It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s the latest DC movie. And it arrives with a faithful Kryptonian dog companion and a ragtag team of heroes. As of July 11, DC Studios kicks off its newest cinematic universe, the “Detective Comics Universe” (DCU), with the box office hit: “Superman (2025)” by award-winning director James Gunn.
The movie flies to become the highest-grossing superhero movie of 2025 so far, with over $600 million worldwide at the box office, surpassing other comic movies such as “Fantastic Four: First Steps.”
(Warning: Spoilers Ahead)
Unlike other big-screen iterations of the beloved comic book figure, Gunn strives to give audiences a more “human side” of the classic hero. Audiences receive just that wrapped up in Superman’s comic-accurate suit, down to the leotard and tights.
The story takes place three years after the Man of Steel, Superman (David Corenswet) entered the public as a hero. Now Superman has to face threats on multiple fronts, on the ground, fighting the enigmatic villain, the mysterious Hammer of Boravia (David Corenswet); on the web, with the tensions of social media backlash; as well as the threat of an overseas war (between the fictional countries of Boravia and Jarhanpor) that looms on the horizon.
Faster than a speeding bullet and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, Corenswet brings us a Superman comparable to the beloved comic original. His acting is spot on and full of the pure-hearted Boy Scout energy expected from the small-town raised Kryptonian. With lines like “What the hey, dude?” and “Golly,” Corenswet gives both rabid comic fans and your average movie-goer a lovable protagonist to root for throughout the film. There were certain moments where Superman felt very naive, considering this film takes place three years after he began being a Superhero.
Fighting beside Superman, and making his live-action debut, his faithful, furry companion, Krypto the Superdog. Every scene featuring this high-strung, superpowered pooch is full of laughter from audiences, and a few winces as he takes down threats with strength comparable to the Man of Steel himself. When I first saw the trailer for the movie, I was ecstatic to see Krypto finally receive the recognition and love he deserved.
Another brilliant choice from Gunn was the casting, which includes British Academy Award winner Nicholas Hoult as the movie’s main antagonist and the DC version of Norman Osborn, Lex Luthor. Hoult’s acting is full of emotion and a self-assured energy that DC fans have come to expect from Luthor. Though acting is only half of what makes a good character, luckily, Hoult delivers on appearance as well. He looks comic-accurate to Lex Luthor, down to the bald head and air of superiority. He portrays Luthor as typically calm and almost smug, even in the face of Superman shouting, “Where’s the dog?” at him. Luthor takes the textbook definition of a villain (being that a villain is the exact moral opposite of the hero) and embodies it.
Alongside Luthor comes a plethora of supporting villains. The lineup includes the nanoware-infused Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría), the mysterious fighter Hammer of Boravia/Ultraman (David Corenswet) and the corrupt Boravian President (Zlatko Burić). The amount of villains, while all fantastically portrayed, feels overwhelming. The two henchmen of Luthor (Ultraman and Engineer) do not feel intimidating, and as the movie goes on, they grow more and more underwhelming. The Boravian President is your typical corrupt political figure, secretly doing underhanded dealings with Luthor behind the curtains.
A hero is only as good as the people who fight alongside them, and that could not be truer than in “Superman”. With a sparkling cast of more unrecognized and underrated characters such as the arrogant, bowl-cut rocking Green Lantern, Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), the fearless winged wonder, Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and the sarcastic sphere-wielding genius, Mr. Terrific (played by Edi Gathegi), director Gunn once again creates the chaotic team dynamic that audiences have come to expect from the Guardians of the Galaxy director. The reveal of the “Justice Gang” gave me goosebumps in the theater, with a reveal with the sun streaming behind them like sarcastic angels sent from above. The addition of these less recognized characters added to the plot, acting as support beams for the theme of Superheroes still being human.
The plot is incredibly layered and complex (a nice change of pace from some recent superhero films). However, the storyline may be too complex. With many subplots, ranging from romantic tension between Clark Kent and Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) to the Boravian-Jarhanpor war on the horizon, the plot can feel tangled, and some of the more meaningful messages (such as the effects of Social Media and how easily swayed public opinion is) get lost within the spiderweb of intersecting subplots and moments.
The romance subplot between Clark Kent and Lois Lane feels very stiff and unnatural. Both actors play their hearts out, yet the romantic tension is uncomfortable and feels forced. This can either be the result of audiences not seeing how they got together, what drove them to form their relationship, or just a simple case of the actors not having the right chemistry.
A main issue throughout the plot is the lack of true emotional tension. In the very few death scenes, audiences do not feel connected enough to characters to feel the true emotional impact that any death scene should exhibit. It comes off as feeling forced, as a sudden “oh no, I can’t believe the villain would do that” kind of scene, but that does not cut it, especially if it is supposed to be a big turning point in the movie. The film does not give us a reason to care. With no background as to why these characters would lay their life down for Superman, the feeling of emotional depth is gone.
A key part of any action or sci-fi movie is the special effects, the added magic to movies that make the world seem real. “Superman” takes that rule and nails it. Each effect looks visually stunning, perfect for your next TikTok edit. The vibrancy and smooth integration of each effect is a breath of fresh air, to say the least. From the almost natural way that Krypto flies to the entire Pocket Dimension scene, all of it screams a visual masterpiece that draws the audience in.
Physical mechanics, such as Green Lantern’s constructs (which are made of Hard Light), are extremely hard to integrate naturally. Creating visuals just right is crucial for either a really impactful scene or an unnatural-looking green screen effect that even my Capcut could do. Gunn hits it out of the ballpark once more with the natural integration of effects.
Arguably, one of the most important factors to any successful superhero film is how well it uses the original template from the comics. “Superman” succeeds in that category. With comic-perfect renditions of hero suits (ie, Mr. Terrific), to accurate portrayals of characters such as Guy Gardner, this movie has comic fans everywhere thanking DC for their attention to detail.
Several scenes have hidden Easter Eggs (some of which I missed), including one in particular during the Justice Gang and Lois Lane scene. In this scene, if audiences look closely at the background, they can find a mural depicting the history of Metahumans along the wall. Characters such as Wildcat, Atomic Knight, and the more well-known magician, Zatara, are immortalized in this fantastic hidden gem.
All in all, “Superman” is a wonderful movie for comic junkies and superhero fans alike. With frequent comedic moments and a stupendous supporting cast, the Man of Steel returns to audiences, followed by an amazing soundtrack that one can expect from Gunn. He brings a new angle to the Superman mythos that has not been fully explored till now.
The future of DC lies in good hands with the two directing wonders of past Marvel director Gunn and horror and superhero film director Peter Safran. If you’re still craving Superman media, a good choice includes the 2001 series, “Smallville” (found on Hulu and Amazon Prime). If comics suit your fancy, a few key issues are “All-Star Superman #10,” “World’s Finest Comics #176” and “Superman #233.”
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