Superman

Superman
Starring David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi
Directed by James Gunn

Superhero origin stories are so repetitive that everyone knows so well there's no point in re-telling them. We all know Batman lost his parents in an alley due to gun violence, Spider-Man lost his Uncle Ben, and Superman was an alien baby from a dead planet who crash landed in a Kansas cornfield and raised by John and Martha Kent. Every time a superhero movie or universe is rebooted we get these origin stories all over again, which no one really cares about. James Gunn realized this after providing three of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe's movies with the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy and instead re-re-re-re (pretty much) introduces us to the Son of Krypton in a unique way: by already having him established as the world's most famous hero, thrusting us into the story right away and never losing its focus.

After Superman (David Corenswet) stopped an invasion in by the nation of Boravia, he draws the ire of his longtime nemesis Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) who uncovers a shocking truth to Superman's purpose on earth - something Superman himself never even knew - and his reveal of this information turns Superman from America's favorite superhero to an outcast and, more dangerously, a villain to the people. Lex is permitted by the government to arrest and detain Superman while Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) tries to find evidence of Superman's innocence. Meanwhile, the Justice Gang - led by Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), and including Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) help keep the peace.

"Superman" is one of those origin stories that bypasses the history and thrusts you right into the thick of things, as we begin with Superman losing a fight and needing recharging at the Fortress of Solitude. We don't need to hear his whole backstory to know who he is, as pretty much anyone with any semblance of knowledge of comics know who Superman is and what his purpose is. Now we're given the information we need in a quick scroll at the beginning, and it's right into the action and story. For a 129 minute movie that's a relief, because there's absolutely no downtime in the film. Either we're gifted to amazing action sequences, given deep dive dialogue-driven conversations, comedic quips, or a combination of them all. It makes for an interesting, fast-paced story that I wasn't expecting, considering Superman is one of my least favorite comic characters due to his near-perfect stature: his only weakness is kryptonite, and he's so incredibly wholesome it's almost boring.

Thankfully, James Gunn knows how to craft a superhero movie, and now that he's overtaken the DCEU he's infused his own sense of humor and heart to the festivities, shedding the darker tone of the original and creating a fun, family-friendly superhero movie that is light-hearted (for the most part) and breezy, which for many would probably feel like a surface-level movie rather than something deeper, and essentially they have a point. Still, it's enjoyable enough and gives us great performers that more than keeps our attention despite a less depressing story.

David Corenswet isn't really a household name, and the only other movie I remember seeing him in was the excellent "Pearl," so having him don the cape I feel was a stroke of genius. He isn't an already-established actor that people would recognize, so he easily fills in Henry Cavill's shoes (despite the Zach Snyder diehards' pleas) and perfectly embodies everything Superman stands for. His relationship with Rachel Brosnahan's Lois is established from the start, and their chemistry is fun and flirty. Nicholas Hoult's take on Lex Luthor is a stroke of genius, as he is obsessed over Superman and wanting him destroyed due to jealousy. The Justice Gang also shines, especially Nathan Fillion's fun take on Guy Gardner's Green Lantern and Edi Gathegi, who steals the show as the stoic, intelligent Mr. Terrific. Gunn knows how to craft an ensemble piece, and while I was worried during the trailers that he might've stretched himself too thin, I didn't give him as much credit as he deserves. Yet the star of the show is undeniably Krypto the Superdog, which needs some training but stole the hearts of the audience, especially the kids and kids at heart.

The story itself is reminiscent of today's society, which is probably why a certain sect of the American public already despises this movie, calling it "woke.” To them, "Superman" is about an illegal undocumented immigrant who wants to spread love and acceptance, and honestly I feel like people have bigger worries than this. Yet the movie itself doesn't shy away from themes that we're seeing in the world today (especially in the form of Lex Luthor, who launches a smear campaign against Superman that turns the general masses against him with fake news, and also imprisoning political rivals and naysayers in a pocket dimension prison away from government control...but that would never happen in America...), and it's unmistakable. 

The effects pretty much hold their own, except for an alien baby that looks CGI-ed from the early 2000s, and the action is as fast paced and exciting as ever, with certain cinematic scenes being thrown in for good measure (such as the iconic view of Superman rising from the ashes with the sun shining behind him, which I admit gave me some goosebumps). Gunn knows how to shoot a scene, and with the musical score from John Williams' classic as well as John Murphy and David Fleming, you've got the beginning of a new dynasty with the new, brighter, better DCEU with "Superman."

The Score: A