Superman SPOILER Review Thread (NO TAGS NECESSARY)

[TheGDBatman]

Simple Good/Bad list for my review haha!

The Good
- David & Rachel had unreal chemistry
- The characterizations were excellent
- Mr. Terrific needs his own tv show
- Action was awesome. I was grinning ear to ear for most of it (especially the Mr. Terrific fight)
- I’ve never been a hater of Braham’s work but I’ve also never loved it. It looked great here to me.
- Lex. My god, absolutely loved Hoult’s performance. He perfectly conveyed the envy and hatred.
- Krypto was perfect and reminded me of my dog
- Humour mostly landed
- generally speaking, casting was great
- It just felt so wonderful watching Superman do Superman things. DC really embodies the character. It didn’t at all feel like he was still trying to figure Superman out in this performance. It felt dialled in.
- The Kara cameo
- LOVED Clark choosing to watch videos of Ma and Pa Kent at the end.
- Ma Kent calling Pa Kent “Mush” was adorable. They were great in their limited time.

The Bad
- A few really interesting ideas that didn’t get enough screen time (the morality of Clark/Superman interviewing himself). A downside to having a brisk pace.
- It did feel a bit like people turned on Superman quite quickly (not a major nitpick)
- A few less mentions of “harem” would be fine lol
- I would have loved it if the Superman clone was given the Bizarro treatment. Make him look more disfigured, etc. The twist that he was a clone was very obvious.
- didn’t love the actress who played Eve. She leads them to the pocket universe, but I felt like that scene where Jimmy gets the text could have been done better.
- only CGI shot that bugged me is the teeth shot
- more DP staff shenanigans please
- I felt like I could have used a bit more backstory on Metamorpho to make his switch to helping Clark feel a bit less rushed and more organic.

All in all, I had a blast with this movie. It’s not perfect (they rarely are), but it made me so darn hopeful for the future of this universe. The good far outweighed my nitpicks, and Gunn finally delivered me the Superman movie that I didn’t realize I needed.

9/10 for this guy.

 

[DKDetective]

One thing I keep thinking about is the reveal of Jor-El and Lara’s intentions, sending baby Kal-El to Earth not just to survive, but to eventually lead and even “populate” the planet with his descendants.

At first glance, it does sound a bit cold, maybe even a little unsettling. But I don’t necessarily read it as a villainous plan. I think it comes more from a place of desperation, of a dying world clinging to the idea that something of their legacy can live on. Maybe to them, Earth was the only viable place where that could happen, and Kal was their one and only vessel for that future.

It’s not about conquest or domination, but preservation, not just of Kryptonian biology, but of culture, ideals, history. They weren’t trying to create a ruler to control Earth, but someone who could become part of it, shape it gently, and pass on what little they could save from their own world.

Yes, it’s a bit emotionally detached, especially from a human perspective, but that doesn’t make it evil. It just shows how differently Kryptonians might think when their entire civilization is facing extinction.

I would have been totally okay with the choice if that is what was said, but it definitely went a lot farther here... Especially with them explicitly telling him to rule over Earthlings and eliminate any who opposed him. That went too far for me personally.

 

[legendkillin]

I would have been totally okay with the choice if that is what was said, but it definitely went a lot farther here... Especially with them explicitly telling him to rule over Earthlings and eliminate any who opposed him. That went too far for me personally.

They definitely went for it with the Els, I still expected it to be some doctored audio but they full on went with the its real. Cara was too drunk for him to have a real discussion, but I hope he does talk to her about the left over footage. She knew the parents and the Krypton race.

The whole take over the world as a baby thing felt like DB Saiyans to me.

 

[dhandler01]

As I said the other day I don't think we are done with that message.

 

[DKDetective]

I gotta say I really, really liked this version of the Kents. I liked how they weren't moral paragons constantly espousing folksy wisdom. Rather, they are just simple, decent people and loving parents. As someone who only has one miracle child after a long battle with infertility, I identified a ton with Pa and his "Mush" persona.

I think in modern adaptations, that is what should define why the Kents are such great parents, not any sort of Midwestern salt of the era trope (which is sadly increasingly inaccurate). There was this energy with this version of the Kents, especially after Clark was injured and in the flashback recordings, that really spoke to a couple who really wanted to be parents but were denied that opportunity and their desire to make the most of that when they got the surprise miracle of Clark.

