Title: Superman
Director: James Gunn
Cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult
Where: In theatres near you
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Director James Gunn’s Superman is a cinematic tightrope walk—balancing reverence for legacy with reinvention, superhero spectacle with unexpected soul. The film opens on a somber note: Superman, already defeated and bleeding into the snow after facing the mysterious “Hammer of Boravia.” But this is no ordinary brute—he’s Ultraman, a clone weapon of Lex Luthor, the tech-savvy sociopath played with biting precision by Nicholas Hoult.
Set in a world where social media is as dangerous as supervillains, Superman must clear his name after Luthor broadcasts a doctored message from Jor-El and Lara, framing him as a would-be conqueror. With public opinion turning, he voluntarily surrenders—only to be imprisoned in a pocket dimension. The line “Brain beats brawn” is often repeated in the film, and indeed, it’s minds like Mister Terrific’s and Lois Lane’s that help Superman outthink his way back into the fight.
David Corenswet brings emotional depth to a Superman who’s less a symbol and more a man navigating broken legacies, ethical warfare, and office romance. Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois is sharp, savvy, and already in on the secret, freeing the film from tired tropes and letting real chemistry spark between the two. Together, they share a warm, believable dynamic that grounds the film even in its most fantastical moments.
Krypto the dog is not just comic relief—he’s integral to the narrative and arguably the best actor in the cast. With more screen time than some human characters, Krypto chews the scenery—often literally—but never outstays his welcome, even when fetching his half-dead master from the snow with the enthusiasm of a labrador fetching a tennis ball.
The film ambitiously juggles Justice League cameos, interdimensional physics, and kaiju warfare. Lex Luthor’s schemes span drone-controlled clones and media manipulation, but Gunn’s love for the source material shines through—not least in the stirring reuse of the John Williams theme, now layered with electric guitar. At times, it’s a bit much—he seems torn between telling a Superman story and launching a universe.
But amid the narrative clutter, Gunn finds space for sincerity. The action may be high-octane, but the real tension lies in whether kindness can survive in a cynical world. With the help of unlikely allies like Metamorpho and a late-game assist from Lois and Jimmy, Superman closes the black hole threatening Metropolis, defeats Ultraman, and reclaims his place not just as a hero, but as a symbol of hope.
The final scenes—Krypto safe, Superman recovering at the Fortress, and cousin Kara Zor-El drunkenly picking up the dog—blend warmth with the weird. As the yellow sun heals his body, old home videos play, reminding us who Clark Kent really is.
Overall, this film may be overstuffed at times, but it’s brimming with heart and ideas. Unlike previous iterations, this edition is steeped in a sci-fi setting that’s modern and hyper-connected, reflecting a world shaped by surveillance, social media, and moral ambiguity. In a cinematic landscape dominated by algorithm-driven antiheroes, this Superman dares to lead with empathy—and that might just be his greatest superpower.
