The man of steel has seen adaptations that range from good to downright questionable, yet James Gunn’s “Superman” delivers on what fans have been urgingWarner Brothers to do for years – hope.
The last time we saw Big Blue get his own solo movie was the critically divisive Zack Snyder directed “Man of Steel” which took a darker and more grounded approach to the character, inspired by Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy.
Since then dark and gritty versions of Superman, lacking his signature bright colors and optimistic personality, have graced the silver screen.
Superman returns with David Corenswet’s cheesy, loveable hero that is just as ‘man’ as he is super. “Superman” brings to life the core aspect of the character that makes him truly stand out above other characters within the DC pantheon, hope.
His arc proves he’s the man of steel and symbol of hope.. At first, he uses the Kryptonian message left behind in his pod as his guiding light for becoming a hero, but the message is incomplete.
However, after Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) breaks into the Fortress of Solitude he is able to play the full message to the public. Which reveals that Superman’s parents sent him to Earth to subject the humans and animals he loves to protect to his rule..
This shakes him to his core and makes Superman question who he really is, but still he holds out hoping that not only is the message manipulated (it wasn’t) but he also still fights for Earth. Unlike the last version of Superman, this version of the character fights for humanity through and through, even when he doubts his own.
Another spectacular aspect of the film is the cast, particularly Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, and Rachael Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Hoult absolutely stole the show as Lex Luthor, every scene he is in is either hilarious or intense. He truly feels like the smartest man in the room, even if he is a bit unhinged.
Corenswet’s Superman is very different from Henry Cavill’s acclaimed turn. This version of Clark is defined by his optimism and humanity, the scene that seals the deal is when Lex calls him an alien. Despite the insult, Superman reminds Lex that being human is his super power and that Lex could also use it for good.
Brosnahan’s Lois Lane is a show stealer. Despite not being in much of the film, surprisingly, she is a no-nonsense journalist who gets her story no matter what it takes. She also saves Clark when he gets trapped in Luthor’s pocket dimension alongside Mister Terrific.
This reverses the role we have often seen Lois fall into as the damsel in distress. The chemistry between Brosnahan and Corenswet is beyond words. They’ve only been dating for three months, but it feels like a lifetime.
The film is not without its flaws. Luthor comes off at times as a whimsical hater rather than the calculated man audiences were used to seeing. Yet, Hoult still comes out with the film’s best performance.
The lack of presence from the core cast of the Daily Planet, Wendell Pierce’s Perry White, Skyler Gisondo’s Jimmy Olsen and Mikaela Hoover’s Cat Grant all could’ve added more to the day to day of Clark’s life.
Another gripe with the film are the visual effects. While the flight scenes are pretty good, some fight scenes, powers, and other effects in the film feel like they were hastily put together.
No more evident is this than when Superman unmasks Ultraman revealing it to be a clone of Clark.The effect of two David Corenswets feels out of place. Superman and Ultraman feel like they were copy and pasted into the scene.
Overall, the film repairs much of the damage that Zack Snyder did to Superman. James Gunn restores a faithful version of the character while also setting up the new DC Cinematic Universe with great promise.
Rating: 8/10