Superman (Movie Review)

Comic book movies have come a long way since Richard Donner's Superman first wowed moviegoers in 1978. But ask any long-time superhero film fan today, and they would most likely decry the lack of that same wow factor in recent films. Still, if there's one director who has consistently delivered spectacular superhero movies, then it is surely James Gunn, with Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad being regarded among the genre's upper echelon. So does his take on Superman breathe new life into the superhero genre, or are we truly within the cold, hard grasp of superhero fatigue?

Shortly after single-handedly stopping an invasion between two warring nations, the titular Superman (David Corenswet) is forced to deal with the consequences of his actions as the US government begins to question his ability to act with impunity. Meanwhile, his archnemesis, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), devises a plan to further hurt his reputation, which involves infiltrating his base at the Fortress of Solitude in a bid to gather some dirt. And with his hands already full trying to keep the city of Metropolis safe, Superman would need all the help he can get before he gets grounded for good. 

From the moment it was announced that the DC Extended Universe had come to an unceremonious end, many had wondered what the new vision for its specific pantheon of comic book heroes and villains would look like. After all, we were just coming off several years' worth of movies that made up the DCEU, including the three that comprise what is colloquially known as the Snyderverse. And as a self-proclaimed Zack Snyder fan myself, it was a bit sad to see that director's plans for the DCEU peter out the way they did. I guess his more somber take on the superhero mythos didn't resonate with enough people to make its continued pursuit commercially viable.

So enter James Gunn, with his quirky sensibilities and affinity for needle drops, and the first thing that immediately leaps off the screen in the first film of his newly-minted DC Universe, Superman, are the vibrant colors. Gone are the dull, muted tones of the Snyderverse, replaced instead with a full rainbow's worth of reds, greens, and blues. That vibrancy extends beyond just the color palette, as it also permeates the feel of the movie. There is no other way to say this, but the humor in it is quite goofy, so those looking for something more serious might find the jokes a bit grating.

Thankfully, I was onboard for all of it, especially the meta humor, of which there was plenty, and I had a smile on my face for most of the movie's 130-minute runtime. None of this should come as a surprise to anyone who enjoyed James Gunn's work on the Guardians of the Galaxy films, though, as he once again proves that he can deftly balance between the gags and the heavier subject matters his stories demand. And while the movie does have some political undercurrents like some have feared, it never truly approaches the realm of full-on political commentary and I didn't find it particularly preachy or one-sided. 

As for the new Superman himself, David Corenswet, he definitely gave a performance that channels the charm and overall campiness of those Christopher Reeve Superman films, although I can definitely see how some might take issue with his perceived ineptitude in the film. The other actors also successfully imbue their characters with that same energy, but the true standouts were Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor; the former's dry humor often had me in stitches while Lex was just gloriously over-the-top. 

The area where Superman truly excels, though, is in its action sequences. Each setpiece in the movie was appropriately grand and wildly kinetic, showcasing the full gamut of superpowers at our heroes' disposal. Not since Zack Snyder's own work on films like 300 and Watchmen have the panels of a comic book been so faithfully brought to life on the big screen, calling to mind the sense of scale and excesses of the Silver Age era of comic books it is clearly drawing inspiration from. I say all that to implore you to watch this film in a theater with a screen big enough to soak it all in.

In terms of how well the movie sets up the new DC Universe, I'd say it does an admirable job. I appreciated the decision to start the story right dab in the middle with a world already populated by metahumans and Superman himself already three years into his tenure as Protector of Metropolis. This negates the need to spend time setting up the universe, and we instead get to learn about the characters as we go. And while some of those characters didn't get nearly enough screen time or character development, I still look forward to seeing them wherever they pop up next. This is doubly so for Krypto, who was the real MVP in my opinion.

Superman is precisely what every comic book movie should aspire to be. It delivers all the thrills and spectacle the genre is known for, but never at the expense of a story filled with hope and smile-inducing moments of tenderness. With this, James Gunn has shown that DC Studios is in more than capable hands and that the DCU is certainly off to a rock-solid start. So my hope going forward is that his movie finds all the success it deserves, to the disappointment of those who would want to see it do otherwise, and that he continues to steer the ship in a worthwhile direction.