In light of the recent release of James Gunn’s Superman on streaming, I thought it was the perfect time to share my thoughts on the film which have been percolating around my brain for the past month.
I got the chance to see Superman on the Monday after its release weekend. I had dropped my two daughters off at summer camp, keeping my activities for that day a secret all through the thirty-minute or so drive. I then headed directly to my local theater and quietly took my seat, giving knowing nods to my fellow co-conspirator parents who were also “working” at 11 a.m. on a Monday. The lights finally went out after an exhaustive number of previews and Nicole Kidman telling me once again to go to the movies. (Hey, Nicole, I’m already here! You got me! Do we really need an advertisement about going to the movies when we’re already at the movies?) Anyway, all of that was quickly forgotten as the magical first notes of John Williams’ “Superman Theme” began to echo in the theater.
I’m sure I’m not the only fan whose heart strings were pulled right back to childhood by those opening chords. As a kid, though, I was only old enough to see Superman III in theaters; I loved the Christopher Reeve movies. He was my Superman, and I still believe Superman II is one of the best superhero movies of all time. It’s hard to beat Terrance Stamp’s classic performance (May he rest in peace.) as General Zod. Reeve had the innate ability to convey Superman’s kindness and nobility. All one needs to understand of the perfection of Reeve’s portrayal is to watch the closing moments of the first Superman film, as Reeves glances at the viewer with a warm smile and a wink.
As a comics fan, I enjoyed both Superman Returns and Man of Steel, but I felt both missed the mark set by those earlier movies somehow. I liked Brandon Routh’s performance, but I felt it a strange choice to have Superman just abandon the Earth and Lois Lane for five years. And Singer’s script didn’t have enough to differentiate it from what had come before. We still had a Lex Luthor plotting a real estate scheme much like in 1978’s Superman. As soon as I saw Henry Cavill in HBO’s The Tudors, I knew that this man was destined to play Superman. Like Christopher Reeve, Cavill gave us a Superman lifted from the comic page. I really wish we could have seen Cavill in a more “hopeful” Superman movie. There are brief glimpses in his appearances in the Snyderverse films that hint at the potential for an iconic portrayal that sadly never fully materialized. I did enjoy Man of Steel when it came out, despite its darker tone and somber ending. I think many of those fans critical of Superman’s choice to kill General Zod seem to have forgotten that John Byrne, in his classic 1980s post-Crisis revamp of the character, had Superman make the exact same choice. Also, though it wasn’t explicit, Christopher Reeve’s Superman throws Zod off a cliff in the fortress of solitude seemingly to his death. And Lursa is murdered by Lois for laughs. I agree that all of the destruction and loss of life, without Superman trying to save those civilians caught in the crossfire felt wrong. I applauded the choice of killing Zod, as it was the bold choice to have Superman lose. And yes, make no mistake, Superman loses. A dramatic moment that Henry Cavill expresses beautifully as you can see the despair and frustration etched into his face. And yet, I don’t think Zach Snyder really sees it that way based on the ending of his cut of Justice League in which Superman, along with the rest of the Justice League, murder a defeated foe, Steppenwolf, in cold blood. Wonder Woman even lops off his head with a sword. This seemed more in the spirit of Marvel’s Punisher and definitely not in the spirit of these classic DC characters.
As I sat in that dark theater, I was hopeful that James Gunn could bring back the light of the DC Universe. In my opinion, his work on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies was superb, giving the audience big laughs to go along with a lot of heart. Each Guardians movie was really about the beauty of found family when you remove all the science fiction trappings. I didn’t go into Superman with complete confidence, though. I saw The Suicide Squad in theaters and felt Gunn had allowed the humor to get away from him to the point of outweighing the character drama and forgetting the heart. And though I enjoyed the movie, I felt Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 wasn’t as funny as the previous installments. In many ways Guardians Vol. 3 made the opposite choice of The Suicide Squad by forgetting to laugh. Luckily, right before teaming up with Peter Safran to run DC studios, Gunn delivered the excellent Peacemaker TV series for HBOMax. In John Cena’s Christopher Smith we had a lovable goofball struggling to overcome his tragic childhood with the help of his friends while also saving the world from evil butterflies. Loaded with sometimes crass humor? Yes. Some wonderful character moments that made you root for a psychopathic knucklehead and his friends? Yes. Yup, the perfect James Gunn project.
Well, any fears I may have had over Superman dissipated as soon as Krypto the Superdog appeared. Krypto’s appearance so early on felt like Gunn was saying to all of this, “Hey, don’t worry. I get Superman. The dark edgy DCEU is over, just sit back and enjoy.” The movie has been out for a while now and you can even buy it on streaming, but I’m going to try and avoid spoilers for those out there who haven’t been able to see it yet.