You could feel it in the preciousness with which they treated him. I could really see that preciousness informing how Clark sees and treats other people and why he treats life generally as so valuable and precious.

 

[BobJM]

Just left the theater about half an hour ago. Overall, I’m feeling pretty positive—but it wasn’t quite the home run I’d hoped for. Solid 7/10. A respectable B+.

Corenswet absolutely delivered. Can’t wait to see more of him in the cape. Really reminded me of seeing Evans the first time in CA:TFA. Still, even Corenswet couldn’t salvage that final speech to Luthor. Loved the sentiment behind it, but the execution? Not quite there for me. Maybe a quieter moment instead. And can we stop undercutting our villains at the end with them getting pummeled for laughs? Hated it with Hulk & Loki, and then Hulk & Ultron. Heck, I even hated it in the recent D&D.

Brosnahan and Hoult were fantastic—wish they’d shared a scene. The casting is top-tier, which only makes it more glaring how underused some characters are. The Daily Planet team, in particular. Perry barely gets a line until Act III. That’s criminal, especially with Wendell Pierce in the role.

Loved the Kents. And liked the twist on the Els too. Gave me My Adventures with Superman vibes—though honestly, I think the show did it better. I do think the public turning on Superman immediately was a little jarring and too sudden. Wish we gave that whole reveal a moment or two more to really breathe.

The pocket dimension also fell a bit flat for me. I love that Luthor nonchalantly created it and uses it for his own purposes (really, I liked this whole fantastical DCU), but I didn’t love the visuals for that sequence. Especially the “river” Superman falls into with Baby Joey. And I think the Metamorpho subplot was really undercooked. Maybe a scene between he & Superman in the cell would have helped; just something to give us a glimpse more into this guy’s story. But I liked the social media monkeys! That got a big laugh.

Engineer and Ultraman were pretty boring; They were just plot devices and things to punch. Even the clone reveal at the end felt like, so? And it wasn’t even a fun design. Just David Corenswet punching long-haired David Corenswet. Wish we got some Bizzaro stuff, but I don’t trust Gunn’s humor to not make that insufferable. I liked the control room of Luthor goons, even if it gave me The Sovereign vibes from GOTG2 (with them all fighting the protagonist through their computer screens).

But the humor mostly worked, thankfully. That’s something that I was worried about going in. The script could’ve used a little more time in the oven—not a full rewrite, just a touch more character seasoning. Jimmy came off a bit harsher than I think was intended, for example. And again, casting Wendell Pierce as Perry and then sidelining him?

But Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific was an absolute standout. And he got more to do than I was expecting. Fillion was fun as Guy (no surprise there) and I liked Merced as Hawkgirl but wish she would have had wings full-time. I prefer my Hawkgirls to be Thanagarian.

Still, I’m still very much excited about the future of the DCU and its potential. Gunn has strong instincts for these characters—I just don’t think he needs to write every installment. Looking forward to Supergirl and Clayface.

Also, as much as I love the fan art of Pattinson and Corenswet side by side...
these are just crazy different worlds. I don’t see it anymore.

 

[BobJM]

I gotta say I really, really liked this version of the Kents. I liked how they weren't moral paragons constantly espousing folksy wisdom. Rather, they are just simple, decent people and loving parents. As someone who only has one miracle child after a long battle with infertility, I identified a ton with Pa and his "Mush" persona.

I think in modern adaptations, that is what should define why the Kents are such great parents, not any sort of Midwestern salt of the era trope (which is sadly increasingly inaccurate). There was this energy with this version of the Kents, especially after Clark was injured and in the flashback recordings, that really spoke to a couple who really wanted to be parents but were denied that opportunity and their desire to make the most of that when they got the surprise miracle of Clark.

You could feel it in the preciousness with which they treated him. I could really see that preciousness informing how Clark sees and treats other people and why he treats life generally as so valuable and precious.

