James Gunn's Superman is EXACTLY What We Needed - Superman (2025) A Review.
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James Gunn's Superman is EXACTLY What We Needed
OKAY BESTIES, we need to TALK because I am literally still shaking after seeing this movie and my brain has been completely rewired??? Like, I've been emotionally preparing for this movie since the moment James Gunn announced he was taking over the DCU, and by "emotionally preparing" I mean I've been alternating between pure excitement and existential dread because LITERALLY what if it was bad???
Because let's face it, as someone whose bedroom walls are covered in more posters than actual paint (my mom has Opinions about this but whatever), who owns a concerning amount of comics AND has them more organized than my actual life, and whose idea of light research is a deep dive into continuity changes post-Flashpoint (I HAVE THOUGHTS about the New 52 but that's another essay), Superman movies have been... a journey. A long, complicated journey that includes Christopher Reeve perfection (no notes, literally perfect, the standard by which all other Superman media is judged) AND whatever that was supposed to be when they decided Batman and Superman should brood together for three hours while completely missing the point of World's Finest dynamics.
But listen ladies, I cleared my weekend plans faster than Barry Allen escaping the Speed Force (and yes I know that reference is slightly incorrect shut up) because this wasn't just any superhero movie - this was James Gunn directing the most iconic character in comic book history!!! The man who made us cry over a talking raccoon was about to tackle the character who literally CREATED the superhero genre, invented the concept of secret identities, and has been the moral compass of the DC Universe for 85+ years, and honestly??? As someone who has spent an almost mind-boggling time watching DC movies, who can explain the difference between Earth-1, Earth-2, and New Earth Superman continuities WITHOUT looking it up, I needed to witness this cultural moment in the theater with my boyfriend (who is VERY patient with my DC obsessions and only looked semi-concerned when my grin got a little bigger whenever David Corenswet was on screen).
Spoiler alert: I'm still not emotionally recovered, and it's been three days. ALSO, I might have a dozen comic book websites open so I can order more stuff when your girl has more funds,
David Corenswet Said "Watch Me Channel Every Great Superman Era" (And We Said "YES DADDY")
Can we just TALK about David Corenswet for a hot minute because I am DECEASED and also slightly FERAL??? This man walked onto screen and basically channeled the perfect blend of Christopher Reeve's earnestness (ICONIC), the Golden Age's optimism, the Silver Age's boy scout energy, the Bronze Age's social consciousness, AND the modern comic book Superman's philosophical complexity, and then actually made it all work as one cohesive character while looking like he was SCULPTED BY THE GODS and I literally cannot??? The TALENT! The JAWLINE!?!?!
Listen, I really did think I was prepared for how attractive this man is because I'd seen the photos, but seeing him in motion as Superman??? With the cape billowing and that smilethat could probably end wars??? I literally forgot how to breathe for several minutes and had to pause my mental analysis to just... process the fact that this gorgeous human being was bringing one of my favorite characters to life??? The way he looks in that suit should be illegal, and don't even get me started on how his voice gets all soft and gentle when he's talking to people who need help because I was melting in my theater seat. My boyfriend definitely noticed and gave me a look, but listen, we both have eyes and he absolutely agreed that David Corenswet is unfairly attractive???
As someone who has very, very strong opinions about the difference between pre-Crisis and post-Crisis Superman characterization, Corenswet's performance hits that sweet spot that honors ALL eras of the character WHILE being absolutely STUNNING to look at. This isn't just another buff guy in a cape situation - this is an actor who clearly read "All-Star Superman", studied the emotional depth of "Superman: For All Seasons" (Mark Waid I owe you my life), amd somehow made the Golden Age boy scout, the Silver Age science fiction hero, the Bronze Age social crusader, and the modern philosophical icon feel like different facets of the same incredibly complex person who also happens to be one of the most beautiful men I've ever seen. I’m not okay.
The way he switches between Clark Kent and Superman isn't just about posture and vocal changes (though he nails those classic Christopher Reeve transformations and I literally had to contain in the theater) - it's about understanding that these aren't two separate people, they're two equally authentic expressions of the same moral framework!!! When he's Clark, you can see the Superman underneath trying to connect with humanity on their level, and you can see why Lois Lane would absolutely fall for this adorable, bumbling, secretly-ripped journalist. When he's Superman, you can see the Clark underneath who genuinely loves people and wants to help them, and you can see why the entire world would trust this absolutely gorgeous alien god-man with their lives"
Also, can we discuss the chemistry between him and Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane because I am slightly jealous I fear. THIS is the dynamic I've been waiting to see properly adapted to screen!!! Brosnahan's Lois isn't just "competent love interest #47" - she's the Lois who won a Pulitzer prize for investigating corruption, who figured out Clark's identity through actual investigative journalism rather than plot convenience, and who challenges Superman intellectually and morally rather than just being someone he has to rescue!!! And the way Corenswet looks at her??? Like she's the most fascinating person in the universe??? Chef’s kiss to the casting director.
