Superman

by Mike McGranaghan

The first smart thing James Gunn’s Superman does is make the choice not to tell the titular superhero’s origin story again. We already know all that, so the movie immediately positions itself as a brand-new adventure with no need for exposition. At this point, if you don’t know who Superman, Lex Luthor, and Lois Lane are, you probably live under a rock. The choice also allows Gunn to jump right into his tale, which finds the Man of Steel having an existential crisis after losing the first fight of his life.

Charismatically played by David Corenswet, Superman is the victim of a plot to destroy his reputation by stoking a war between the fictional countries of Jarhanpur and Boravia. The orchestrator of that plot is none other than megalomaniacal businessman Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). With public opinion of him plummeting, Superman must find a way to stop Luthor but also reexamine his role as Earth’s protector. One of the few people to still believe in him is girlfriend Lois (Rachel Brosnahan). Rambunctious canine pal Krypto is by his side, too.

Superman is exceptionally well cast. Aside from the terrific performances from the three leads, you also get Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, and Neva Howell and Pruitt Taylor Vince as Ma and Pa Kent. Across the board, the cast members slip effortlessly into familiar characters. Each of them feels just right. In the supporting realm, Nathan Fillion delivers big laughs as narcissistic Green Lantern Guy Gardner, while Edi Gathegi earns even bigger ones as the deadpan Mr. Terrific.

There have been so many comic book movies in the last fifteen years that the nature of them has fundamentally evolved. Marvel pictures in particular have become very mature and sophisticated. This one isn’t afraid to be goofy at times. It embraces the feeling of being a kid, cracking open a DC comic, and letting your imagination run away with you. Gunn fills the story with his trademark idiosyncratic humor. Rather than trying to be slavish to the original Christopher Reeve-starring Superman films, he indulges in various forms of craziness, from Krypto’s comedic antics to Luthor’s killer robot army to the inter-group bickering of Green Lantern and his team. The anything-goes aesthetic brings freshness to a hero who has been with us onscreen for decades.

Goofy is not the only appropriate descriptor. Corenswet and Brosnahan have electric chemistry together. They provide a genuinely romantic angle. The action sequences are creatively envisioned, delivering real excitement. (I highly recommend seeing the movie in 3D because it makes uncommonly effective use of the format, especially during the flying scenes.) There’s additionally an emotional quality. Superman is boring when he’s invincible. In this story, he’s intriguingly vulnerable – to Luthor’s minions but to his own self-image, as well. One of the major themes here is whether Superman is heroic by choice or by his late parents' command.

If that sounds like a lot, it admittedly is. Superman goes in various directions, sometimes simultaneously. What prevents it from failing is Gunn’s assurance that disparate pieces convincingly fit together. He recognizes that eighty years' worth of comic books have taken varying approaches to the hero, some serious, others proudly fantastical. Mixing those approaches ensures the film has a joyous, lightweight vibe while still holding on to a modicum of substance.

In other words, it's a magnificent piece of mainstream entertainment. This is a movie where you don’t think about what you’re going to have for dinner after you watch it. You aren’t sitting there trying to figure out a good time to run to the bathroom or get a popcorn refill. Superman sweeps you up from the start, then proceeds to give you an amazing ride. Like Corwenswet, the film is superb, man.

---