Superman (2025)
Superman (2025) is the superhero movie I was least excited to see this year. In general, I find the character to be white bread, boring, overpowered and generally uninteresting. So, it is to my genuine shock that I loved this film and think it sets the perfect tone for James Gunn’s God’s and Monsters reboot of the DC Cinematic universe—Yes, that sure is a mouthful. Superman (2025) has heart, it has humor, and it takes the Man of Steel in a direction that is interesting and human.
Movie Details
Film: Superman (2025)
Release Date: 7/11/25
Director: James Gunn
Writers: James Gunn, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster
Starring: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult
Runtime: 2h 9m
End Credits Scene? Yes, but very short.
Spoiler Free Review
The film begins with a brief intro to Superman’s origins, not wasting time showing him growing up on a farm or learning to be human. Instead, we’re dropped right into a world where Clark Kent and Superman are already well established and he’s doing his whole save Metropolis shtick. Where the movie takes a left turn is by starting with the first time Superman really gets his ass handed to him by Lex Luther. Superman loses A LOT of fights in this movie, and it makes him one of the most interesting iterations on the character in years.
James Gunn’s Metropolis is still glitzy and glamorous. Superman is still full of naïve hope for the world, but there’s also a palpable darkness to it all. This character has been defined by simple ambitions and morals so strict that they’re frustrating. Gunn contrasts that with “The Justice Gang” (an early iteration of the Justice League made up of Mr. Terrific, Hawk Girl, and Green Lantern). These heroes are brash, bold, and when they see a big alien, they kill it rather than trying to capture it peacefully. Green Lantern (Nathan Filian) is an idiot in a bowl cut and no qualms beating the shit out of his enemies. He doesn’t like Superman much and the feeling is mutual.
Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi, also my favorite short-lived X-Man, Darwin) steals the show. His character is hilarious, practical, and arguably more useful than any of the other heroes on display in the film. Lex Luther (Nicholas Hoult) has also been given a more modern take that puts him more in the space of Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg without straying too close to reality. Each character, including the non superheroes, feels tailor-made to contrast Superman in a specific way which helps lend the film a sense of balance where it would have otherwise been one-note.
The stories that interweave between the metahumans (superheroes) and the regular folks, working journalists, create a relatable and simple narrative. It’s a tonic in an age where Superhero films are packed with so much required reading. I knew very little about any of the ancillary heroes/villains coming into the film and I didn’t feel worse off for it. The film is packed with easter eggs everywhere that I missed, but it didn’t matter, it was good, popcorn-crunching, fun.
Usually in times of global conflict and darkness, movies become a mirror, going grittier (see Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy), but Gunn swings hard in the other direction. Superman makes some statements about our current culture, but they’re not heavy handed. Like its titular character, this is a movie about standing up to bullies and those who are doing wrong in the world regardless of political agenda. It’s refreshing, it’s hopeful, and I absolutely want to see it again. Also, it has a flying terrier with behavioral issues, what more could you want?
Ashton Macaulay 