Superman

A shining reminder of why we believe in heroes

Action/Sci-fi ‧ 129 minutes ‧ PG-13 ‧ 2025

“Your choices, your actions, that's what makes you who you are.”

It is easy to be sick of superhero movies. While I have grown up (and am yet to grow out) of the adventures of these characters, I can see why people tend not to care about these films. Men and women dressing up in silly costumes, weird names, gadgets that would never work, and the idea that someone will just fix everything can be misconstrued as negative. Yet perhaps all of that is why I enjoy Superman (2025), directed by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult. The film is not a parody or an indictment of the genre like so many modern films are. It is a loving tribute to it all. The good and the bad.

The film skips Superman’s origins entirely with a basic recap stating that this is a world of metahumans. Superman came to Earth 30 years ago and is now doing Superman things. It is a clever and concise way to introduce the character to people who do not know, while not alienating those who live and breathe this kind of stuff. The film also uses conversations later to explain more backstory, but it feels natural and never like Gunn is forcing you to remember every detail.

From the start, I loved the tone of the film. It captures the comics well with a “Here, got it? GOOD!” mentality. Nothing is explained to the viewer. You either buy into the fantasy or you do not. And contributing to buying into it all is the acting. To put it simply, David Corenswet is Superman. While he might not be my favorite (Tyler Hoechlin, one day people will know your name), he embodies the character so well, yet is still different from any other actor before him. This is Superman for the Gen Z crowd. He is a bit insecure but not a pushover. He does not rush to violence but understands it is sometimes needed, and most importantly, he saves people.

Adding to him is Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane. Playing the damsel in distress is not an easy task, as adding too much to Lois can make her unlikable, but not giving her enough makes it confusing as to why Clark would even like her. The film strikes a good balance here. She goes out of her way to help and is not simply following Clark around. These two are not in love because the script says so, but because they feel like two human beings who care for one another. And when Clark talks about turning himself in, she is not angry but more scared for his well-being.

With all that said, the clear standout of the film has to be Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor. I have seen petty, I have seen vindictive, and I have even seen a bully. But Lex in this film is more than that. Finding out the one man who helped Superman so you can use him to torture the hero is one thing. Killing him and then just not caring is another. Hoult brings a perfect energy to the role where he plays Luthor as a puppet master, but the moment something slips away, you can see him transform into a whining, tantrum-throwing egomaniac.

The film also looks good. I did not find many shots that I would qualify as bad-looking or goofy. The CGI holds up, and while some might see a flying dog as unrealistic, I think the effect works quite well and oftentimes tricked me into thinking that there was a dog on set. The cinematography seems to be a bit oversaturated, but I would rather have more color than none at all.

Overall, Superman (2025) is a refreshing reminder of why this character matters. It may not reinvent the superhero film in the way some hope, but it does not need to. Gunn creates a story that embraces the absurdity of the genre while still respecting its heart, and Corenswet proves himself worthy of the cape. Brosnahan’s Lois is sharp and believable, and Hoult’s Lex might be one of the best modern takes on the villain yet. The film is not flawless, but it is earnest, colorful, and above all, hopeful. In a landscape full of cynical blockbusters, that hope means something, earning the film a solid 4/5.

(Hopefully this one doesn't die in his 2nd movie)