The Kents were a genuine surprise for me in how much I enjoyed their portrayal. Such a welcome addition to this story

 

[MAN O STEEL]

I know I've talked about the things I disliked or was puzzled about with this film but that opening scene once Superman takes off from the fortress and that music kicks in as he's flying before the title card kicks in.....my God, that part made me feel like a kid all over again, seeing my Superman back on the big screen, flying with him as that music swells triumphantly. I wish the whole movie made me feel like that short 40 second clip did.

 

[MAN O STEEL]

Also that shot of Superman smiling just before it transitions to his 'S', I didn't realise its this version of Reeve smiling at the camera, only they put it at the beginning instead of the end. Absolutely brilliant. So triumphant and just pure magic. It was Superman saying, I'm back.

 

[TheGDBatman]

Just left the theater about half an hour ago. Overall, I’m feeling pretty positive—but it wasn’t quite the home run I’d hoped for. Solid 7/10. A respectable B+.

Corenswet absolutely delivered. Can’t wait to see more of him in the cape. Really reminded me of seeing Evans the first time in CA:TFA. Still, even Corenswet couldn’t salvage that final speech to Luthor. Loved the sentiment behind it, but the execution? Not quite there for me. Maybe a quieter moment instead. And can we stop undercutting our villains at the end with them getting pummeled for laughs? Hated it with Hulk & Loki, and then Hulk & Ultron. Heck, I even hated it in the recent D&D.

Brosnahan and Hoult were fantastic—wish they’d shared a scene. The casting is top-tier, which only makes it more glaring how underused some characters are. The Daily Planet team, in particular. Perry barely gets a line until Act III. That’s criminal, especially with Wendell Pierce in the role.

Loved the Kents. And liked the twist on the Els too. Gave me My Adventures with Superman vibes—though honestly, I think the show did it better. I do think the public turning on Superman immediately was a little jarring and too sudden. Wish we gave that whole reveal a moment or two more to really breathe.

The pocket dimension also fell a bit flat for me. I love that Luthor nonchalantly created it and uses it for his own purposes (really, I liked this whole fantastical DCU), but I didn’t love the visuals for that sequence. Especially the “river” Superman falls into with Baby Joey. And I think the Metamorpho subplot was really undercooked. Maybe a scene between he & Superman in the cell would have helped; just something to give us a glimpse more into this guy’s story. But I liked the social media monkeys! That got a big laugh.

Engineer and Ultraman were pretty boring; They were just plot devices and things to punch. Even the clone reveal at the end felt like, so? And it wasn’t even a fun design. Just David Corenswet punching long-haired David Corenswet. Wish we got some Bizzaro stuff, but I don’t trust Gunn’s humor to not make that insufferable. I liked the control room of Luthor goons, even if it gave me The Sovereign vibes from GOTG2 (with them all fighting the protagonist through their computer screens).

But the humor mostly worked, thankfully. That’s something that I was worried about going in. The script could’ve used a little more time in the oven—not a full rewrite, just a touch more character seasoning. Jimmy came off a bit harsher than I think was intended, for example. And again, casting Wendell Pierce as Perry and then sidelining him?

But Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific was an absolute standout. And he got more to do than I was expecting. Fillion was fun as Guy (no surprise there) and I liked Merced as Hawkgirl but wish she would have had wings full-time. I prefer my Hawkgirls to be Thanagarian.

Still, I’m still very much excited about the future of the DCU and its potential. Gunn has strong instincts for these characters—I just don’t think he needs to write every installment. Looking forward to Supergirl and Clayface.

Also, as much as I love the fan art of Pattinson and Corenswet side by side...
these are just crazy different worlds. I don’t see it anymore.

I’m cherry picking here, but I loved the river scene. Loved the visuals and sci-fi geekiness of it all.

 

[GreenKToo]

After sleeping on it.
I didn't have any major complaints.

The nitpicks ( nothing major )
It didn't really have a memorable opening credit scene. I wanted to see the history.
No shirt rip.
Ultra man just being a Long haired David.
How did the robots rejuvenate. I assume the FoS did it?
I didn't really like or hate hawkgirl. She was just there.
The score was great in parts, not so great in others.
Needed more DP and Clark.

Parts I loved.
They got the character of superman right. Yes they did
The chemistry between clark and lois was on point.
The action was really, REALLY good.
Lex was awesome. The Lex we have needed for decades
Loved Mr terrific and guy. I really liked metamorpho.
Krypto almost stole the show.
The FoS was awesome.

