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| Images courtesy of Warner Bros. |
In Alan Moore's groundbreaking comic book, Watchmen, there is a Superman-like character named Doctor Manhattan, who possesses extraordinary powers that far exceed those of an ordinary human. Once Doctor Manhattan reveals himself to the world, he is recruited by the U.S. military and used as a weapon to end the Vietnam War, resulting in many deaths and violence. His existence shifts the balance of global power, prompting Professor Milton Glass to write an essay titled Dr. Manhattan: Super-Powers and the Superpowers. He summarizes the current state of affairs as follows:
"I never said 'The superman exists and he's American.' What I said was 'God exists and he's American.' If that statement starts to chill you after a couple of moments' consideration, then don't be alarmed. A feeling of intense and crushing religious terror at the concept indicates only that you are still sane.”
In the eighty-seven years since the creation of Superman, a lot has changed in the world, and every generation, the current zeitgeist heavily influences his depiction. Although his basic characteristics stay the same, he is a mirror reflecting back our hopes and fears. What kind of Superman stares back at us in 2025? How would James Gunn fit a character who operates in a black-and-white morality into a world that exists in shades of grey?
The film begins with Superman (David Corenswet) already established as a superhero for a few years, thankfully skipping the now unnecessary origin story. For what it’s worth, this is the way many people enter into comics, not with the origin of the character, but by grabbing a random issue on a whim, and being pulled into the middle of a giant overreaching arc in progress.
This decision allows for more screen time to explore a new narrative, but it also causes the story to start on somewhat shaky ground as it struggles to find its rhythm. Supporting characters are introduced quickly: Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), a determined reporter for The Daily Planet and Superman's girlfriend; Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo), their playful colleague; and Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), the CEO of LuthorCorp and Superman's biggest hater. All the essential elements are present and accounted for.
Gunn has said that his main inspiration for this movie was All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, and for the most part, it captures that vibe accurately. Grant Morrison's work often veers into the fantastical, and in this run in particular, he tried to capture the campy tone of the Silver Age comics while simultaneously making a post-modern deconstruction. While Gunn's version doesn't do much of the latter, it does take the character back to his more traditional roots, while at the same time adding subversive elements.
Superman's status as a literal alien and subsequently an immigrant is not a new subject in the comics, where he has at different points become a naturalized American citizen and then later renounced his citizenship due to his disagreement with the US government. With the current state of affairs and the barbaric and illegal deportations going on in the US, the symbolism of Superman's representation of truth and justice outside of the influence of being tied to American values is important. It seems silly to bind a man with this much power to the whims of politicians when he should only be concerned with what is right and wrong and protecting those who cannot protect themselves.
The film truly excels in its smaller, more intimate moments that occur between the action-packed CGI scenes. Early on, Superman agrees to let Lois interview him, which shifts their dynamic from romantic partners to their professional roles as reporter and superhero. During the interview, Lois asks difficult questions, probing him about his motivations for helping people and overstepping into a conflict between Boravia, a U.S. ally, and Jarhanpur, a neighboring country. This situation serves as a somewhat clumsy reference to the real-life conflict between Israel and Palestine. Superman's primary goal is to protect the citizens of Jarhanpur from being invaded by Boravia. However, Lois emphasizes that he cannot bypass the necessary political considerations and insert himself into the conflict.
Ultimately, the heart of the narrative resides in Superman's love for humanity, which trumps all the quirky comic book trappings and flashy fight scenes. The real test of an actor who portrays Superman is not the superhero aspect, that's the easy part; it's how well they play Clark Kent. Usually, it's all in the physical performance, but in this iteration, Superman is always Clark, both inside and outside the suit. He makes mistakes, he lets his emotions override his sense of logic, he is sometimes myopic in his need to protect the weak, and Corenswet imparts a sweet vulnerability to the character that makes him easy to empathize with.
Superman is not without flaws; the blown-out super bright color-grading washes out the cinematography, and it's overstuffed with too many plot points and revelations, with choppy pacing and strange editing choices. Some of the story beats give pause, especially the way Superman's birth parents are handled (perhaps a little influence from Invincible). Overall, it's a gutsy, sincere, and occasionally sloppy ode to one of our oldest superheroes, and it has its heart in the right place.
--Michelle Kisner