Superman is a new film set to release in theaters July 11 that is meant to be the first film in the DC Universe and the second reboot of the Superman film series. Written & directed by James Gunn, the film stars David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, and Isabela Merced. Superman, a journalist in Metropolis, embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent.
Ever since James Gunn directed the first Guardians of the Galaxy, the guy hadn’t missed to this day. His first superhero outing continues to be one of my favorite superhero movies of all time due to the way he makes us care for the characters, the action, the soundtrack, and the visual style. Since concluding that trilogy with a perfect ending, he has now been tasked with rebooting the DC franchise and turning it into a universe much like the MCU and less like the DCEU. Given that he had to make this on top of being charged with the overall new universe seemed like a daunting task. I was most excited to see this, because I wanted to see a universe with these characters thrive together. What we get here may be the start of something amazing.
Going in, I was incredibly excited. Not as excited as someone in my theater who drove hours to my theater to wait in line since 11 AM for a 7:30 PM showing, but I was still excited! Even with getting in somewhat early as a press, the theater was already almost full. It was nearly impossible to get a seat. If this is any indication though, I truly believe this movie will be a huge box office success that will gear this new universe in the right direction.
As excited as I was, I tried avoiding any and all trailers. I saw snippets here and there, but it was enough to get me on board as I love the filmmaker and the cast. Based on the way this film starts, it acknowledges that the viewer already understands the characters and the lore. It’s a great way to get you right into the action, offering something new and exciting. On the other hand, it may not work for everyone.
I was surprised by how much confidence this film puts into its characters. If you weren’t already familiar with these characters, good luck getting caught up to speed. The motivations are explained throughout the movie, but I don’t know if it’s enough to get you fully on board with what’s going on. Most notably, as good as Nicholas Hoult is here as Lex Luthor, his motivations simply were not explored as much as it could have been.
The way this film starts out reminded me a lot of Gunn’s last movie, Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The set up feels different and it’s consistently subverting your expectations. Instead of exploring more of Superman’s backstory, it goes all in to show where he is now. While the film explains more of his backstory later on, the film could have benefitted from showing more of it in the beginning. After all, this is the start of a new universe.
It should come as no surprise that David Corenswet is terrific as Superman & Clark Kent. Zack Snyder set the blueprint with Henry Cavill’s performance. Gunn clearly respects the viewers to give a familiar face with Corenswet, but he still gives new life through this performance. Corenswet fully embodies the character to where I’d love to see more of him going forward.
Even if I would have liked to have seen more with Luthor’s motivations, there is no denying Nicholas Hoult is putting on a terrific and terrifying performance. There are things he does that I haven’t seen from a superhero movie like this before that makes him look even more menacing. Rachel Brosnahan is great as Lois Lane as she puts on a new spin of the character that gives her even more to do. As for the other side characters, I was worried, but they all serve a purpose within the story and even have some funny moments that Gunn is known for.
Gunn simply knows how to make a comic book movie. This film is visually stunning. I have been complaining a lot about how films this year have not had great visuals, especially with the green screen. That is not the case here. Gunn utilizes his effects team by creating something visually engaging. The camera also looks great as it pans around the character, acting as its own characters. There’s even a terrific one-take scene. You’ll know when you see it. On top of all of this, the terrific score puts you right into action with Gunn perfectly placing some amazing needle drops that fit the film’s tone.
With a runtime of about two hours and ten minutes, I was concerned to say the least. How could setting up a new universe work with so many characters with a rather short runtime? Gunn does so by getting right to it. It’s actually unlike any other superhero movie I’ve seen lately, especially one that’s done so well. By getting right to it, Gunn gives exactly what the fans want by delivering action & heart. You neither feel the runtime nor do you feel like it’s rushed. It could very well be the blueprint for modern day superhero movies.
Lastly, I can see where Gunn is getting better and better at creating something emotional in his finales. I did not expect to be so emotionally invested with the thematic message in the end. There’s a lot of great symbolism that struck a chord with me.
Overall, Superman is a great way to start this new universe. David Corenswet embodies Clark Kent & Superman. Nicholas Hoult is terrifying as Lex Luthor. Rachel Brosnahan offers something new for Lois Lane. The film is visually stunning, action-packed, and consistently funny. The lack of characterization may leave some room for more, but I can appreciate how Gunn chose to do something different for a character that we have seen done many times before.
VERDICT: 4/5 (Great)
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