I still think a 8/10.

 

[Tra-El]

Saw Superman last night! I'm getting better at letting things settle, sink in and not have a tender knee jerk reaction because in all honesty, the first viewing, for me, is just absorbing as much as the material and experience as possible (knowing I'll be missing some things in between).

That said, my jaw hurts from grinning and smiling pretty much the entire film. I have this warm sensation to see Superman again to hone in and slow things down because Gunn really goes for it as a whole. From the fast pace, to the extremely long dialogue, to the ambitious camera angles and creative choices throughout, this thing plays out like a pure romp of Superman goodness.

I will post more after my second and third viewings, only to make sure my thoughts are lining up with my own before committing to full blown conversations.

But since it is a Superman film, I will say this about the leading man now: I was sold within the very first few minutes and latched on to David's performance as Superman almost immediately. His delivery and ability to take what he is given with a STRONG co-lead in Rachel was incredibly satisfying and he looked absolutely quintessential in many shots from this colorful and witty take. Overall, my crew loved it (there are a good handful of negatives, but negatives that don't negate the viewing pleasure) but I will respond as we go judging from multiple viewings! I am already eager to get back to the theater. Hope you all enjoyed!

Look up

 

[The_Root]

Saw Superman last night! I'm getting better at letting things settle, sink in and not have a tender knee jerk reaction because in all honesty, the first viewing, for me, is just absorbing as much as the material and experience as possible (knowing I'll be missing some things in between).

That said, my jaw hurts from grinning and smiling pretty much the entire film. I have this warm sensation to see Superman again to hone in and slow things down because Gunn really goes for it as a whole. From the fast pace, to the extremely long dialogue, to the ambitious camera angles and creative choices throughout, this thing plays out like a pure romp of Superman goodness.

I will post more after my second and third viewings, only to make sure my thoughts are lining up with my own before committing to full blown conversations.

But since it is a Superman film, I will say this about the leading man now: I was sold within the very first few minutes and latched on to David's performance as Superman almost immediately. His delivery and ability to take what he is given with a STRONG co-lead in Rachel was incredibly satisfying and he looked absolutely quintessential in many shots from this colorful and witty take. Overall, my crew loved it (there are a good handful of negatives, but negatives that don't negate the viewing pleasure) but I will respond as we go judging from multiple viewings! I am already eager to get back to the theater. Hope you all enjoyed!

Look up

Totally agree about seeing it again now that the material can settle in and on a second viewing, I can relax knowing it’s a great Superman tale and just enjoy it.

 

[The_Root]

It was also nice to see a Superman film without overt Christ analogies. Singer and Snyder just couldn’t help themselves and it didn’t really add anything.

 

[Tra-El]

Totally agree about seeing it again now that the material can settle in and on a second viewing, I can relax knowing it’s a great Superman tale and just enjoy it.

Gunn PACKS THE ACTION in for sure within tight time-frames, and the angles he uses make much of it a unique feeling viewing, which tells me the rewatchability will be strong. Hopefully the sequel can be fastracked from here, but I hope he learns from allowing scenes to breathe a bit. The quips weren't overbearing, but pulling back maybe just a TAD would do his movies even more wonders. Most notably, the conversation between Clark and Pa at the Kent Farm was as beautiful as it gets. I love Ma as well, but allowing that scene sit a bit would have kept me in that moment just a beat longer. But all in all, Gunn nails the characterization.

As for the whole cast is concerned, they were phenomenal together, but I see a lot of the same viewpoints being said. I rank the characters slightly different with my liking, which surprised even myself, lol. But I enjoy those personal surprises.

 

[BobJM]

Gunn PACKS THE ACTION in for sure within tight time-frames, and the angles he uses make much of it a unique feeling viewing, which tells me the rewatchability will be strong. Hopefully the sequel can be fastracked from here, but I hope he learns from allowing scenes to breathe a bit. The quips weren't overbearing, but pulling back maybe just a TAD would do his movies even more wonders. Most notably, the conversation between Clark and Pa at the Kent Farm was as beautiful as it gets. I love Ma as well, but allowing that scene sit a bit would have kept me in that moment just a beat longer. But all in all, Gunn nails the characterization.

