Superman: Spoiler-free review

Being human can be such a burden. To have a heart, to experience envy, to make choices, to turn the other cheek, to find your values... It takes persistence, and it takes failure. So what makes someone powerful? Carrying this burden, or giving it up to pursue command? James Gunn, the king of live-action adaptations, does it again, bringing us a bright and fast-paced reimagination of the world's favorite classic hero: Superman. Gunn writes and directs Superman (2025) to reflect the values of the immigrant superhero - someone who is all powerful to tiny humans, yet chooses heart every time - while expertly relating to real world concerns, where the choice to be compassionate is now attacked every day. Yes, it is easier to just not care. But that's exactly what makes a hero, a hero. 

This is not an origin story - but it does portray a young Clark Kent learning just how cruel the world could be. This is an angle we haven't seen, a Clark who isn't quite wise yet, and still has a cocky boyish charm, that had yet to be broken down. Clark is a character who has been written and rewritten countless times, but Gunn chose this version to highlight relatability. For a long time, Superman has been written as a God-like character, all powerful and never loses a fight, neither of strength nor values. But who was he before he got there? The answer: just a regular 20-something year old guy. A young man from Kansas who is naive, hot-headed, righteous and just wants to do right by his birth parent's final wish. This is refreshing, to see a version of Superman who struggles. It highlights his humanity, the greatest weapon Supe's ever had. 

Of course, we must give props to the actor who brought this to life, David Corenswet, who not only is a spectacular comic-accurate casting, but also shows a range that lends to the complexity of Clark, especially in the version Gunn has written for us. Corenswet has a natural chemistry with romantic lead, Rachel Brosnahan, who plays Lois Lane. Lois was a pleasant surprise in this story, taking lead in a way that fits the original role of her character while also adding to the plot in a way that isn't forced. Her presence makes sense in the context of this film, not being a sloppy tacked-on prize for saving the day. Actually, this could be said for most of the side characters as well: their presence adds to the story, and moves the plot forward. Certain standouts include, Eve Teschmacher played by Sara Sampaio and Rex Mason/Metamorpho played by Anthony Carrigan. 

However, I must give specific attention to Nicholas Hoult's performance as Lex Luthor, Superman's mortal nemesis, and damn does he do a great job of making us hate him. I remember my eyebrows being stitched in anger for much of the film at Hoult's brilliant performance of a man with absolutely zero humanity nor dignity, a true opposite to everything Superman stands for. His actions are painful to watch. Sympathetic villains are great, but it's nice to see a truly evil villain again in a hero film. It gives our main characters an actual challenge, and makes us as the audience want to root even harder. This is especially poignant in a current era where not all ideologies can be justified. Harm is not worth a bottom line, and not all ambitions have a point. 

This brings me to something I also want to highlight in this film, which is the use of the media. Clark Kent's civilian persona famously works at the Daily Planet as a journalist. Journalism is an art form, as well as a civil service. We journalists owe it to the public to publish accurate and unbiased information for our communities, but that sanctity has been breached for years. This film highlights just how powerful the media is, and how influential one misrepresented point can be. Again, Gunn grounds us in our reality, while not taking away from the overall plot of the film.

My only real critiques of this film are the fast pace, which wasn't necessarily bad as it hit most all important points and kept the film interesting, but there was opportunity to slow some things down, simply to introduce more context for new fans who might not know much about the hero genre. The other part is, while this film is effortlessly hilarious (another Gunn staple...), there are scenes here and there where the film could benefit from lingering on the severity of the moment, rather than undercutting it through humor. This only happened a few times though, and has room for improvement in future works.

Now for the fun stuff - Gunn brings back, yet again, Henry Braham to be his master of photography. As I mentioned in my review of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), Gunn seems to prefer Braham to bring his vision to life, and it is for good reason. Braham has perfected a style that feels like a comic come to life, scenes with framing that you typically see in the panels of comic strips. This can be especially appreciated in the use of transitions in this film. The art of "the transition" has been lost for a while now, and to see it used frequently and smoothly throughout this film lended itself toward the comic-feel. My other praises build upon what I've said about Braham before - he knows how to have fun with the camera, and thus makes a fun film to watch.

We also see the return of John Murphy, who has also previously worked on Gunn's projects, on the score, which was beautifully produced and features a new version of John Williams's "Superman March" theme from Superman (1978). David Fleming also contributes to some of the themes and is co-credited on the score. While never overpowering, the score does well to swell the emotional weight of every scene. This is one of the most important components of all hero media - a good theme to highlight moments of triumph.

Gunn has primed himself with a strong film-making team to take on the rebooted DC Extended Universe, as well as having established a good baseline within the story of Superman that makes the DC universe his sandbox. I am excited to see how this trio continues to evolve with what comes next. 

Superman (2025) captures the magic of a classic hero film in a refreshing and familiar way. All hero fans can find something to love about this film, and it serves as a great standalone for anyone wanting to get into this new universe. The story does not rely on any outside knowledge to really enjoy the story, yet caters to moments fans will recognize or appreciate. It's a true fun family film, so I recommend if you see only one movie this summer, it's this one. I know I will be back at the theater myself for second showing...and maybe even a third.