The days of the highly divisive DCEU came to a close nearly two years ago, marking the end of a ten-year era. We will never forget the best of them (Wonder Woman, Shazam!) while overlooking others. However, it appears that things are looking up with the announcement that James Gunn and Peter Safran will become the co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios. But who would’ve predicted Gunn was going to be the one to bring the hero who stands for truth, justice, and the American way in a new light? Expectations had to be riding high for Superman to be a fresh start for the new DCU. Restarting a franchise will always be the most challenging job in Hollywood, in the hopes of pleasing everyone. There was hope that what Gunn was bringing with Superman was to put a massive emphasis on making the character and his world fun again.

What’s the Story: Three decades ago, a Kryptonian baby named Kal-El landed on Earth and was raised by his adopted human parents on a farm in Smallville, Kansas. As he grew up and gained powers beyond his belief, Clark Kent (David Corenswet) lived by his biological parents’ words to use his powers for good, going by the name Superman and revealing himself to the public. After stopping an invasion by Boravia in the country of Jarhanpur, concerns arise about whether Superman poses a threat to the world. The citizens love him, while Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) attempts to turn the public against the hero they praise.

Out of all the blockbusters of 2025, this was my most anticipated. Aside from Batman, we all know Superman is DC Comics’ most popular superhero since its inception in 1938 and one of the very best to look up to. His transitions to the silver screen throughout the decades have certainly seen him through the highs and lows. The original from 1978, starring Christopher Reeve, is groundbreaking for many reasons, and it’s a near-perfect superhero blockbuster. As for his sequels, the second installment is enjoyable. Then, Superman III and The Quest for Peace were considered the series’ true low points. 2006’s Superman Returns was seen as a disappointing start-up. And Zack Snyder started the DCEU with Man of Steel, one of the most polarizing comic book movies in recent memory. While I have problems with it, it’s still a serviceable re-telling I wished was great. Hearing Gunn was going to revamp the Man of Steel with a new shared universe sounded like the smartest move to keep audiences interested. The goal was not to claim it as an all-time classic but rather to establish a solid foundation for what to expect in this new universe. And by that, I believe it’s one of the more satisfying films that effectively captures the hero.

If you’re like me and rewatched Man of Steel a few days before going into this, the comparisons are between the light and dark aspects of what Snyder brought. In the hands of a filmmaker like Gunn, he was the perfect choice. We saw him master his style in the MCU with the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and step into the DC world with the underrated revamp of The Suicide Squad, which shouldn’t have bombed at the box office, along with the spin-off series Peacemaker.

Just in the first ten minutes alone, everything felt like a change of pace in establishing what’s been going on and understanding what Clark/ Superman is dealing with. What this Superman isn’t going for is a dark and brooding take that loses the essence of what makes him and everything around him less than stellar. From the trailers alone, it’s clear that Gunn aimed to match the modern tone of what Richard Donner and Lester did with the first two films, albeit on a larger budget, which lends it a more energetic and optimistic feel that fans have long sought.

Since we’ve gone through the origin story of how Jor-El and Lara sent their infant son to Earth and discovered his inhuman abilities, the first act can feel rushed. Still, I love how we’re thrown into this world where he’s a recognizable metahuman and has clashed with Luthor many times, where he knows every move in a fight from his control room with his team inside LutherCorp. We got the freshest take on him that’s needed with today’s changing times. The action sequences themselves are what I had envisioned Gunn would do, capturing the essence of a vibrant comic book world, combined with a cool score from John Murphy and David Fleming (replicating John Williams’ excellent work and its iconic theme) and Henry Braham’s bright cinematography. Everything, from seeing Superman fly through the air and utilize all the powers other metahumans possess, to stopping an attack by a giant Kaiju monster, was thrilling. Considering it’s a Gunn film, it’s no surprise that the visual effects work looks great, making it one of the better-looking DC movies to utilize CGI in a while. Probably the only time I wasn’t sure how to make of it was when Superman’s caught in this stream from another universe.