As for the whole cast is concerned, they were phenomenal together, but I see a lot of the same viewpoints being said. I rank the characters slightly different with my liking, which surprised even myself, lol. But I enjoy those personal surprises.

Who in the cast stood out to you?

Totally agree with your first point though. I really liked this all-in-all but I think there’s improvements Gunn can make in a sequel that would really knock it out of the park.

 

[Tra-El]

Who in the cast stood out to you?

Totally agree with your first point though. I really liked this all-in-all but I think there’s improvements Gunn can make that would really knock it out of the park.

Surprisingly, I took a grand liking to Guy Gardner (my expectations were low, but Fillion, in context, totally worked for me). So much so, that I am looking forward to his character in the stuff he's attached to. I also thought the Engineer was fantastic. I was really feeling her throughout the movie. Those two stood out the most (outside of the big three) as I had high hopes for David, Rachel, and Hoult. Jimmy and Eve's story I could have done without, though the subplot was valid in getting the two involved. I want the Daily Planet banter more-so going forward than Jimmy being a stud with the ladies.

 

[BobJM]

Surprisingly, I took a grand liking to Guy Gardner (my expectations were low, but Fillion, in context, totally worked for me). So much so, that I am looking forward to his character in the stuff he's attached to. I also thought the Engineer was fantastic. I was really feeling her throughout the movie. Those two stood out the most (outside of the big three) as I had high hopes for David, Rachel, and Hoult. Jimmy and Eve's story I could have done without, though the subplot was valid in getting the two involved. I want the Daily Planet banter more-so than Jimmy being a stud with the ladies.

I feel that. Though I slightly disagree re: The Engineer. I think we needed an actress or a performance that chewed the scenery a bit more. I liked the idea of the character and her integration into the story; but as, essentially, the second villain lead, I found Engineer’s presence lacking.

I liked the Jimmy/Eve subplot fine enough; I just wish Jimmy had more of a presence in the film but he seemed pretty relegated to just that story.

Fillion was a nice surprise. I’m actually excited to see more of the Justice Gang, and who else they may recruit. And I wonder really how different Guy is going to act/appear in Lanterns.

 

[Tra-El]

I feel that. Though I slightly disagree re: The Engineer. I think we needed an actress or a performance that chewed the scenery a bit more. I liked the idea of the character and her integration into the story; but as, essentially, the second villain lead, I found Engineer’s presence lacking.

I liked the Jimmy/Eve subplot fine enough; I just wish Jimmy had more of a presence in the film but he seemed pretty relegated to just that story.

Fillion was a nice surprise. I’m actually excited to see more of the Justice Gang, and who else they may recruit. And I wonder really how different Guy is going to act/appear in Lanterns.

Totally fair. Outside of the big three, the rest seem to be a tossup depending on individual preference in real time. I feel for me, my expectations were basically non-existent with The Engineer that I never even considered to acknowledge her involvement. Those low expectations probably propelled my overall standouts.

Though, Mr.Terrific ='s star potential.

 

[BobJM]

My theater (me included) loved Mr. Terrific. He was absolutely the standout here

I had no expectation for Engineer either but then actually watching the movie; she features quite a decent amount. So I just wanted more from her if there’s going to be such a focus.

 

[Venom 1988]

So after watching it last night, had to sleep on it.

Probably give it an 8/10. I really liked the movie but I didn't love it. I enjoyed it overall and had a great time but I have several nitpicks about it. Nothing crazy, just little things that dinged it for me. I wish we got to see more of Clark and Lois and more of Clark the Daily Planet. I did think the Jimmy Olsen stuff was intially funny but after a while it turned veered from being funny to being a dick lol. Compared to Mr. Terrific and Guy, I feel Hawkgirl kinda got jipped and wish we got know her personality a bit more. I'm hoping that Ultraman falling into a black hole with the river of squares is potentially setting up him as Bizarro and Bizarro World.

Overall though, it's probably my favorite depiction of Superman in a long time and to me feels like mashup of the triangle era and some of the more modern day depicitions in comics. It's a solid foundation for going forward and can't wait to see more of this Superman.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

Okay. Here's my initial thoughts after second watch.

