Film Review: ‘Superman’ is a Wonderful Take on the Hero From James Gunn that Truly Gives You Hope

A Superman movie is harder to pull off than it might appear at first glance. When you look back on all of the films that have featured the character, only a small amount have actually showcased Kal-El/Superman/Clark Kent in his best light. Now, it’s fair to say that “truth, justice, and the American way” is an antiquated term, but James Gunn sure knows how to feature the ideals that make this superhero one of our very best and brightest. Superman is all about hope, with a sense of joy that allows the clear political themes to go down easy. There’s a lot going on here, as this is also launching a new DC Universe theatrically, but when you get right down to it, what we have in this flick is a love for comic book characters, superheroes, and blockbuster cinema. I absolutely adored it and found it to be among the best works of 2025 so far.

Superman is a busy blockbuster, in terms of actual events and plotting, but it never feels overstuffed. A lot of that is due to Gunn and company making the themes very simple. Superman is an alien, so, yes…he’s an immigrant. He looks at Earth and sees the best in us, knowing all the while that we have a capacity for the worst, but still wants to save us anyway. That this is happening while America is literally sending people to foreign prisons is not lost on anyone, but the joy for the character allows this to still be an incredibly fun experience. Superman works as a character because of his earnestness, not in spite of it, which too few works hav understood.

This isn’t an origin story, thankfully. We enter into this world with superheroes already a fact of life, three years after Superman (David Corenswet) has already revealed himself to the world. Fresh off of losing his first battle while protecting Metropolis from a new threat, he’s saved by Krypto and taken back to the Fortress of Solitude to heal. There, his robot servants treat him with our yellow sun, while playing a message from his parents Jor-El (Bradley Cooper) and Lara (Angela Sarafyan) that accompanied him as a baby to Earth. Part of the message is corrupted, but what he hears is his impetus to protect humanity.

Back in Metropolis, he spends the rest of his time as his alter ego Clark Kent, working a The Daily Planet alongside Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), Perry White (Wendell Pierce), and Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo). Clark and Lois have begun dating, though there’s friction due to Clark conducting interviews with himself, the most recent one coming in the aftermath of Superman creating an international incident while preventing a foreign country, one allied with the United States, from overrunning a smaller neighbor. Clark lets Lois interview Superman, which hammers home his ideals, but also showcases how early on this still is in his hero days.

All the while, other heroes are operating in Metropolis, as the Justice Gang, led by Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), a Green Lantern, and featuring Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi), do things a little differently than Superman. There’s also the dastardly Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) to contend with, who has a deep hatred at Superman and will stop at nothing to destroy him. When beating him with force doesn’t work, an opportunity to ruin his reputation and imprison him presents itself. This is only the set up for the film, too, as there’s lots still to be discovered.

David Corenswet is perfect for this incarnation of Superman. He obviously looks the part, which is important, but he gets that whether he’s Clark or in the tights, he needs to be a beacon of hope. Like the film itself, he’s hopeful, kind, and even a little dorky, but always walks towards the light. Corenswet delivers lines that could come off as sappy in a way that actually moves you. Two moments in particular stand out for him in that way. One is when he explains why he’s so determined to find Krypto, who Lex has taken. The other is, opposite Lex, when he basically makes the case for why he’s as human as anyone else, despite being Kryptonian. The latter, which is about the immigrant experience, obviously, brought a tear to my eye. Rachel Brosnahan has all the spunk, vim, and vigor that Lois needs, really holding her own opposite Corenswet. They have a fun chemistry and you buy their attraction. The interview argument sequences is a real highlight. Nicholas Hoult makes Lex Luthor his own, really getting into the spite he has for the Man of Steel. He’s enjoying the part so much, making him a formidable foe, despite not being a psychical match for Superman. Nathan Fillion and Edi Gathegi are great as well (working as both comic relief and believable superheroes), with the latter especially being a standout, while Skyler Gisondo is a very fun Jimmy Olsen. Other supporting players, besides those mentioned above (which are small parts) in this massive cast also include Beck Bennett, Anthony Carrigan, Frank Grillo, Sean Gunn, Mikaela Hoover, Neva Howell, Pom Klementieff, Isabela Merced, Michael Rooker, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Alan Tudyk, and plenty more, plus a cameo or two I won’t spoil. A special shout out should go to Sara Sampaio, however, who is a riot as Eve Teschmacher. Her work, especially when it’s opposite Gisondo, is a hoot.

Writer/director James Gunn gets this character, as well as the world around him, which is why we don’t need an origin story here. Dropping us into his DC Universe like this works wonders, too. Plus, somehow Gunn is the first to see the obvious benefits of including Krypto, who steals every scene he’s in. Gunn’s screenplay occasionally goes a long way for a ham sandwich, as it were, but even when things can get a bit convoluted, you’re having too much fun to really care. Visually, he embraces a comic book feel, which is appropriate. While I think The Suicide Squad and the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy (especially Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) showcase the various sides to Gunn’s filmmaking, he brings it all together here. It looks and sounds like Superman, sure, but it feels like it, too, and that’s where the difference is.

This is, for my money, my favorite incarnation of the character to date. That takes nothing away from Christopher Reeve, especially since he gave the definitive performance as the superhero. This, however, is the film that showcases him in all of his glory. I can’t wait for a sequel. Gunn and company have gotten it so right, which makes the future of DC seem all the brighter.

To that end, if this is what we can expect from Gunn and Peter Safran going forward, then Supergirl next year can’t come soon enough. Hell, everything they’ve got brewing seems all the more interesting now that we’ve determined that they’re the right folks for the job. Marvel may have ran circles around DC initially with their Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Superman suggests that Gun and Safran can narrow the gap in a real hurry.

I adored Superman. This is the type of summer blockbuster that just makes you feel good. You feel a sense of joy and what the movies can achiever, as well as hope for the future of film. When entertainment can fill your heart like this as an adult, you can only imagine what the next generation of cinema lovers will feel. Superman is certainly different than The Life of Chuck or Sinners, for example, but I’d say those three works represent a good showcase of why the medium is alive and well in 2025. With Superman, James Gunn and company will make you soar.

SCORE: ★★★1/2