Warning: This review contains mild spoilers.
If you’re suffering from superhero fatigue, maybe the answer is, well, Superman. By going back to the character’s core fundamentals, with plenty of comic book splash to liven things up, James Gunn’s official kickstart to the DC Universe is a good time boasting pitch-perfect casting and lots of fun.
Skipping over an origin story doesn’t cause the film to miss a beat, and the characterization and storytelling is strong enough that even if you just crash landed onto Earth you’ll still understand what’s going on.
We find this Clark Kent (David Corenswet) in the middle of managing his job at The Daily Planet, his budding relationship with fellow ace reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), and trying to be the champion of Earth he was raised to be while facing conflicting expectations.
In addition to looking like someone cooked him up in a lab to play Clark Kent, Corenswet perfectly embodies the humble charm and optimism of the character. His “aw shucks” dialogue never comes off as anything other than sincere as does the character’s righteousness.
Even when he’s frustrated by the misbehaved Krypto, his “foster” dog, there’s a lightness to this Superman that is refreshing. His winning performance will leave you wanting to spend more time with the character, something hopefully DC fans will get the chance to do.
Brosnahan’s Lois Lane is perfectly cast as his opposite, and the film is smart to quickly establish her as a fully fleshed character instead of relegating her to love interest. If you enjoy The Daily Planet dynamic seen in the latest Superman cartoon My Adventures with Superman, you’ll enjoy how we see Lois and the gang team up here.
The fact she and Clark are early in their relationship, but she already knows his secrets, creates a sweet spot where Lois’ priority is journalism but there are still plenty of swoon-worthy “Clois” moments.
The witty banter and chemistry of the two brings back something superhero movies have desperately been missing which is a believable romance. Sparks fly just as much as Superman does.
The character exploration can take a backseat to the (very) stuffed plot, but Superman doesn’t shy away from putting Clark’s morals and what he stands for at the forefront. At one point Lois and Clark argue over Superman’s interference in a geopolitical conflict, and Clark struggles to see why any additional explanation is needed beyond the fact he was saving lives.
Maybe it’s naive, but it’s hard to argue with.
He reminds Lois he doesn’t speak for the American government, just himself, which allows the movie to absolve itself of any real critique of the US while also posing the question of why the most powerful person on the planet would choose not to represent them. The conflict is also just one piece of arch enemy Lex Luthor’s convoluted scheme to take down Superman.
It’s not a love triangle, but there’s no denying Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor makes up the third very important piece of the film’s dynamic. On paper it would be easy to compare him to a certain real-life tech billionaire who has plagued the news, but Hoult’s Luthor is none but his own. If Corenswet looks like he was lifted off the comic book page, Hoult acts like it with his seething monologues and unabashed pleasure in his villainy.
For fans looking for action, the film also delivers plenty of big set pieces including a kaiju, a fight to the death, and lots of cosmic science fiction nonsense (in a good way). Gunn still includes his needle drops including one that may be only recognizable to fans of late 2000s British Indie bands.
Visually the film is bright without looking silly, embracing the fact Metropolis is a pretty happy place even when Superman has to fight off monsters. It’s like cartoon pop and live-action realism met somewhere happily in the middle instead of fighting for dominance.
Superman doesn’t completely pass with flying colors though. It seems with full access to the DC toy chest, Gunn’s maximalist impulses took over.
The addition of the “Justice Gang” as they’re called in the film is a small misstep, though it does serve one major purpose. Their heroism, which comes with a less moralistic bent, contrasts nicely with Superman and serves to remind audiences he isn’t like every other hero and especially not the ones they’re probably used to watching on the big screen lately.
Mister Terrific in a great turn by actor Edi Gathegi does steal a few scenes especially during his team up with Lois, but the Justice trio feel out of place at other times. I love clowning on Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) as much as the next person, but I’m not convinced he was needed and Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl is not given much at all to do.
Not even I, a comic book nerd, had something as niche as Metamorpho’s baby on my bingo card for this film. HIs storyline could have been left on the cutting room floor along with the Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría) or Ultraman (pick one, we didn’t need two powered goons for Lex and both are pretty forgettable).
In fact, the only subplot I’ll fight for is the unlikely connection between Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) and Lex’s assistant Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio), but I wouldn’t want to ruin that hillarious suprise.
Even with all that excess, you are more likely to leave the theater thinking about all the things that went right than what didn’t. The film ends on a particularly hopeful note, with Clark remembering who he is isn’t defined by where he’s from or what others expect.
In the real world where Truth and Justice don’t always win, it’s nice to see it play out on screen at least.