Superman must reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as reporter Clark Kent. As the embodiment of truth, justice, and the human way, he soon finds himself in a world that views these as old-fashioned.
James Gunn’s DCU is off to a super start with this beautifully crafted and heartfelt reboot of the SUPERMAN franchise.
We’re thrown right in the middle of the action. The in media res approach gives the story immediate momentum that never lets up. It’s wildly refreshing not to have another rehashed origin story. We get glimpses of it through Gunn’s inventive storytelling, packed with surprises, monstrosities, and twists we’ve come to expect from the seasoned veteran.
When we meet Superman, he’s been publicly saving Metropolis (and, at times, the rest of the world) for three years. He finds himself under heavy scrutiny for embedding himself in a political crisis after taking action to prevent a War by threatening, or, as he would say, “having a discussion,” with the leader of the nation of Bovaria, who seeks to occupy the neighboring country of Jarhanpur. The story takes careful steps to ensure that the conflict between two fictional countries doesn’t completely mirror current-day real-life conflicts, but similarities are evident.
David Corenswet was born to play Superman. He plays him with a vulnerability and inner humanity that would make Christopher Reeve proud.
Supes holds a nebulous alliance with the Metahuman team, the ‘Justice Gang’ (final team name pending) -Guy Gardner, a Green Lantern with an attitude as bad as his haircut, played by James Gunn staple Nathan Fillion, the sarcastic Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi). There’s no shortage of creative uses of their powers, Terrific and Gardner in particular.
Rachel Brosnahan is perfect as world-renowned journalist Lois Lane—her chemistry with Corenswet is off the charts. Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen was also a masterstroke in casting. His boyish charm is vital in giving him access to sources within Luthor’s inner circle.
Nicholas Hoult is diabolical as Lex Luthor, the megalomaniacal zillionaire who has one obsession: to kill Superman. This Luthor resembles a sociopathic Tony Stark. Lex admits to feeling an overwhelming envy of Superman, whose power he believes reminds humanity of just how weak they all are. Like certain real-life figures, he seeks to save the world-but only if he’s the one to save it.
The world-building can be dense at times, but I never found it hard to follow. Lex’s henchmen are slightly overpowered. The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría) can conjure any machine or weapon she imagines thanks to nanites Lex has injected into her bloodstream. She reminded me of the Mystique-coded future Sentinels from “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” Ultraman is the real threat, though. The reveal of his identity underneath the mask was predictable and slightly underwhelming. Thankfully, the action sequences between these three are stellar.
This film proves that there’s still life in the superhero genre if the studios put them in the hands of auteur directors like Gunn or “The Batman”’s Matt Reeves, born storytellers who have a firm grasp of the characters they bring to life and a singular, vivid vision. That’s how you get stories told from the heart and movies that have lasting power. We will be talking about “Superman” and “The Batman” for years to come.
I left the theater with high hopes for the future of Gunn’s new universe, and the Superman theme still ringing in my head. Things are certainly looking up for DC.
In Theaters Friday, July 11th
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19.8k
1.5k
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