These two had me invested in their relationship faster than I get invested in DC's monthly solicitations. Their banter feels ripped straight from the best Lois and Clark comic interactions, with that perfect balance of professional respect, personal chemistry, and the underlying tension of secret identity maintenance that makes their relationship so compelling in the comics!!! I literally almost squealed in the theater. My boyfriend squeezed my hand and kept asking if I was okay, which was super sweet but also sir, are you gonna make me float in the air when we kiss, I thought not!!!
The Real World Parallels That Made This Hit DIFFERENT (And Why Superman Still Matters)
But beyond my thirst for David Corenswet (seriously, that man could read me the phone book in Kryptonian and I'd swoon), this movie hit on something deeper that I wasn't expecting and honestly wasn't prepared for??? Without spoiling anything specific, the central conflict of the film draws some very intentional parallels to what's happening in Gaza right now, and as someone who's been doom-scrolling Twitter, watching civilians caught between superpowers while the world debates who deserves to live in peace... It hit different
Gunn didn't just make a generic "alien invasion" movie - he made a film about power, displacement, civilian casualties, and the moral responsibility that comes with having the ability to intervene in conflicts where innocent people are suffering. The way Superman navigates the impossible choice between action and restraint, between helping and potentially making things worse, between his desire to save everyone and the political reality that his intervention might escalate violence... it felt like watching someone grapple with the exact moral questions we're all asking ourselves while watching the news.
And look, I’m aware Superman is fiction, but there's something about watching a character whose entire moral framework is built around "everyone deserves to live, everyone deserves protection, everyone matters" dealing with a situation where those principles are tested by a real geopolitical complexity... it made me understand why we need these stories right now. Superman can't just punch his way out of this conflict because the real enemies are systemic oppression, historical trauma, and the way powerful people use civilian populations as pawns in larger games.
There's this moment where Superman has to choose between stopping immediate violence and addressing the root causes that created the violence, and it felt like a direct commentary on how we talk about "both sides" when one side has F-16s and the other side has rocks. As someone who's been struggling with feeling helpless while watching actual genocide happen in real time, seeing Superman face the same feelings of "what if my intervention makes things worse" while still choosing to act, still choosing to center civilian lives over political convenience... It really showed us that sometimes we need to see heroes grapple with impossible choices to remember that giving up isn't an option, even when every choice feels wrong.
Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor: Straight Out of "Superman: Birthright" With a Touch of "All-Star" (And I'm OBSESSED)
We need to discuss Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor because this casting choice initially had me frantically preparing for either celebration or complete devastation!!! This man showed up ready to serve bald hater.
He's not just generic villain #47 or "businessman who doesn't like aliens" - he's the Lex who genuinely believes he's saving humanity from what he sees as an alien threat, while being absolutely consumed by jealousy that this alien is everything he wants to be but could never achieve!!! This is the Lex who's so brilliant he could cure cancer but is too obsessed with proving Superman is a fraud to focus on actually helping humanity. This is the Lex from whose hatred stems from a fundamental inability to accept that someone could be genuinely good without ulterior motives!!!
The way Hoult delivers every line like he's so deeply offended by Superman's existence isn't just good acting - it's an understanding of comic book Lex's core psychology!!! He's not threatened by Superman's power; he's threatened by Superman's goodness, because it exposes everything petty and small about Lex's own motivations. When he talks about Superman, you can so very clearly see him trying to convince himself as much as everyone else that this alien is dangerous, because the alternative - that Superman really is just trying to help - would destroy Lex's entire worldview.
The best Lex Luthor stories always make you understand his point just enough to remember why he's terrifying- he's not wrong that Superman is incredibly powerful and could potentially be dangerous, he's wrong about Superman's character and motivations. Hoult nails that balance perfectly and I may be slightly in love with this portrayal???
The Supporting Cast That Actually Feels Like They Live in the DC Universe (And I'm Here for ALL of It)
Can we appreciate a superhero movie where the supporting characters actually feel like they belong in the DC Universe rather than just Generic Superhero Movie Land??? Nathan Fillion showing up and immediately making me wonder if we're getting hints of a full Justice League International lineup (PLEASE James Gunn I'm BEGGING)? Anthony Carrigan bringing that perfect blend of intensity and depth that had me thinking about every great DC character actor performance from the animated universe???
