I can’t say I was thrilled to see “Superman.” The past few superhero movies that have come out, especially the Marvel ones, have been let downs. I expected that it would just be a fun enough summer movie to fill the evening, but I was more than pleasantly surprised.
The newest edition to the Superman franchise premiered on July 11, 2025. In it, the so-called “Man of Steel” has to once again face his arch nemesis Lex Luther. The movie goes back to the basics and focuses on what has made the superhero genre, and Superman himself, so appealing to generation after generation.
The movie begins with Superman in crisis. For the first time in his life, he’s lost a fight to a masked assailant calling himself “The Hammer of Boravia.” He’s saved only by his superdog, Krypto, who’s an important and adorable side character throughout the film. After a brief sun-fueled healing session, he rushes back to the city to continue the fight.
Not only is Superman attacked physically by a variety of villains throughout the movie, he also comes under political attack from the rest of the world for his controversial intervention to stop war from breaking out in Boravia. He must not only fight his enemies with his fists and laser eyes, but also prove the righteousness of his cause with his morals and actions.
That was what set “Superman” apart for me. While recently the trend has been to make films about complex, morally gray or dark superheroes, director James Gunn’s latest edition to the Superman franchise stands out as a depiction of one good man trying to do good. If I go to a superhero movie’s summer release, I want to leave the theater feeling good. “Superman” accomplishes that perhaps more than any other recent superhero film.
The movie is fueled by the performances of its two opposing forces: David Corenswet, who plays Superman, and Nicholas Hoult, who jumps off the screen as the raving egomaniac Lex Luthor. The innocence of Corenswet’s Superman practically seeps through the screen. In every scene, you can see his frustration with the world that questions his pure motivations. This makes his fundamentally good nature all the more clear.
Hoult’s portrayal of Luthor is the polar opposite. His drive and confidence are scary. Every word is laced with pure malice. He provides the perfect evil to contrast the pure goodness of Superman; he’s the type of villain you love to hate.
But beyond the two main characters, I thought the supporting cast was a bit diluted. The movie packed in one superhero too many. The additions of Green Lantern, Mister Terrific, and other members of the Justice League were probably cool for the hardcore DC fans, but to me it just felt like they were looking to name drop a few niche superheros. Bringing in side character after side character took away time from what I thought was a strong core cast.
It wouldn’t be a Superman movie, or a superhero movie for that matter, without a few big screen, big sound fight scenes. “Superman” has more than enough to satisfy any fan of the genre, and it is here that Gunn’s experience as director of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies shines through. Seeing the well choreographed fights on the IMAX big screen was a surreal moviegoing experience; the quick cuts, loud sound effects, and dynamic use of the urban setting brings you to the ground floor of every battle.
Despite its highs, the plot moved perhaps a bit too quickly, to the point where it never seemed like there was much of a struggle for the good guys. There was almost no doubt that Superman would eventually come through.
Some critics may denounce the movie for its lack of depth in comparison to other recently acclaimed superhero films, but for me, that was its primary strength. It felt good to watch the good guys beat the bad guys without questioning which was which. It felt good to watch a plot I didn’t have to struggle to understand. It felt good to root for Superman and his little superdog to save the day.
It won’t change cinema, it won’t even change Superman. But it was a fun time and a good lesson to superhero movies of the future not to take themselves too seriously.
