Cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, María Gabriela de Faría, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Neva Howell
Genre: Superhero, Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Director: James Gunn
In Irish Cinemas: 11th July 2025
Superman isn’t just a film—it’s a declaration. A mission statement. A carefully calculated blueprint for a franchise that has no choice but to work. The burden on its shoulders is immense, almost mythic. When audiences enter the cinema, they’re not just here for popcorn and punches—they’re hoping this caped icon can rescue a floundering genre. After a string of underperforming or aimless comic book movies, Superman arrives not merely to entertain but to redeem, rebuild, and reorient.
It must reclaim one of pop culture’s most enduring heroes. It must reestablish trust in DC’s cinematic universe, now steered by James Gunn—a filmmaker known for irreverent heart and stylised chaos (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squad). It must appease a fractured fandom still divided over Zack Snyder’s legacy, with one side convinced he was the victim of a studio conspiracy, while the other is simply moving on.
The expectations are exhausting. And the film knows it.
But remarkably, Superman doesn’t collapse under the pressure. Instead, it embraces it—balancing world-building, legacy, reinvention, and sincerity with surprising grace. This isn’t a slow origin tale but a confident plunge into the thick of things. Clark Kent (David Corenswet) is already an established presence in Metropolis: saving civilians, writing stories for The Daily Planet, and romantically involved with fellow reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), who’s already in on the whole “from Krypton” thing.
Lex Luthor (a twitchy, corporate-grade megalomaniac played by Nicholas Hoult) is already scheming in the background. The Justice Gang—yes, they’re calling it that—is up and running, with heroes like Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) operating as slick, corporately endorsed protectors under the watchful eye of Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn). No origin flashbacks. No cape montages. A fully realised world, dropped on us with confidence and energy.
But Gunn’s approach isn’t all spectacle and easter eggs. Beneath the glint of heat vision and high-flying fights is a sharp ideological current. Superman’s latest act of heroism—thwarting a U.S.-sponsored military intervention by the fictional nation of Boravia into neighbouring Jarhanpur—saves lives but upsets the geopolitical order. He does it cleanly, without bloodshed. But he doesn’t follow orders. And in a world powered by surveillance, PR, and fear of the other, his alien status becomes a weapon of political rhetoric. Sound familiar?
This tension is where Gunn’s Superman thrives—not as an escape from reality, but as a lens through which to examine it. Metropolis becomes a kind of moral sandbox, a place where we can test our collective values, ask uncomfortable questions, and imagine better answers. What does heroism mean in a system rigged for self-interest? What does it cost to do the right thing when no one agrees on what that is?
The emotional backbone of the film is strong, grounded in three performances that nod respectfully to Richard Donner’s 1978 classic without becoming imitations. Corenswet, with his broad-shouldered earnestness and almost vulnerable exuberance, is an inspired choice—equal parts Boy Scout and existential outsider. Brosnahan’s Lois is flinty, whip-smart, and torn between intimacy and integrity. And Hoult’s Lex is all seething ambition and entitlement—less a grand villain, more a byproduct of unchecked ego and late capitalism.
Gunn doesn’t ignore the legacy he’s stepping into. Echoes of John Williams’s iconic score are delicately woven in, like a nostalgic handshake to fans of the old guard. But make no mistake: this is still unmistakably a James Gunn film. His fingerprints are everywhere—quirky humour, strange creatures, unexpected emotional beats. Krypto, Superman’s loyal superdog, steals more scenes than expected, serving as a chaotic yet charming canine reminder of the absurdity inherent in the superhero mythos.
Even Gunn’s usually bombastic style is more measured here. Henry Braham’s cinematography gives the action a weightless, 360-degree elegance, and the soundtrack choices—while still very Gunn—are used with more care than in his previous outings.
Ultimately, Superman delivers what it promises: a fresh start with heart, wit, and purpose. It’s less about redefining the character than reminding us why he mattered in the first place. Not just as a symbol of power, but as a reminder that hope—even in its most uncool, idealistic form—still has a place in our stories. Maybe even a necessary one.
In a cynical time, Superman dares to believe. And that, in itself, feels radical.
Overall: 7/10
Movie Reviewer
