Superman 2025: James Gunn reboots the DC Universe – is it good?
After a string of flops, superhero factory DC has hit the reset button. Guardians Of The Galaxy director James Gunn has taken over the newly formed DC Universe, a reboot of the popular superhero roster that begins with the Gunn-directed Superman. Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel films never quite captured the magic of the character, so can our new geek overlord succeed where he failed?
The new film is set in a world where Superman (now played by David Corenswet) is already established and known to Metropolis, having saved the world multiple times. Working at The Daily Planet as Clark Kent, his secret identity is known to colleague and girlfriend Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan). Public opinion begins to turn on Superman when he prevents one foreign country, America’s ally, invading another, leading the public to question whether The Man Of Steel should influence foreign policy. Behind the scenes, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) is orchestrating the invasion to undermine Superman’s influence and increase his own.
You can never accuse Gunn of a lack of ambition. Tackling the age-old complaint that Superman’s invulnerabilities make him dull, Corenswet spends most of the film being punched, poisoned, booed, and generally beaten up by the various superpowered foes that come his way.
The violence is offset by the Kryptonian’s sense of humour, which makes him a direct opposite to Henry Cavill’s dark demigod. Colour, humour, and spectacle are the order of the day in what feels like a comic book come to life.
It’s not without it’s problems, however. Gunn throws comedy, action, political subtext, and universe building in one big blender and the result can be dizzying, preventing it ascending the heights of The Dark Knight or the best of Marvel. At times it feels the filmmaker is more drawn to the misfit characters, giving support characters such as Nathan Fillion’s cocky Green Lantern and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) hero moments in the spotlight.
However, Corenswet’s suffering is earned when a glorious third act emerges to tie everything together. The actor portrays a man who is flawed, sensitive, and at times unsure of himself. As Brosnahan’s sharp Lois Lane observes at one point, he trusts humanity to a fault; an optimist in a world that thrives on cynicism. Gunn may take a convoluted path to get to the centre of his hero, but when he does it’s mightily rewarding.
On the other side of the coin, Hoult is a manic whirlwind of toxic masculinity. His manipulation of the media and clear disregard of his effect on the planet will remind some of real life tech billionaires, but beneath the satire is an occasionally unsettling villain who encapsulates Luthor’s boiling envy of the big blue boy scout.
Given the number of characters on screen, it might seem odd to single out Krypto, Superman’s overenthusiastic pet dog, but the pooch really is a scene stealer. Capturing hearts in the same way Gunn did with Guardians’ Groot, the adorable sidekick adds stakes to the story and will almost certainly become a fan favourite.
With Superman, Gunn throws everything at the wall, and most of it works. More wisecracking than the Christopher Reeve films, but more hopeful than the Snyderverse, it introduces a Man Of Steel that feels right for now.
Superman is in cinemas from July 11th