The worst thing I can say about James Gunn’s Superman is that I didn’t love it. If I loved or even really really liked it I could talk about all the great things that made it a great thrill ride of a summer popcorn movie. But I only thought it was just pretty good.
The best thing I can say about James Gunn’s Superman is that I didn’t hate it. If I hated it or even really really disliked it I could talk about all the terrible things that made it a cinematic disaster of filmmaking. But I only thought it was just pretty good.
I was hoping to be blown away. Based on some reviews I caught a glimpse of I thought I would at least like it somewhat. Or I thought I might really dislike it as that seems to be the trend in movies these days. But I was underwhelmed. Was a little drained emotionally from thinking I would have something interesting to say about. After thinking about it for a few days I’ve come up with some thoughts .
I believe the true litmus test of a good memorable movie is something you would want to watch more than once. Something you can quote later on and bring up in conversations. But Superman 2025 wasn’t the sort of movie I would like to watch again or even say that much about. It was uninspiring film viewing. It was above meh but left me feeling like I’ve have lost faith in modern day theatrically released films. But nonetheless this new film version of the man of steel still has nerds dissecting and analyzing it and milking the story for all its worth.
Here are some of my thoughts I have thought about that make up my initial opinion about this latest entry in the comic book movie machine. Some mild spoilers ahead.
Superman 2025 can not stand on its own as a story because it is another version in a long line of films about the boy from Krypton. Fans and non-fans alike will compare it to other supermen that have flown across mass media before him. Here is a review from someone who has never seen Superman in any form.
This Superman skipped Superman arriving to earth as a baby. It made up for it’s lack of an origin story by giving a brief but thorough explanation of the new DC universe that James Gunn is building.
Superman, Lois and Lex Luthor are all well cast and portrayed by the new actors taking on the roles. Although nothing can compare to the original cast in the 1978 film with Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder and Gene Hackman. This new cast was good though and they help the film not to suck.
The best portrayal of Superman and Lois as a couple is in the WB’s Superman & Lois where they are married and have kids. There is a good scene in Superman 2025 in which Lois interviews Superman and some heated exchange happens. It is the most extensive and memorable dialogue in the whole film.
I honestly believe that Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex Luthor from Smallville was the best version of the character. But the Lex Luthor character presents a problem for Superman creators. Spider-Man and Batman have a great gallery of villains to choice from and have a variety of characters to cast them against in every new movie they make of them. Superman seems to alway fall back on Lex and sometimes the Zod and the other Kryptonian villains. Why no new Superman movie with Brainiac, Bizarro, Mr. Mxyzpltk, Atomic Skull, or others?
Ma and Pa Kent were all right in the movie. They are best portrayed in WB’s Smallville where you really see them shape Young Clark’s life.
Kal-El’s Kryptonian parents make a brief appearance in this film and they turn out not to be steller role-model parents. Clark’s other earthly parents are best portrayed in Superman 78 and I think even better in Man of Steel in which I think they were portrayed the best.
Jimmy Olsen is an irresistible sexy guy in James Gunn’s Superman, who Lex Luthor’s current girlfriend wants bad. As a joke it’s funny I guess and serves a plot point but if you take away the gag factor it isn’t too believable. Superman 1950’s /Superman 78 had the best Jimmy.
Daily Planet”s Editor in Chief Perry White doesn’t make much of an impression in the film but he is there so they can say that they included him in it. He is grumpy and is chomping on a cigar and yells at Superman disguised as Clark Kent and joins Lois and others in Mr. Terrific’s technological flying sphere. Superman 1950’s /Superman 78 had the best Perry White.
The Justice Gang—a team of heroes composed of Green Lantern, Mister Terrific, and Hawkgirl are the Superhero team that appears alongside Superman. They are latered joined by Metamorpho. They don’t really make much of an overall memorable impact except Mr. Terrific. He really is terrific and I would like to see more of him in other movies. Green Lantern was not the Green Lantern I am used to seeing. Hawkgirl is a cold blooded emo killer. The Justice Society used in Black Adam (2022) was more memorable and was used better. The team consisted of Kent Nelson / Doctor Fate, Maxine Hunkel / Cyclone, and Albert Rothstein / Atom Smasher. I honestly thought Black Adam was much better film and rewatchable. I also think the Flash was a better film that brought different heros together in one film. Mr. Terrific has the best fight scene where he beats up some bad guys while Lois Lane is in a protective bubble while some really cool song is playing as he is doing it.
The Fortress of Solitude is as cool as any other Fortress of Solitude in any movie. This one has robotic servants which were amusing.
The pocket universe as a mode of transportation between places on earth is a pretty good way of traveling across the planet.
The Superman 78 theme is sprinkled throughout the film in various scenes.
Superman and the Justice gang fight a Kaiju which was amusing.
One of the most important aspects of any fantasy/Sci-Fi based story is the mystery and mythos imbedded in the world building that creates the particular universe you are building your story in. The mystery and mythos was handled better in Superman 78 and it’s sequel Superman II (1980) and was even handled better in Zac Snyder’s Man of Steel (2013). But it was handled best in WB’s Smallville. Of course that had 10 seasons to delve into the Superman mythos and could really build the world and explore the world of Superman.
Peacemaker and Supergirl make a cameo appearance. Supergirl shows up drunk which I’m not sure what it does to her upcoming character which has an upcoming movie on the horizon.
Superman 2025 had some unbelievable action scenes and plot points that seem to take me out of the film. These include
- A fight scene in a CGI river of some type of liquid that didn’t look that great visually.
- I find it hard to believe that a copy of a video of Superman’s parents saying some cringy things would turn the general public against Superman so quickly and that a video at the other end of the movie would make another character lose quick favor in the public eye so fast was not believable to me. It’s a similar plot point that was used in Wreck-Ralph 2 that made the film less enjoyable then the first film for me.
- Green Lantern, Hawkgirl and Metamorpho stopping a war.
- City wide destruction. Deacon Steven D. Greydanus had this to say about that …
I’m just done with epic urban destruction and collapsing skyscrapers. Filmmakers, I’m begging you: Find ways to make fight scenes epic without destroying cities every single time. Gunn’s Superman is silly and sincere, and that’s good. It could be smarter. – Decent Films
I saved the best thing about Superman for last.
Krypto the super-dog is the stand out character of Superman 2025. Krypto is a typical dog with super-powers. Not always obedient, often troublesome but seems to come through in a pitch.
I think I should mention some of the dumb things being said about his new cinematic venture into imagination. The dumb things being said about Superman is that it is super-woke and it’s super-political so don’t go see it. That is a bunch of bunk that is being dished out by those who want to make everything into a political issue wroth complaining about. It’s not pushing a woke agenda. If your not going to see it, don’t see it because some are making a non-issue an issue.
I don’t get the feeling that James Gunn’s Superman is going to make the DC cinematic better or worse than the last DC cinematic universe. DC is much more all over the place then the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When something goes wrong you can chock it off as being in different dimension. This movie might be worth revisiting at some point and I’ll probably check out the future DC movies they have in store. I’m not sorry I saw it but am not excited I saw it either. The one thing I can say with certainty is that after 87 years Superman still is beloved and watched by fans of all ages.
I’m curious about how good Fantastic Four: First Steps will be. I’m thinking not much better then Superman.
It seems that there is a plethora of divided opinions about Superman 2025. Here are two examples.
A more in-depth Positive Superman review.
A more in-depth not so Positive Superman review.
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