How high does James Gunn’s Man of Steel fly?
What do you do with nostalgia and the third reboot of Superman? How important are previous films when buying into a new vision for the franchise? Visually, Superman (James Gunn, 2025) is as creative as any of the best comic book movies out there, if not more so.
Whether it be a prison in a pocket dimension, a skyscraper-sized monster fight in downtown Metropolis, or just the framing of Superman as he flies at breakneck speeds, the film stands out. An evolution of Superman Returns (Bryan Singer, 2006) and Man of Steel (Zack Snyder, 2013), Gunn’s new film often and as visually possible, emphasizes how fast Superman can fly, and just how strong he is. While these truths about Superman have always been how he protects and serves the people, the why behind it all comes from his parents.
Almost all the canon for Superman I’ve seen, whether comic, film, or TV, shows Clark Kent/Kal-El being sent to Earth, where he will be powerful and like a god to humans. Jonathan and Martha Kent raise Clark to be a good person, and in this new movie, provide him with his greatest power, adopting humanity and belief in a greater good. Without spoiling the canonical retcon in the film, the story turns against Superman, very much like it tries to do in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Zack Snyder, 2016).
Yet again, there’s a specific bald maniac behind the wheel, providing necessary conflict for Superman to overcome if he wants to “save the day”. It was weird watching it happen in this film, however, as the allegation lobbed at Superman with evidence is a societal taboo. Specifically, the word “harem” is used repeatedly, stoking fears that the Man of Steel is secretly a sex overlord.
The journey to figure out who Superman believes he is inside ultimately will always come down to the fact that the character is a Boy Scout who believes in good over evil. He’s constantly trying to do the right thing to his detriment, like saving a squirrel from a skyscraper-sized Kaiju monster or saving a dog. I’d even go as far as to say he tries too hard with Krypto, who, as it turns out, is kind of a bad dog.
David Corenswet plays Clark Kent/Superman so excellently, though, and his actions are so believable for the character that even though I have reservations about the story in this film, his portrayal is not one of them. I believe in him in the role, and that’s enough to build around going forward. If James Gunn excelled in one thing above any other in this film, it’s the cast. Nicholas Hoult showed us how much of a maniac a tech billionaire villain genius Lex Luthor could be, no notes.
It’s not either of their faults that their characters leaned heavily into giving exposition through their dialogue, either. That’s in the script and some cases, in the test audience feedback that forced changes. In other words, I didn’t need to hear the hero or villain spell it out multiple times to understand the story, but maybe some did. Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane plays a large role in Clark/Supe’s journey, herself trying to figure out where she fits in. What I didn’t expect was for her to be a source of antagonism, questioning Superman’s authority over worldwide matters. I respect the question of authority she brings; who else is there to?
Metamorpho, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific, and even Jimmy Olsen make solid contributions to the film, adding heart, humor, and helping when it’s still figuring out if Superman is the hero we know and love. I loved Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner fighting with giant green middle fingers. I love that this is a wholly original piece of DC lore now, because it was filled to the brim with heroes, villains, monsters, and space-aged technology.
Lex Luthor’s bad guys are awesome as well. The Engineer and the Hammer of Boravia are excellent showcases of a threat beyond what any normal superhero could overcome. I wasn’t prepared for Jimmy Olsen to be a heartthrob, but I’m just glad he got a good role in this feature. There was also a single-shot scene that stood out as a James Gunn classic featuring Mister Terrific set to “5 Years Time” by Noah and the Whale. I won’t spoil it, but if you go back and watch Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy films, there’s usually one sequence like this that brings the piece together.
This sequence was great, but had nothing to do with Superman, which I think showed how the story had excess ingredients needed to bring it together, sometimes to its benefit, sometimes to its detriment. While I appreciate part of a story with supporting characters helping the hero overcome the odds, this film seemed dependent on it. Ultimately, Superman (Gunn, 2025) is about believing in himself as the son of farmers from Kansas, flaws and all.
As such, Superman now lives in the world of “making a comeback” or being “forgiven” by the algorithm of societal expectations. He’s been cancelled and proven himself, just like the director himself has done. Does that make us all like Superman if we can overcome our flaws and faults to be a better person, or does that make Superman like all of us since he can too? That, I think, was the point of the story, and eh, yeah, ok. I can live with it.
8/10