I’ll just start by saying that David Corenswet will be this generation’s Christopher Reeve. Never once was I able to catch Corenswet acting, all that I saw was Superman. I never expected that Gunn would be able to find an actor who could so completely capture Superman’s Midwest charm like Reeve, but Corenswet nails every scene he’s in. This is a Superman who never, even in his darkest moments, forgets to be kind. Gunn gives us a Superman with an unshakable resolve that the world is more good than bad, an optimism our world sorely needs right now. Superman is once again a beacon of hope. This carries into Corenswet’s costume which, aside from the shape of the S, is remarkably comics accurate. I’ve always preferred the John Byrne “S” shield of the 1980s and 1990s, and though I at first didn’t care for Gunn’s take, I have to say it ended up growing on me. And I’m glad Gunn kept the red trunks. It may seem an anachronistic holdover from the 1930s, but without that splash of red, Superman just doesn’t look right. That was my primary critique of the Superman’s New 52 look; it was just too blue.
The rest of the main cast are equally great. Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) is a great modern Lois Lane. Gone are the days, thankfully, of the damsel in distress. This Lois has agency. Brosnahan plays Lois as a strong reporter devoted to the truth who isn’t afraid to engage in Superman’s chaotic world side-by-side with the other heroes. And her chemistry with Corenswet feels truly genuine. There is an ending scene that just encapsulates why comic fans have been rooting for this couple for almost a hundred years. Nicholas Hoult, no stranger to the superhero genre, plays Lex Luthor. Hoult’s Luthor is menacing; Lex finally feels like a true threat for the first time on screen. Fittingly, Gunn has Luthor embody the villain of modern times, the callous, egotistical, billionaire industrialist. Hoult can effortlessly leap from charming salesman to cruel villain and back again, making his Luthor feel unpredictable and dangerous. You can see his hatred for Superman simmering in his eyes and his utter surprise and disdain for the people of Metropolis when he sees they love Superman more than him.
Gunn smartly chooses to make our first live-action foray into the new DCU a contained story. This isn’t Iron Man 2 where the story was tasked to introduce future plot threads and characters. This allows us time to really get to know this iteration of Superman and his supporting cast. That being said, part of the reason that this new DCU feels like a lived-in expansive world is the insertion of the “Justice Gang.” Nathan Fillion is the perfect Guy Gardner, a character I never ever expected to see on screen. But of course, I never expected the world to ever know the names Groot and Rocket Raccoon either. I can only hope we can get the recreation of Guy’s famous showdown with Batman from Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire’s run on Justice League. I know I’m not the only fan hoping we get to see “one punch!!” on the big screen. Gunn’s knack for endearing audiences to fringe characters stretches to Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl and Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific. Merced embodies the strength and regality of the character. My only complaint, in fact my only issue with the entire movie, is the decision to make her screech whenever she is attacked. I found it distracting from the action and undermining the badass nature of Merced’s performance. Gathegi proves that Mr. Terrific has been criminally underused in the comics and is a definite unexpected highlight of this film. I hope this character becomes a mainstay of this DCU. Gathegi gives the audience a brilliant and strong presence that movies need.
And thank you, James Gunn, for keeping the Kents alive and present in Superman’s life. A decision DC also made to the comics in the 1980s, the Kents keep Superman grounded to humanity and accentuate that the nobility of his character arose from his upbringing and not from being born on Krypton. Superman is the immigrant dream. Just as the Kents infused Superman with the best of our values, the immigrant Superman makes our world better in return. Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster were two Jewish immigrants who wanted desperately to make something of themselves in their new home. And they gave us a hero for the ages, infused with their values, that showed us the best of what we can become.
Thankfully, as much as Gunn nails the ethos of Superman, the plot itself is fun and unafraid of its identity as a comic book movie, as it leans into the fantasy science fiction of the Silver Age Superman stories. I know most reading this have already seen the movie, but I won’t spoil it for the minority who haven’t yet made it to theaters. Gunn’s movie explores what Superman means to the world. It’s also the first Superman movie to really dig deep into the Luthor/Superman rivalry and the origins of Luthor’s intense hatred for the Man of Steel. Why would this brilliant man spend so much of his time trying to destroy Superman? Gunn seems curious to explore Luthor’s motivations and offers his answer in the film. Luthor’s and Superman’s world views collide in a way that teaches the audience more about both men. The action and special effects are amazing, and it was especially a treat to see a Green Lantern in action. A scene involving Mr. Terrific and his T-spheres is a particularly highlight that only reiterates my previous point that this hero deserves more screen time in the DCU. Gunn and his team manage to make the entire picture feel like you are sitting inside a giant summer comic event and I ate it up.
Superman is a film that I will be watching again and again. I left the theater with a broad smile and a few happy tears at seeing my childhood hero brought to life on the big screen. I loved the re-worked John Williams “Superman Theme by John Murphy and David Fleming. Somehow, it just wouldn’t have felt like a true Superman without it and I think they did the Maestro proud. The perfect movie for our tumultuous times. Perhaps Superman is right: In our present times, being punk is being kind.