Speaking of the Man of Steel himself, if people don’t know David Corenswet before, this will surely be the role that will catapult him into a major breakout star. He demonstrated this in a few roles prior, such as Pearl and last year’s Twisters, but this required a performance that not only had the look and physicality of someone from the comics but also fully understood what makes this character a hero to root for due to his humanity. And there wasn’t a moment when Corenswet disappointed me. He gave me everything that embodies what makes Clark/ Superman relatable, always doing his best to please Metropolis and dealing with specific ramifications that cause people to view him differently. I love seeing a flawed Superman who will lose a fight but has the strength to save those around him; it’s the more human side of Clark that I will always respond to, as it proves he’s not always invincible.

Equally to him, nobody could’ve played the hard-hitting reporter Lois Lane better than Rachel Brosnahan. Some of the best scenes feature just them, including a tense conversation where she interviews Clark as Superman, which prompts Lois to realize it’s a tough relationship to take on. Their chemistry is pitch-perfect, probably the closest to replicating what Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder had, and is more believable than what we’ve seen with Cavill and Amy Adams, without a doubt. And it’s great having another film where she knows his secret identity, given that they’ve been dating for three months now and are trying to make things work. There’s more of Superman and Lois together than with Clark, but it wasn’t an aspect I noticed hours after I saw it.

The casting continued to be on point once they got Nicholas Hoult as one of Superman’s biggest arch-nemesis. Honestly, there hasn’t been an excellent live-action portrayal of Lex Luthor that truly brought the character to life since Michael Rosenbaum in Smallville. I liked Gene Hackman just fine, Kevin Spacey’s hit too differently now, and Jesse Eisenberg is still one of the most baffling casting choices that didn’t work. Believe it or not, Hoult gave me everything I wanted in making his version of Lex completely egotistical with his obsession over defeating Superman based on how he views him as an alien and putting the world in danger if it means getting his own way without the public knowing his dirty deeds. It was the Lex Luthor you would love to hate, manipulation and all, and put him alongside the real-life billionaires destroying the country one day at a time. Plus, there’s also Krypto the Dog, and he’s just adorable.

After one viewing, what kept Superman from being a great time was noticing how it managed its characters. Just hearing that all these characters were being introduced in the movie worried me, and it can feel overstuffed within the movie’s relatively fast-paced two-hour runtime. It was awesome seeing the Justice Gang, featuring Guy Gardner/Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion, a frequent Gunn collaborator), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi). Originally, I thought their inclusion felt too forced, but they didn’t take away the spotlight from Superman. Gathergi was the standout of the three since Mister Terrific is a character I’m not familiar with. However, he owns his screen presence through his comedy, which stems from his serious demeanor. He’d also had one of the more memorable set pieces that Gunn pulled off. And it’s undoubtedly a role that served him better than how they did him dirty in X-Men: First Class, if anyone remembers.

This also didn’t give us enough time with Wendell Pierce as editor-in-chief, Perry White, or much time on Clark’s job at The Daily Planet. However, this could have been saved for the next film to introduce Lex’s assistant/girlfriend, Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio), or Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan). Besides that, knowing it’s Gunn behind it, the humor is going to vary. For my money, I wouldn’t mind if this added another ten minutes to the story. This film, in particular, is a testament to Gunn’s comedic prowess, making it the funniest Superman film to date. Despite a few jokes that didn’t quite land, the overall humor in the film is sure to keep you entertained and amused.

All in all, did I have a good time with Superman? You bet, even if it wasn’t one of the best movies I’ve seen this summer. Part of me knew Gunn was going to deliver, but as someone who has a soft spot for the character, it met my expectations. This is already going to be another superhero movie that will receive the most ridiculous backlash (what hasn’t in the past five years?), especially from the hardcore Snyder fans who can’t let it go. Sometimes, it’s just a good feeling getting a good DC movie and Superman movie that can be watched alongside the two good Reeve entries. Gunn’s touch on character development is truly remarkable, making the character appealing even in today’s troubling times. It’s a beacon of hope in the world of entertainment. I’m excited to see what’s next, and if it’s anything like the upcoming Supergirl movie, we’re in for an amazing journey.

With writer/director James Gunn delivering what makes the DC hero fun through its action and humanity, Superman might have flaws, but it brings life to this character once again in the most crowd-pleasing way, thanks to David Corenswet’s unforgettable performance, which I’m excited to watch again.

Grade: B+