Cast: David Corenswet; Rachel Brosnahan; Nicholas Hoult; Edi Gathegi; Anthony Carrigan; Nathan Fillion; Isabela Merced
Director: James Gunn
Platform: In Cinemas 11 July
Rating out 5: ★★★★
There’s something deeply nostalgic about sitting in a darkened cinema, popcorn in your lap, as that iconic red-and-yellow “S” lights up the screen. It hits you in the chest. A symbol you grew up with. A symbol, if you’re being honest, you might have stopped believing in. Because the world’s complicated, and things don’t always turn out like the movies promised they would.
But James Gunn’s Superman doesn’t care about your cynicism. It’s not here to interrogate the myth. It’s here to remind you why the myth mattered in the first place. And somehow it pulls it off.
This movie isn’t perfect. It’s a little messy, a little overstuffed, and wears its heart on its sleeve in a way that might make more jaded viewers shift in their seats. But it’s also sincere. Joyful. Surprisingly touching. And sometimes, especially these days, that’s enough.
Let’s get something straight: this is not another tortured, grey-toned reboot. This Superman isn’t brooding. He’s not angry. He’s not a god wrestling with existential dread. He’s just a young man trying to do the right thing in a world that doesn’t make it easy.
David Corenswet steps into the cape with a sort of earnest charm you don’t see much in blockbusters anymore. He doesn’t try to reinvent Superman. He just plays him with kindness, decency, and most importantly, hope. It sounds simple, maybe even old-fashioned. But when was the last time you saw a superhero movie that didn’t apologise for being hopeful?
This Superman smiles. He listens. He helps. And somehow, that’s what makes him feel fresh again.
Yes, there’s a dog. Krypto, to be exact. A caped companion with laser eyes and a heart of gold. On paper, it sounds like something you’d expect from a Saturday morning cartoon. But on screen, it works. Completely.
Krypto isn’t comic relief, he’s part of the emotional centre of the film. His bond with Superman is pure, simple, and strangely moving. In a movie full of big moments, this one, the quiet loyalty between man and dog might be what stays with you the longest.
Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane is everything you want her to be: sharp, fearless, and human. She doesn’t play second fiddle to Superman. She’s a partner, a sceptic, and often the smartest person in the room. Nicholas Hoult brings a cool, simmering menace to Lex Luthor, less cartoon villain, more calculating genius. And the supporting cast, while big, feels grounded. No one phones it in. Everyone seems to know the story they’re in, and more importantly, why it matters.
The chemistry is real, and that goes a long way in a film that walks a fine line between comic-book spectacle and emotional sincerity.
Here’s where the movie stumbles a bit. Gunn packs a lot in: Kryptonian lore, political tension, big-picture world-building, emotional backstories, and yes, a few setup threads for the wider DC universe.
The result? A film that sometimes feels like it’s juggling too many balls at once. There are a few moments where the pacing slows down or side characters pull the focus too far from the main thread.
But and this is key, it never loses its heart. Even when the plot gets tangled, the emotional core stays intact. You’re still rooting for these people. You still care.
This is one of the most colourful, vibrant superhero films we’ve had in years. It leans into its comic book roots, not by being silly, but by embracing bold visuals and clear storytelling. The sky is blue. The suit is bright. The flying scenes are exhilarating without being overwhelming.
There’s no foggy palette, no endless nighttime fights where you can’t tell who’s punching who. This film is proud to look like a Superman movie. It’s joyful to watch and in a landscape of dim, serious superhero films, that’s a quiet act of rebellion.
There are a few scenes here that are surprisingly emotional. Not because they try to shock you or lean too hard into melodrama, but because they come from a place of honesty.
Superman isn’t perfect. He makes mistakes. He questions himself. But his compass is clear, and his love, for humanity, for his family, for his dog, feels real. And when a story lets itself be tender without fear of seeming uncool? That’s something special.
Gunn knows how to do this. He’s done it before. He sneaks sentiment into genre films and makes it work, not with sweeping speeches, but with small moments: a look, a pause, a line of dialogue that lands just right.
Some parts of the film don’t quite gel. A few characters feel like they’re being introduced more for future spinoffs than for this story. The tone shifts once or twice, moving from heartfelt to action-heavy in a way that feels like the studio tapping on the director’s shoulder.
But none of these issues are deal-breakers. They’re just signs that this is a big, ambitious movie trying to do a lot and mostly succeeding.
So, what do we make of this Superman?
He’s not dark. He’s not brooding. He’s not a symbol of modern disillusionment. He’s just trying to be good in a world that often makes that difficult. And honestly? That feels revolutionary.
Gunn’s Superman reminds us why this character mattered in the first place. Not because of his powers, or his villains, or the fact that he can fly. But because he stands for something. Something we’re maybe just starting to believe in again.
This is a film that dares to be sincere. That tells its story with clarity and heart. That puts a dog in a cape and makes it work. And for that, it deserves your time.
Watch it with someone who grew up on the old films. Or better yet, take a kid who’s never seen Superman before. Watch their face light up when he first takes off.
You’ll remember why you loved movies in the first place.
