I grew up the man of steel and he was everything I thought a man should be. Loyal. Brave. Honest. Good. Superman has always stood as a symbol of wonder, kindness, and hope—and James Gunn encapsulates that spirit perfectly for the new film. 

Gunn’s reimagining of the iconic hero embraces the character’s enduring legacy of hope, kindness, and wonder while layering in those midcentury manners with modern quirks and sensibilities. I love that his go-tos are “Good, gosh!” and “golly,” instead of something an actual thirty year old man would say when he’s frustrated. 

Superman isn’t vulgar. 

David Corenswet has done something very few interpretations of the character have done. They have made Clark the personality while Superman is the mask. Not the other way around. And Corenswet is so sincere and grounded in his performance that he captures that idealism and humanity with such conviction that you actually see past the beauty of the man on your screen and see the one thing a superman portrayal needs above all else – heart.  

I’ve never seen Mrs. Maisel, but Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane is as damn near perfect as you can get. Lois is Clark’s perfect counterpart. She’s rash. She’s brash. And she’s so beautifully flawed. She’s in love with Clark. From the beginning you know (because that’s the story), but she’s conflicted – confused, and Brosnahan approaches the character–like Corenswet– with a conviction and integrity befitting the world’s most intrepid journalist.  

I’ve adored Nicholas Hoult in everything he’s done. From About A Boy to The Great, he’s just a deliciously talented actor, and his portrayal of Lex Luthor is just as menacing and complex as I wanted it to be. He’s not just a caricature of a supervillain. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a total dick, and his reasons for being such are incredibly self-serving, but he’s not just a cartoon. Plus a billionaire wanting to strip the world of diversity seems to play the play of the moment, so… he just totally fits. 

I do enjoy how Gunn skipped the backstory. We’ve seen it. A zillion times. The choice to plunge viewers into a world where Superman is already an established figure with a simple prologue was smart – and incredibly effective. We went from Once upon a time to the middle of the action in less than a minute. 

It was fantastic.

The film is vibrant, colorful, and emotionally genuine—infused with the kind of earnest optimism that has long defined Superman.

The colors. The music. Everything about this film was exactly as I hoped it would be. Including the reveal of Supergirl and how she’s going to be a very different version of Kara than we’ve ever seen before. 

I can’t wait for her film. 

There will be more reviews soon so… 

Stay Tuned!