4 out of 5 stars (one of the best of the year)
To be a Superman fan over the last decade is like going on the world’s bumpiest roller-coaster. We’ve had the highest of highs on television and the lowest of lows on the cinema screen with the Man of Steel, so much so on the latter side that new DC co-head James Gunn opted to reboot the character with a clean slate. That reboot is Superman, a fresh, fully comic-booky, and surprisingly dark story that nails its titular hero’s characterization and is packed with super action even if its pacing sometimes goes as fast as its lead flies and its tone is slightly inconsistent.
Superpowered people known as Metahumans protect Earth. One of those is Superman (David Corenswet), an alien sent here from his dying planet to do good however he can, and has earned the public’s praise after 3 years. However, after his intervention in a foreign country plants seeds of controversy for our spandex-clad savior, metahuman-despising businessman Lex Luthor (a film-stealing Nicholas Hoult) waters those seeds in his favor so he might be able to rid himself and the world of Superman and all other metahumans, putting our hero’s only hope in the hands of his allies like Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and other costumed crime-fighters. Oh, and his adorable dog Krypto.
I largely love Superman. David Corenswet is pitch-perfect in the lead role, infusing him with approachability and authority when interacting with regular citizens, but emotional humanity in more vulnerable moments. It’s easy for Superman to come off as too perfect, but here, we see him angry, conflicted, and sad to balance out his overall hopeful demeanor and feel like a 3-dimensional person. Rachel Brosnahan is also great as Lois Lane and she and Corenswet have instant, understated chemistry together, but it’s Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor who runs away with the film. His Lex is the most evil and fantastically despicable I’ve seen onscreen, immediately selling and maintaining the seething rage Luthor has for Superman and other metahumans. It’s over-the-top, but I love an irredeemable villain in my superhero movie and Hoult fits that like a malicious glove. Edi Gathegi (Laurant in the Twilight films) also shines with charisma as the superhero Mr. Terrific and gets a standout action sequence midway through. The film also hits the sci-fi sweet spot of having themes underlying it without becoming soap-boxy or chucking story logic to hammer them in.
The tone and story in Superman are darker than expected, but feel believable in-universe and keep with the world’s logic. I wouldn’t recommend taking your kids, but teenagers should be fine and enjoy the action. Speaking of that, the battles in Superman feel ripped straight out of a comic book panel in their framing and give each hero or heroine moments to shine. The pacing feels a bit rushed in places (particularly the 1st act) and some of James Gunn’s humor feels misjudged in its placement, but it all comes together in the end to deliver a knockout experience. An updated version of John Williams’ iconic Superman theme is used here, and while it sounds great, part of me wished this iteration could have gotten his own stirring tune rather than borrowing and modifying one from 40 years ago.
Again, while I wish some story beats could slow down and the tone isn’t always consistent, this movie made me cry a few times and beam at seeing a character I love done justice on the big screen again, so I would wholeheartedly recommend it despite my issues. It’s easily one of my favorite superhero films to date. Superman doesn’t always maintain a consistent flight tonally and could serve to slow down sometimes, but an engaging, modern story, excellent casting, and eye-popping action make it a breath of fresh air in an overcrowded genre.
Rated PG-13 For Violence Action, and Language