It's been a long time since we last saw a Superman movie. Now, James Gunn with his guidance has made Superman (2025), it is made to launch the entire new DC and reboot the character of superman. The question arises did it succeed?
In shortly I can say yes. Well, Gunn has successfully delivered a new, vibrant, and deeply heartfelt take on one of the most iconic superheroes which is ever created. I must agree on the fact that it's not perfect, but still this new Superman brings back the hope and warmth, something that recent darker versions often missed.
! [Spoilers Ahead!]
Plot and Setup
The movies does not begin from Superman’s origin. The audience already know the story about how baby Kal-El lands on earth, and he grew up to be a journalist as Clark Kent. We directly got into the story at Metropolis, there Superman works at the Daily Planet as Clark alongside his girlfriend Lois Lane. He is already a public figure as superman.
From the beginning of the movie it was clear that this movie is trying to be the same as the comic book. The colorings are just amazing and the action scenes were exploding with lots of energy. The story ignites when Superman tries to stop the conflicts between two fictional nations. His attempt to stop the war was to help out the people who are suffering but he attracted international scrutiny and criticism.
On the other hand there's Lex Luthor, a tech billionaire who has a secret agenda. Luthor tries his best to manipulate the public opinions and used his resources to frame Superman as a dangerous alien who came to earth to destroy the human being and claimed that he is not a hero. In this kind of situations Clark has to save people from life threats and also win back their trust.
The Characters
David Corenswet is incredibly handsome, he has totally nailed the character as both Clark and Superman. His performance has a warmth which is truly impressive. Unlike past versions which leaned into gloomy character, the new Superman knows how to smile and crack jokes. He knows how to show kindness and real emotional depth.
Rachel Brosnahan is a beautiful lady, she's a beauty with brain as Lois Lane, strong, and fearless. Her chemistry with Superman felt very authentic and natural, and their playful exchanges makes the most charming moments in the movie. I have personally enjoyed seeing them together.
Nicholas Hoult brings out the evil side of Lex Luthor very well. A perfect antagonist! he is over-the-top mad scientist we have seen before, he is calm, very calculative about his actions, and believable character who is genius and sees himself as a savior of the humanity.
The supporting characters such as Mister Terrific, Perry White, Jimmy Olsen and Hawkgirl all of them are talented and played their role very well. Alas! Not all of them got much screen time, but still their presence makes the story feel alive. And then there’s Krypto, a super-dog who plays the craziest part in the movie like he is so cute and makes every tough situation look funnier. Krypton's playful sight made the dog lovers go crazy.
What Works
One of the greatest part in this movie is that everything is in balance, the humor and serious it feels effortless. There are some moments when things got intense and the emotion flows naturally.
The visuals are the highlights of the movie. There's no muted colors, Superman’s suit pops on screen it looks bright and hopeful, and the sequences of actions are dynamic. But I felt that superman is a bit weak in this movie, I was not expecting any punch to land on his face because he is very strong and powerful despite that unexpected things happened. Anyway, the fighting scenes were very exciting.
The heart of audiences were stolen by the scenes between Clark and his adoptive parents. It felt truly grounding. This scene game us a reminder that he is the most powerful, but still Clark’s values are deeply human. This emotional core makes the movie feel meaningful and not just flashy.
Where It Stumbles
As far now I have praised it but, the movie does have flaws. If I don't point it out then I would be lying. I just want to give review with full honesty. In particular places it felt overstuffed. Because of too many characters, and plot threads, it really made the climax look a bit messy and tougher to follow.
The supporting characters some of them also felt underdeveloped. They are surely given to us for exciting cameos but they also didn't make us care about them. Whatever the reason is for this but it was way too distracting.
Lastly, the movie actually has shown how the world might react towards a powerful alien but the story does not deeply drive into them.
Final Thoughts
Superman (2025) is the new beginning to the new DC Universe. It reminds us why Superman matters. This movie dares to be straightforward and sincere. I genuinely feel they have done a great cast and everyone truly deserves a praise. I would reccomend all of you to try this new movie, I know that it's not the same cast of previous Superman but still we should give them a chance to prove themselves.
Ratings: 3 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐
Here is the trailer!
Let me know in the comment section if you have watched this movie and what was your impression on it?
The images are collected from source.