After making the world fall in love with the most outlandish superheroes, including an anthropomorphic raccoon and a humanoid tree, James Gunn has climbed his way to the top of the superhero universe: directing the Man of Steel.
Gunn, the superhero auteur behind Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy, begins his cinematic DC Universe with the second “Superman” reboot in 12 years. But unlike Zack Snyder’s unsettlingly dark characterization of DC’s flagship superhero — no disrespect to Henry Cavill — Gunn’s Superman (David Corenswet) taps into his defining superhero archetype: his heart, optimism and kindness.
Warner Bros. hired Gunn in 2022 to reboot the controversial DC Extended Universe, which was criticized for a lack of cohesion. He had previously worked with DC, directing the acclaimed antihero film “The Suicide Squad” in 2021 and its spinoff series “Peacemaker” in 2022, with a second season premiering in August. For “Superman,” the stakes for Gunn were higher than ever — he had the dual responsibility of reinterpreting a classic character while kickstarting an entire cinematic universe. But Gunn pulled it off with a grounded superhero epic about the man behind the cape, using his story to introduce us to a new world and leave us anticipating what’s to come.
Instead of another origin story like the previous two renditions of the character, “Superman” starts right in the middle of the action. The titular hero faces retaliation from the country of Boravia after he stopped its regime from invading its neighboring country, Jarhanpur. Superman’s interference in a foreign conflict sparks controversy and questions over his true intentions, including from arch-nemesis Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), who aims to destroy the “alien” threat at any cost.
Embracing its hero’s origins, “Superman” plays like a comic book flipping before our eyes, throwing us into a world where humans and superheroes already coexist and criminals are always on the loose. Although metahumans — people with superhuman abilities — have existed for three centuries, Superman is by far the most powerful the world has ever seen, and his extraterrestrial origins are constantly scrutinized. Gunn describes his Superman as “kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned,” and in his latest adventure, he struggles to save a world that doubts his humanity.
Fortunately, Gunn’s strongest filmmaking skill is his ability to craft thoughtful characters in a genre that often struggles to balance spectacular heroics with the humans behind them. His Superman is relatable, and Corenswet effortlessly embodies the inspiring figure that Gunn portrays him as — both while wearing the cape and as his regular persona of Clark Kent. This Superman believes that every being is worth saving, whether it’s his harshest critic, a child in a warzone or his misbehaving canine sidekick Krypto, whom Gunn based off his real-life rescue dog.
A large supporting ensemble complements both of Superman’s identities, with Gunn giving every character their moment to shine. On the battlefield, the superhero trio Justice Gang — Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl and Mr. Terrific — alongside the transforming Metamorpho, aid Superman in his heroics and add to the film’s charm, each stealing the show in their respective scenes. Although the 129-minute runtime limits their appearances, expect these characters to earn their spotlight as the DC Universe continues to unfold.
When doubling as a reporter for the renowned newspaper The Daily Planet, Clark Kent is joined by even more standouts, such as his close friend Jimmy Olsen, his human parents Jonathan and Martha Kent, and of course, fellow reporter and girlfriend Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan.) Kent and Lane share incredible chemistry, courtesy of both Gunn’s writing and the actors’ performances. One extended scene — in which Lane interviews her boyfriend as Superman — particularly captures Kent’s struggle to reconcile his dual identities.
Standing in Superman’s way is Lex Luthor, the billionaire supervillain genius willing to sacrifice the world to kill his nemesis. Hoult holds back nothing in his portrayal, turning the classic villain into a terrifying madman possessed by envy and tormented by a foreign entity becoming the most influential figure on Earth. Despite his insanity, Gunn writes Luthor as a tragic figure — one whose actions continuously strip him of his humanity as he justifies them for the sake of accomplishing his goal.
Luthor represents a certain vision of America: He is horrified by extraterrestrial presence in the country and even runs mass prisons to hold those that he deems as threats to both the world and his own power. The parallels to today’s political climate are anything but coincidental, and even Gunn has labeled his film an “immigrant story.” With this fictional world thrown into crisis over issues largely representing our own — including a geopolitical crisis that may represent those taking place in Europe and the Middle East — the film poses a question: Is basic kindness still within us or has it become a thing of the past?
“Superman” soars from beginning to end, not because of its huge set pieces and thrilling action, but because of its deep study on what it means to be human. Instead of simply providing popcorn entertainment, Gunn urges audiences to consider their own actions and embody Superman’s values of truth, justice and the American way. The DC Universe is in full swing, and “Superman” proves that Gunn is the right man to helm it.
