Like so many comic book superheroes, it was inevitable that Superman would be subjected to his umpteenth reboot. Sometimes the reboots work, such as The Batman from 2022. Sometimes they don’t, as in the 2015 reboot of the Fantastic Four. Thankfully, this latest incarnation of the Man of Steel delivers in spades.
It’s an incredible reimagining of the character and his story as refined through the ingenious mind of writer/director James Gunn. This is one exhilarating romp filled with explosive action sequences, moments of earned levity, and a cast that is just as electric as the material itself.
The new Superman is David Corenswet, who gives a very spirited performance as both the titular character and his alter ego, Clark Kent. Unlike previous tellings, this new version skips the origin story and puts us straight into Superman, already known to the world. Not to mention, he’s already in an on-again/off-again relationship with Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan).
Of course, the movie delivers on supercharged spectacle, as when Supes has to save Metropolis from dangerous threats such as a kaiju creature. The movie throws a lot of special effects at us, but also features occasional interactions with Corenswet.
Nicholas Hoult plays Lex Luthor, who is determined to turn the public against Superman. This plan succeeds when a decoded message from his parents is leaked, revealing their desire for the Man of Steel to take over the world. This puts Supes in a lot of hot water.
Writer/director Gunn showcases the same level of humor and imagination as he did with the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. Perhaps one of the movie’s most riveting sequences features Superman trapped in what’s known as an artificial pocket dimension featuring various foes of Luthor. Superman has to save an enemy called Metamorpho (Anthony Garrigan) and his son. It’s a sequence that’s great to look at with some high emotional stakes.
As much as I admired the special effects sequences, I give Gunn credit for also allowing his characters to do something, even if the plot does get a little overstuffed. When Clark and Lois bicker, there’s much more of an effective romantic comedy than most movies in that genre over the last 10 years.
Other scenes, such as Luthor trying to start a war between opposing countries, feel somewhat superfluous in terms of their execution, but that’s just a minor quibble in what is far and away the most entertaining blockbuster so far this summer.
Gunn knows how to honor the material while also taking it into a new cinematic era. He shows the honorable side of Superman while also giving him a sense of personality that hasn’t really been seen in the character before, and Corenswet is the right actor to pull it off sufficiently.
There are also Easter eggs to previous Superman movies and even some new characters who will not doubt take on bigger roles in the inevitable sequel, as well as this reboot of the DC Universe.
This new version of Superman doesn’t try to bring to the table what the movies featuring Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh, or Henry Cavill did. This is a standalone effort that does what summer blockbusters do best: Give us a movie that has fun and heart.
