Vague Visages’ Superman review contains minor spoilers. James Gunn’s 2025 DCU movie features David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult. Check out the VV home page for more film criticism, movie reviews and film essays.

He’s back! The Man of Tomorrow soars beyond the stratosphere once more. Under director James Gunn’s watchful eye, Superman (2025) is a fanboy’s flight of fancy. That said, there is a bit of turbulence mid-flight resulting from this new take on the character. But even with an overabundance of special effects and cameo appearances, the final decent goes off without a hitch. Gunn rightfully reassures franchise fans that the Superman saga will never tailspin out of control again. 

Superman, the American Way incarnate, is the poster child for all law–abiding citizens to follow. That’s how it used to be anyway, except the rift between the American Dream and Superman’s never-ending Quest for Peace could not be any more transparent. Prologue text runs rampant across the screen, an information dump for the ages. Audiences quickly see that Superman (David Corenswet) has become entangled within a war, and without an invitation. Making matters worse, true to form, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) seizes the moment to put the screws to the overzealous boy scout, even going as far as to create the new metahuman adversaries of PlanetWatch, led by The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría) and the mysterious brute Ultraman (Corenswet). Superman gets roughed up as he contends with PlanetWatch while also navigating the sometimes questionable nature and methodology of Guy Gardner/Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion) and his “Justice Gang.” Further turmoil challenges the protagonist as he comes to terms with his true heritage and squabbles with an independent and strong-minded Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan). 

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Gunn deserves credit for wanting to probe every corner of Superman’s vast mythos. There’s just the question of what’s truly permanent (and necessary) and what’s ephemeral. In the case of “The Daily Planet” personnel, Cat Grant (Mikaela Hoover), Perry White (Wendell Pierce) and Steve Lombard (Beck Bennett) are a sight for sore eyes, but these supporting characters distract more than augmenting the film. For instance, the quick uprooting of the camera from a POV shot of a kaiju fight to Cat’s chat with Lois strips some of the “wow” factor of the film. Also, the segments involving Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) and Steve Lombard don’t fare much better. Jimmy is essentially a rizz meme in the making, while Steve seems to have jumped from the 1973 desk of comic editor Julius Schwartz. Perry White only adds to the clutter, and will remind some viewers of the Spiderman character J. Jonah Jameson (the rules of diminishing return on investment have begun to show). Plus, some segments serve little more than fanboy mimicry. Fortunately, these detractors can’t kill the buzz, as the core cast and thrills keep the vision in tact.

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Gunn may especially wow younger Superman fans who only know of Zack Snyder’s Ayn Rand bent on the property. As the title character, Corenswet doesn’t just match the plain speak humbleness of Christopher Reeve (Superman: The Movie, 1978), as he gives the role a much-needed overhaul. Forget any notions of a weirdly omniscient Christ-like figure, Batman’s flunky or the perfect choir boy — this Superman is his own man, and with his own mission statement: “Maybe kindness is the new punk rock.” And that addition of “maybe” yields the upgrade in pathos. Like his real-life Gen Z and Millennial counterparts, Gunn’s Superman proves eager to join in the fray of super “‘adulting,” but owning up to those ramifications proves daunting.

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Hoult fits the bill superbly as Lex Luthor. Rather than focusing on the traditional do-or-die theatrics, Gunn flips the Superman rivalry on its head. As part of a social media beef gone toxic, Hoult takes on the role of the ultimate hater. This is the same Lex Luthor who despises Superman because he supposedly made his hair go bald back in April 1958. Simply put, he’s a manchild. As for a voice of reason, one doesn’t have to look far, as Brosnahan’s Lois Lane provides balance. The star of Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017-23) wastes no time injecting her well-known sense of resilience and growing confidence into her new cartoon persona, along with rapid-fire dialogue smack downs. Just as Midge Maisel unravels the multiple layers of 1950s womanhood in the aforementioned Amazon series, Brosnahan successfully implies that Lois Lane is neither a damsel in distress nor a trophy wife.

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A key entertainment factor of Gunn’s film is Krypto, the Superdog. He is a crowd favorite, eliciting a positive, audible reaction from the theater audience. Krypto also serves to further humanize Superman and expose his boundless kindness. The character contributes to several moments of levity in the film, which, depending on one’s personality, can be interpreted as either endearing add-ons or disturbances. Chances are there will be greater anticipation and excitement for seeing Krypto in Supergirl (2026) than there will be for the reappearance of Supergirl (Milly Alcock) herself.

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Gunn’s strategic use of music adds much to the contemporary and cool nature of his Superman presentation. Intermixed with traditional, ominous musical elements are lighthearted and fun tunes such as “5 Years Time” (2008) by Noah and the Whale. Gunn uses surprises such as this to keep the audience on its toes and mirror the multiple dimensions of the action drama.

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Gunn’s first Superman outing makes the grade. His successful approach proves once and for all that Superman works best as child’s play — nothing more, nothing else. In terms of bigger implications, there will be a considerable superhero competition on the horizon. Going forward, Gunn should consider re-acquainting himself with his own child-like imagination, but there’s no denying that his essential casting of Superman works. It’s  just a matter of clearing the runway and letting the performers fly.

Peter Bell (@PeterGBell25) is a 2016 Master of Arts – Film Studies graduate of Columbia University School of Arts in New York City. His interests include film history, film theory and film criticism. Ever since watching TCM as a child, Peter has had a passion for film, always trying to add greater context to film for others. His favorite films include Chinatown, Blade Runner, Lawrence of Arabia, A Shot in the Dark and Inception. Peter believes movie theaters are still the optimal forum for film viewing, discussion and discovering fresh perspectives on culture.

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