Superman (2025)
It would be pointless to compare writer/director James Gunn's new Superman to 1978's Superman, which stars the late, great Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel and is a perfect origin story for the DC Comics character. Gunn's refreshing take on Superman is not yet another crack at an origin story, and that right there is refreshing.
We get a quick opening crawl explaining who Superman is and where he came from. His true name is Kal-El, and he was sent to Earth as an infant by his parents before their home planet of Krypton exploded. Thanks to the Earth's sun, Kal-El has incredible super powers.
We then go full blast into the movie with Superman (David Corenswet) crashing into the snow after getting his ass handed to him in a battle. Superman's adversary in the fight is the mysterious "Hammer of Boravia," who claims that his acts of destruction are because of Superman taking it upon himself to end a war between the countries of Boravia and Jarhanpur.
In actuality, the 'Hammer" is Ultraman, who is controlled by evil billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). Luthor's plan of world domination starts with trying to turn public opinion against Superman.
When he's not battling bad guys, Superman lives as his secret identity Clark Kent and works alongside his ace reporter girlfriend, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), at the Daily Planet in Metropolis. There's a different dynamic here than we normally see between Clark and Lois, as she knows his secret identity. It really helps that the two actors have great chemistry together.
Superman is a busy film but never chaotic or confusing. Gunn's movie actually has the guts to comment on America's current political climate, and it's not done in a heavy-handed way.
Nathan Fillion, as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, and super dog Krypto both steal the scenes they are in. As for Corenswet, he is an interesting Man of Steel, playing the role as a person who is confused about his place in the world.
This movie has the same flaw that pretty much every comic book movie has, which is an overlong third act loaded with too many scenes of property damage. Still, you care about the characters and the plot makes sense. Superman is a fun summer movie.
