Title: Superman
Director: James Gunn
Studio: DC Studios, Warner Bros.
Release Date: July 11, 2025
Superman (2025) released on July 11 and grossed over $122 million USD domestically and $220 million (USD) overall during its first weekend. With how many incarnations of the Man of Steel we’ve seen in the past decade alone, is James Gunn’s take worth the watch?
Premise
The movie opens with a few lines of text against the backdrop of the Arctic catching us up to speed. We learn that Superman has been protecting Metropolis for years by now and revealed himself to Lois Lane months ago. But most relevant to the story, days prior he intervened to prevent the country of Boravia from invading its neighbor, Jarhanpur. Following this, the text tells us, a metahuman who calls himself the “Hammer of Boravia” attacks Metropolis, demanding that Superman answer for his intervention. The text fades, and Superman crashes into the Arctic, injured and struggling to breathe. After taking a few moments, he whistles, and Krypto the dog rushes to rescue him, but also harass him. Eventually, Krypto drags him back to the Fortress of Solitude, where robots help him recover from his injuries. Even so, Superman cannot rest for long, as the Hammer of Boravia, backed by Lex Luthor, is still attacking Metropolis and must be stopped.
Reactions
Superman (2025) does a great job at balancing action, character, and comedy. Every fight was satisfying, with the finale being especially satisfying. The choreography and cinematography made them easy to follow. One issue I took was Superman getting walloped more often than he really should. The movie’s humor also feels on point. Superman finds a great balance between comic-book whimsy and the more grounded feel of live action. Lex Luthor having a pocket dimension full of monkeys that spread online hate about Superman feels very on brand.
The actors in the film all gave great performances. David Corenswet makes for a great Superman. He’s likeable and upbeat, but not cartoonish. I think Henry Cavill better nailed the character’s feeling of power, and Christopher Reeve did a better job showing a difference in behavior between Superman and Clark Kent. The latter may come down to this movie skipping the Superman revealing his identity. Despite the tough competition in previous films, Corenswet gives the character a lot of heart. Rachel Brosnahan makes for a great Lois Lane. She is charming and witty throughout the film and feels like an accurate portrayal of the Character. My favorite casting was Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. He does such a good job communicating Luthor’s arrogance and sense of superiority, and I love the way the character acts when in control of a situation versus when he is on the back foot. And the movie also has the funniest portrayal of Jimmy Olsen anywhere outside of the comics.
Many commentators online say that Superman (2025) feels like the middle film of a trilogy or series, skipping Superman’s debut and reveal to Lois Lane. But with the many movies and TV shows that have covered those events, it’s reasonable for the film to explore a different part of the character.
My biggest gripe with the film is that it feels busy. There are a lot of characters that crowd the screen, and the result is that most of the characters’ development gets diluted. I also feel like the story didn’t need Krypto the dog. That is not enough, however, to detract from the many strengths of the film, and it’s worth a watch.
Final Score (4 out of 5 Stars)
The movie does a fantastic job in portraying a more upbeat version of Superman. The action scenes are punchy, all of the actors deliver excellent performances, and the humor is fantastic throughout the film. Even so, the story feels busy. With so many characters and plot threads, important conflicts like Clark Kent and his relationship with Lois don’t get the time they deserve. This makes the film feel more oriented towards those already familiar with the character. I think the majority of people who watch this film will enjoy it immensely, with one noteworthy exception.
This should not be your introduction to the character. There are simply too many relationships, characters, and missing but implied story beats, and a newcomer will be left lost and confused. For that, Superman (1978) or even Man of Steel (2013) would serve as better introductions. Similarly, DC newcomers may also be intimidated by the large cast of unfamiliar characters such as Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, Metamorpho, and Mr. Terrific, but the film is enjoyable even with this many people to keep track of.
Tell us what you think! Is Superman (2025) a good portrayal of the character? How does it compare to Zach Snyder’s or Richard Donner’s portrayals?
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