The Daily Planet scenes feel like they were ripped straight from the comics - not just the Superman comics, but the ENTIRE DC Universe approach to journalism and media that runs through everything from "The Question" to "Gotham Central"!!! These aren't just "newspaper movie" supporting characters; they understand that in the DC Universe, journalism matters as much as superheroics because truth and information are literally superpowers in their own right.
Even the smaller roles felt like they understood the assignment!!! This isn't just "generic superhero movie supporting cast #12" - these feel like characters who could anchor their own comic book runs, which is exactly how DC's best stories work. Every character feels like they have their own agenda, their own life, their own relationship with Superman that isn't just "person who needs rescuing" or "person who explains plot points"!!!
The Metropolis we see feels lived-in and real, like a city that exists independently of Superman rather than just being a backdrop for superhero action. This is the Metropolis from the comics - a place that's beautiful and optimistic but also dealing with real urban problems, a place where Superman fits naturally rather than being an alien presence disrupting normalcy, and I'm literally getting emotional just thinking about how perfect the world-building is???
The Moments That Made Me Ugly Cry
WITHOUT spoiling anything (because I'm not a monster, and also because spoiling DC content is punishable by banishment to the lego batman Phantom Zone), there are at least three moments in this movie that had me crying actual tears while simultaneously thinking "oh my god they actually adapted that essential comic book Superman feeling to screen" and I'm never gonna get over it.
One sequence involving Superman making a choice about heroism felt like watching "Superman vs. The Elite" come to life, reminding me why I've been defending this character's relevance against "but he's too powerful/too perfect/too boring" arguments on twitter. The way Corenswet delivers what amounts to the "World of Cardboard" speech from Justice League Unlimited but specifically for this story had me dead.
Another moment involves Superman's relationship with humanity that directly echoes the best "Superman saves everyone" comic moments - you know, the ones where he's not just stopping the obvious threat but actually solving the underlying problem that created the threat in the first place!!! It's the kind of scene that reminds you why Superman stories work best when they're about hope and inspiration rather than just "alien punches bad guy until bad guy stops being bad.”
The final act somehow managed to capture the epic scope of a Crisis event while maintaining the intimate character work of the best Elseworlds stories!!! I left the theater wanting to immediately re-read my ENTIRE Superman collection to catalog what Easter eggs and deep cut references I missed, because Gunn clearly packed this thing with comic book DNA
But the moment that really got me was a quiet scene - just Superman being superman, not because he has to save the world, but because helping people is WHO HE IS!!! No big action sequence, no world-ending threat, just the most powerful (and gorgeous) being in the universe taking time to do something small and human because it matters to someone. That's when I knew this movie really understood what makes Superman special, and I'm literally tearing up just thinking about it again.
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Final Thoughts: This Is Why I've Been Defending DC Comics for LITERAL DECADES (And Also Why I'm Now a David Corenswet Stan Account)
I can't help but feel completely vindicated as a lifelong DC Comics obsessive!!! This movie GETS IT. It understands what makes Superman work in comics and translates that perfectly to screen without losing any of the depth, complexity, or fundamental optimism that makes the character so special.
Gunn didn't just make a Superman movie - he made a love letter to 85+ years of comics history while proving that yes, actually, the character who inspired every superhero who came after him can still inspire us today!!! This felt like someone who owns longboxes full of Superman comics, who has strong opinions about different creative runs, and who actually understood what made all those comics special, then decided to share that feeling with the rest of us!!! And he cast the most beautiful man alive to play the role, so honestly, what more can you ask for?
Yes, Superman can be interesting. Yes, there are stakes when you're dealing with someone this powerful. Yes, you can tell compelling stories about someone who's fundamentally good without making them boring or naive. Yes, you can make Superman relevant to contemporary political struggles without losing his essential optimism.
James Gunn, you've somehow made a movie that honors both "Superman: The Movie" AND "All-Star Superman" while feeling completely fresh and contemporary and relevant to our current political momentI cannot thank you enough!!! You've created something that works for people who have never read a comic book and for those of us who have, which is basically the holy grail of comic book adaptation!!!
P.S. - If anyone has high-quality screenshots of David Corenswet as Superman for my totally academic research into comic book adaptations, please send them my way. It's for SCIENCE. And also because he's absolutely gorgeous and I have NEEDS.
