Hollywood never tires of telling certain stories. They’re always going back to the same well. Trust me, I’m a jerk, and I love to remind them of it. So, when DC announced Superman would once again be jump-starting their newly re-established cinematic universe, I was skeptical. Well, the comic book tentpole finally hit theaters this week. Does Superman leap to box office gold in a single bound? Or are we heading straight for another “Martha” situation? Read on.

Superman 

Superman follows the titular superhero (David Corenswet), who finds himself struggling to match wits with supervillain, billionaire and all-around bad guy Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). Will “Supes” be able to rise up and meet the challenge? Rachel Brosnahan, Skyler Gisondo, Nathan Fillion, Edi Gathegi and Isabela Merced co-star in the movie. James Gunn directs Superman from his own script. 

I was admittedly skeptical looking at the trailers. I desperately wanted to buy in, but something kept holding me back. Do we really, truly need yet another Superman? 

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Kids, I could not have been more wrong. I should know this. Always trust in James Gunn. Few filmmakers feel quite as at ease with finding not only the heart but also the humor in a story. Gunn and Corenswet gel to find such a delightful sense of wonder in Superman, and this made the film for me.

Unassuming Sweetness

There’s a lot of pressure on Superman, and with that, a lot of focus on David Corenswet as he steps into the iconic titular role. Some should likely recognize him for his recent work in Twisters and Pearl. For most, though, this is the young actor’s big-screen breakout. 

Corenswet brings an unassuming sweetness to the daunting part. As Superman, he’s a Boy Scout, and that’s okay. His sense of wide-eyed wonder is imperative to Gunn’s narrative vision and sells the story’s emotion. It’s easy to get caught up in Clark’s joy, and with that, his pain.  

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David Corenswet is, however, only one member of a supremely talented cast. In truth, it would be impossible to call out all the stellar performances by both new and existing members of Gunn’s recurring acting troupe. With names like Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk in the cast, this felt like a return to a joyful old-school “Nerdvana,” the likes of which we haven’t seen in a long time. 

A Crusading Reporter 

However, there’s one more performance I’d be shirking my duties if I didn’t call out. Friends, I’ve been a Rachel Brosnahan fangirl going back to her days on Manhattan in 2014. It remains one of the best shows no one talked about, so call me biased. It’s probably true. 

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that I’m in love with Brosnahan’s portrayal of Lois Lane. Her’s is a rare comic book love interest that steps beyond the usual formula. She has her own voice, her own life and a story that could easily be told. I’m officially sending a plea to the DC TV programming team. Can we get an Agent Carter-like series featuring Lois Lane as a crusading reporter? I would watch the heck out of that. We need that spin-off. We deserve that spin-off. 

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Doesn’t Break Its Stride 

Gunn, meanwhile, is far from a newcomer to superhero films. We know this. I was pleasantly surprised to find, though, that Gunn avoids falling into the usual Superman traps. For one thing, this isn’t an origin story. We really didn’t need to see Smallville and what happens to Pa Kent yet again. 

With that, I suppose, there are some light struggles with characterization. As the audience, we’re ushered into a fully established world. Gunn assumes (rightly so) that most already know Superman’s origin story. There’s some pointed narrative setup, but the film doesn’t break its stride to stop and fill in needless gaps. 

Ultimately, though, Luthor’s “hands-off” villainy allows Superman to step into a different comic movie structure. The resulting film is packed to the gills with stunt set pieces. There’s plenty of comic action, but it never feels hurried or jammed, despite the fact that Lex Luthor throws a lot at our protagonist. With everything that happens, it’s hard to see where the next threat is coming from, and with that, there are stakes that often feel lacking in comic book movies. There’s a beautiful tension here. 

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A Wide-Eyed, Wonderful Look 

As the final credits rolled, I found myself with the biggest smile on my face. Superman restarts the DC Cinematic Universe with infectious joy. This doesn’t feel like the same old Superman origin story, and that’s how it should be. This is a wide-eyed, wonderful look at the complicated truth of humanity. Here’s hoping the rest of Gunn’s DCU follows suit. 

Superman is now playing in theaters nationwide.

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A film nerd from my earliest years watching Abbott and Costello, that eventually translated to a Master’s Degree in Film History. I spend my time working on my fiction projects in all their forms, as well as covering film and television.

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