posture changes between Clark and Kal-El, although those are indeed effective, and into Corenswet’s more subtle mannerisms and expressions. It’s the brief, whimsied smile when he takes flight that shortly thereafter sinks into a determined stare because, by golly, lives are on the line. Or the exhaustive measures that he endures to avoid hurting anyone or anything, whether it be a villain’s body or his best friend’s heart. Superman’s internal battle is illustrated across Corenswet’s face in every frame: he is to the character now what Reeve was to it in his time, full stop.

David Corenswet is to Superman what Christopher Reeve was in 1978.

And he isn’t the only stroke of brilliance in that regard. Both Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult, as Lois Lane and Lex Luthor respectively, are almost equally accurate choices in their own right. Both share a palpable chemistry with Corenswet, although, of course, in two completely different ways. The former feels desperately attached to Superman while, the latter, inherently connected. One is tethered by love and, the other, envy – you get the picture. Hoult’s portrayal of Luthor is a particular standout due alone to just how horribly evil he is here. This feels like the first live-action adaptation of the character to fully unleash him in an unashamed, almost cartoonish form, and Hoult sinks his teeth into that like nobody else could have.

Within the story, Luthor acts as a sort of master puppeteer for all the misfortunes that befall Superman’s path, but the wider message is a timely study of social media, mass persuasion, and basic human kindness. While it may not be his most emotionally poignant story, Superman is technically Gunn’s most proficient work yet. Every narrative beat is expertly woven, ensuring characters check the necessary boxes for their individual journeys whilst the overarching themes continue to develop throughout. The plot is structured in a way that allows details to be revealed in a non-linear manner; you’ll see things early on that make sense of others down the line, and hear things later that provide context to something you missed in the scene before. This webbed style of storytelling allows for multiple, ultra-satisfying payoffs in the film’s climax as well, which, in retrospect, works to build a flawless final act. Gunn has been long known for his strong finales, and Superman is only further confirmation of that.

But overall, it may be the least “Gunn-like” of the director’s filmography up to this point. His singular sense of style is still present – especially in camera movements and comedic sensibilities – but everything here feels tailored to the character of Superman. The Guardians movies, as great as they are, felt like heavy-handed extensions of Gunn’s personality in order to bring what were, at first, relatively unknown characters into the limelight. In Superman, it’s the other way around. Gunn allows the tentpole traits of these characters and the world they live in to inform his creative decisions and, as a result, he maintains the classic, larger-than-life feel of it all. This is a Superman story adapted by James Gunn, not James Gunn’s Superman. His most subtle work as a director couldn’t have come at a better time, or for a better property, and the new DCU couldn’t have asked for a better start than Superman.

This is simply a dream come true for fans of the character, and a seismic win for superhero cinema. It’s proof that you don’t have to tap into the multiverse or the wider cosmos to make these stories feel important. Superman simply posits that there’s a little bit of this character in all of us, and that if we, now and again, try and see the world as he does, hope can never be truly lost. Welcome back to the big screen, Superman – the world has missed you dearly.

Superman flies into cinemas worldwide this Friday, July 11.

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