Over the past few decades, the best superhero movies have focused on the human aspect and through a strong level of character building. The Dark Knight doesn't become a classic without the Joker's character development throughout the film, and Tom Holland's delivery of "Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good" doesn't hit the same without creating so much investment in who Peter Parker is as a person.
In the new movie Superman, director James Gunn smartly decides to focus on both the good and bad of humanity, and it eerily rings similar to the current climate many are experiencing both inside and outside the country.
Superman smartly skips the origin story of our main character, and instead starts the film by sharing that he has just lost his first fight of his life. As Superman (David Corenswet) lies broken on the snowy tundra, it evokes not only emotions of concern but anger that the man who represents good is on the losing end of the fight.
Not to be outdone by the humans within the film, Corenswet's Superman is quickly recused by his dog Krypto, who delivers him to the Fortress of Solitude. Gunn smartly uses Krypto as a comedic element throughout the film, but it also allows us to create a deeper connection with our hero without feeling like a cheap stunt.
Superman is typically viewed as one of the strongest, if not the strongest, heroes in comic history so seeing him bruised and beaten numerous times throughout the film is a nice change of pace compared to previous iterations. Although nobody will ever complain about seeing him win a fight against one of his numerous enemies, it can be anti-climactic to know he'll always come out on top of every brawl.
Without giving too much away, Superman faces numerous villains throughout the film including Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría), and Ultraman. Although The Engineer falls into a familiar trope of a villain being introduced as eventual fodder for her here, Hoult's performance will rightfully be praised.
Hoult has done a wonderful job throughout his acting career of playing characters you love to hate, and his portrayal of Luther is no exception. It goes without saying that his work in the film vastly outshadows the performance from Jesse Eisenberg in the previous Superman iteration, and allows him to showcase a range of emotions that quickly jumps from envy to anger to delight at a whim.
Superman also introduces numerous characters joining Superman in the fight for good including Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and numerous staff members from The Daily Planet.
Gunn has always thrived at giving his characters depth, and he allows Brosnahan to shine in her role as Lane. The issue with most superhero movies is that women are typically introduced as love interests who quickly fade into the background or die at some point in the film to provide a plot point for the character to move forward with.
Lane is allowed to play a part in the action in a way that feels natural to her character and doesn't force the audience to adjust their expectations. Her scenes with Gathegi are some of the best in the film and provide lighter moments that showcase both smart writing and performances.
Unfortunately for Fillion and Merced, their performances take a backseat throughout the film and their additions feel like an obligation rather than a necessary inclusion. Fillion is an actor who always has fun in whatever role he's playing, and that's no exception here, but his limited screentime doesn't give us a chance to fully invest in his character. At one point, I wondered if he was going to become a villain just to make the inclusion of a Green Lantern worth it.
Merced is pushed even further into the background, and we can only hope her character is allowed to grow as the new cinematic universe continues to grow. Maintaining the introduction of so many new characters while also allowing them room to shine was always going to be a struggle, but it thankfully doesn't impact the film in a noteworthy way.
Even with all of these characters, the main attraction was always going to be Superman, and Gunn recognizes and utilizes that. Between close-ups of Superman flying to tender moments with his adoptive parents, Corenswet is constantly shown as a person with not only a lot of heart, but also as someone who is a loving son, friend, and partner.
The chemistry between Corenswet and Brosnahan also allows their part of the story to thrive. We've seen numerous performances of this same couple over the past few decades, but this is the first one that felt both natural and romantic without coming off as cliché or cheesy. Romance is never going to be at the forefront of a Superman movie, but it does continue to push the focus that this is a story about humanity over anything else.
Gunn avoids going overtly political with the story in Superman, but it's hard not to look at how the film is similar to everything going on in our current climate. As Hoult shows Superman a horde of monkeys he programmed to share slanderous takes on social media, you can only imagine someone using AI in real life to do the same thing.
The film also reminds us that humanity can be found in anyone, even during difficult circumstances. In a world where we're constantly surrounded by bad news, the shift in tone from Zack Snyder's dark and gloomy superhero universe to one with bright colors and a constant display of bravery is a welcome change of pace.
Even with minor flaws with pacing and the character development mentioned previously, Superman still showcases that there are superhero stories worth telling. We may have seen the Man of Steel on our screens numerous times over the past few decades, but the film is arguably one of the best stories told, and it sets up an exciting future for DC.
Superman is now playing in theaters.
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