After over a decade, Superman is back on the big screen and he’s brighter, bolder and more inspiring than ever. This film marks the start of a new era for DC as it spearheads their new cinematic universe. In a much darker comic book landscape, Superman is a breath of fresh air for fans looking to escape reality and believe a man can fly.
Written and directed by the visionary behind the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, James Gunn, Superman stars David Corenswet as the titular character. The movie follows Superman as he tries to stop the conflict between Boravia and Jarhanpur, while Lex Luthor, portrayed by Nicholas Hoult, tries his best to tarnish the image of Superman in the public’s eyes.
Superman serves as a symbol of hope and humanity, doing his best even when facing the toughest challenges, falling short once in a while. However, the fact that he gets up and continues to fight for what he believes is right, is what sets him apart from most other heroes. The film embodies Superman’s motto of ‘Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow’. Superman even saves a tiny squirrel amid a large fight, showing how he is committed to saving the life of everyone, even something as small as a squirrel.
As Gunn himself put it, “Superman was cut from the same cloth as Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man,” and it shows, especially in a scene where, after a fall, Superman is given a hand by a fellow citizen, showcasing how Superman inspires people to be the best version of themselves. It was truly a comic book brought to life with stellar performances from the entire cast.
The movie left me with a smile on my face — I was as giddy as I could throughout the entire two-hour runtime. Superman was filled with unique action set pieces, along with Gunn’s signature needle drops. However, it also gave the story time to breathe and develop the iconic relationship between Clark Kent and Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), with the actors’ dynamic chemistry with one another being on full display.
Mr Terrific (Edi Gathegi) had a standout moment where he saved Superman with his intellect and tech, showing how you can save the world even without powers. Other members of the Justice Gang, Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), were also shown to be of help to Superman, coming to save the children calling for Superman when he couldn’t.
Superman’s dog, Krypto, stole the show and was of utmost help to Superman, further grounding him. The youngest son of Christopher Reeve, Will Reeve, also made a cameo appearance as a TV reporter, paying homage to the first actor to portray Superman in a live-action movie.
The colours in this movie were vivid and richly saturated, with every scene shimmering with energy. Metropolis, with its towering skyscrapers, was not so different from other metropolitan cities; however, it still had a unique aesthetic, contrasting with other cities of the DC universe.
The John Williams-esque score for this film exuded hope and energy, and immersed you in Superman’s world.
Overall, Superman is a light-hearted superhero movie for all ages, and at a time like this, Superman inspires us all to strive to be the best version of ourselves.
Published in Dawn, Young World, July 19th, 2025
