In Theatres Now: “Superman” Soars as the Blockbuster of Summer
St. Louis’ own James Gunn writes and directs the best Man of Steel adaptation since 1978
Here’s a shot in the arm the superhero genre has long been needing. James Gunn’s “Superman” is the blockbuster of the summer; an optimistic, crowd-pleasing experience that will put a smile on your face regardless of age. The action is expertly-crafted, the story is paced like a breeze, and a big cast of very funny characters take turns stealing scenes from one another. Best of all, it feels like a film from a singular vision, rather than a market-tested piece of bloat that sets up an endless line of sequels, spin-offs and TV shows.
On that last point, it’s worth noting that “Superman” is the kick off for a new era of DC superheroes. Gunn and producer Peter Safran are the co-chairs of the newly named DC Studios, tasked with creating a cinematic universe more like what Kevin Feige has successfully done with Marvel and countless others have failed to do with other intellectual properties. Before you roll your eyes at the prospect of another studio-mandated adaptation, trust me, I get it. There’s a reason “fatigue” and “burnout” are so closely associated with comic book movies these days, but no amount of buzzwords can hold back a great time.
The film starts with a very welcome opening title sequence that surely saved us from another feature-length origin story of the last son of Krypton. This Superman, played by David Corenswet in the best portrayal of the character since the untouchable Christopher Reeve, has already introduced himself to the world and been welcomed with open arms, but he’s just lost his first fight. It will be the first of many defeats as the world turns on the Man of Steel after he stops the fictional country of Boravia from invading another country. People love a man who stands up for Truth, Justice and the American Way, but the world is a bit more grey when it comes to politics.
This is the most vulnerable Superman we’ve seen on the big screen yet, which ultimately makes him far more interesting than the idealized perfection that comes with his God-like powers. Corenswet strikes the perfect balance, being perfectly chiseled and adorkably sweet. By his side is the always plucky Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane, played by Rachel Brosnahan, who knows of his secret identity as Clark Kent. Their relationship provides the film with serviceable romance that has sorely been lacking from big-budget releases for some time, and their chemistry is so good that I wish they didn’t have to spend much of the film apart. As with the best “Superman” movies, she provides the alien a glimpse into reality, and early on she grills him during an interview in a way that encapsulates how a single out of place soundbite can make him look like a villain to a populace that is quick to anger. Turns out that after kryptonite, cancel culture is Superman’s biggest weakness.
Leading the vitriol is Lex Luthor, played in a great villain performance by Nicholas Hoult, whose efforts are palpably felt considering outrage culture, bots, and the other dangers that come with easily influenced masses. Hoult’s villain bounces between intimidating and humiliating the way many a modern day billionaire does, creating someone the audience loves to hate. His plan involves satirical elements that are blended into the story incredibly well, especially for children who aren’t aware of a time before social media. It’s not a lame attempt to flex followers, but an actual exploration into how the bubbles of social media diminish our self-worth. It is not at all what I expected from a “Superman” movie, but when I think back on Gunn’s own temporary firing from Marvel after his own “cancellation,” I can’t say I’m surprised by how introspective his script is.
Outside of the three leads is a big supporting cast full of terrific comedic performances, including (but not limited to) the timid Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo), Luthor’s sexed-up arm candy Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio), and Krypto the superdog, a fully CG pup that steals every scene he’s in. There’s also a gang of corporate metahumans called the Justice Gang (they’re still working on the name), led by Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), a vain Green Lantern that will stop at nothing to help the citizens of Metropolis but will find any excuse to avoid helping Superman. Also on the team are Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi), a stonefaced supergenius with otherworldly tech, and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), one of the few side-characters that gets a bit lost in the fray.
For being a big corporate product with an unlimited marketing machine fueling it, there’s a lot of Gunn’s signature weirdness. Kaiju monsters and interdimensional rifts come and go as entertaining set pieces that sleekly move with the heroes fighting them. The style is carefree in its comic action, but still able to play in conjunction with the many individual people (and animals) Superman saves. It also allows for a lot more levity in the spectacle, which pairs nicely with the colorful aesthetic that is leagues above the greyed-out blobby look that plagues many overproduced big-budget movies.
Nerds will undoubtedly go wild for all the easter eggs and lore that Gunn has undoubtedly included, but the casual moviegoer will not feel alienated. Simple heroism, it turns out, is a joy to witness, and Gunn’s film has a lot of inspirational moments that move us without feeling like they belong in a completely separate movie. “Superman” is a call for heroes even in the tiniest of moments. It asks us to pause in times of judgement and to believe that good can triumph over evil. As depressing as it is to think that this couldn’t have come out at a more perfect time, it’s worth believing this divisive age of distrust and cynicism we’re living in can’t go on forever.
I keep thinking back to a brief scene that takes place on the Kent family farm in Smallville. Lois walks through Clark’s childhood bedroom and sees posters of punk-rock bands on the wall. It’s definitely the type of thing I’d expect to see in Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” series, whose rebellious nature helped those stand out compared to many of the other Marvel movies. But as Superman tells Lois, believing in the best in everyone, especially when it’s so easy not to, is kinda punk-rock. Films that wear their hearts on their sleeves like this don’t come around often enough.