IM SO HAPPY

In terms of overall quality of film, it has flaws. I felt like the final fight was rushed and felt like it was missing something. I have some gripes with plot certain choices I.e. ultraman's 'death' and jor-el and laras message (though I think both may be further explored down the line).

But it was easy to overlook all of that because the important things were so so right.

Clark was amazing. I'm in love with this new Clark. And I didnt even mind not seeing him too much in Clark mode, because he still felt like Clark, even when he was Superman... which we've never really had before in a movie. And I loved the Kents, the way they grounded the story at just the right point.

Lois was perfect. I love all the little personality quirks, and the conflict she has with how she sees Clark. I loved her line about Clark thinking everyone he meets is beautiful. I love that she isn't just mooning over him, but questioning and challenging him. I love how brave and fiery she was, but how we saw her soften in moments of vulnerability. Oh and all the DP crew dynsmics were so fun.

Lex was also fantastic. Maybe a bit reckless with his paper trail but they got that jealousy/narcissism complex down to a T and it was just stunning to watch Hoult embody that.

The justice gang were all just part of the films colour to me. And boy was it colourful. I loved that, just so much fun and brightness and an uplifting soundtrack.

Though of course, spectacular whump and angst too

As a comparison to my experience watching MOS for the first time, it couldn't be more opposite. I'm over the moon to have walked out feeling happy this is the version of these characters the modern age gets to meet and fall in love with. And that it's gotten people talking about hope, kindness, humanity and taking whatever positive actions you can.

It's not the most deep intelligent story... but maybe that's better. Maybe audiences absorb that message more, not when it's preached at you with somber choir music, but when it's dancing around you with trumpets, you know?

Anyway, I need to lie down now but I'm so relieved to finally have a Superman film I love, and a version of Clark on the big screen that feels like mine.

 

[Kon]

They definitely went for it with the Els, I still expected it to be some doctored audio but they full on went with the its real. Cara was too drunk for him to have a real discussion, but I hope he does talk to her about the left over footage. She knew the parents and the Krypton race.

The whole take over the world as a baby thing felt like DB Saiyans to me.

Kara may know about Krypton ideology (although that depends on her age when she arrived to Earth), but Kara doesn't have to know Jor-El or Kara's plan of Kal-El conquering Earth. It's possible Kara believed the same as Clark due to the damaged message.

In Kara's regular origin, Zor-El (Kara's father) send her to Earth without Jor-El being involved at all (at most, Zor-El was inspired by his brother idea). Considering Jor-El and Lara don't mention Kara at all, it's pretty likely they mantain this aspect.

 

[BobJM]

So after watching it last night, had to sleep on it.

Probably give it an 8/10. I really liked the movie but I didn't love it. I enjoyed it overall and had a great time but I have several nitpicks about it. Nothing crazy, just little things that dinged it for me. I wish we got to see more of Clark and Lois and more of Clark the Daily Planet. I did think the Jimmy Olsen stuff was intially funny but after a while it turned veered from being funny to being a dick lol. Compared to Mr. Terrific and Guy, I feel Hawkgirl kinda got jipped and wish we got know her personality a bit more. I'm hoping that Ultraman falling into a black hole with the river of squares is potentially setting up him as Bizarro and Bizarro World.

Ooh I hadn’t thought of that; good call.

 

[Kon]

Yeah, totally, the movie does push that angle, especially with Clark choosing the Kents’ videos in the end.
But I kind of hope future movies explore this a bit more. Like, maybe Clark eventually makes peace with what his Kryptonian parents were trying to do, even if their approach was flawed or cold. It’d be really powerful to see him reconcile both sides of himself, not just reject one entirely. It might not have been the warmest approach, but I still think it wasn’t necessarily evil either. It’d be cool to see him find some peace with that part of his identity instead of just shutting it out.

I really doubt there will be that nuance in the future. This movie clearly wants to present Jor-El and Lara as evil and selfish.

If you are interpreting it differently, it's likely only because you don't like the Kryptonian side being portrayed in such a negative light.

If future movies want to show Jor-El and Lara in a better light, they would need to retcon this message in some way.