Itās not perfect, but in many ways, it is note perfect.
Theyāve simply nailed the tone and the feel of the world and its characters. Nailed it. Weāre in good hands with the DCU moving forward. This movie, if nothing else, feels like a big sigh of relief. And that comes from someone who loved the ponderous navel-gazing and sturm of the Snyderverse. Itās wildly entertaining and great fun. It may not be as intellectually nourishing as it could have been, but this may be good for the soul in general. The āinspiringā part of the film is a real thing. If you buy in, you may well come out of this wanting to be a better person in general, to show more compassion and consideration. And while thatās absolutely baked into the movie, itās not really an overt message that is delivered. And I find that really impressive from a filmmaking standpoint.
I do think that this movie is absolutely what it needed to be to get fans and general audiences back on board, right down to the runtime, which is too short for the ideal approach, but just right for this story and entry in the universe. They āre going to be hooking an entire new generation with this movie. My little guy left the theatre flying his Superman action figure around.
The script is pretty solid considering all thatās packed into it. It's certainly stuffed, but isnāt really messy or meandering at all. Itās Supermanās world and life thatās messy, but the script and story itself is decidedly simple and straightforward, with just enough small twists or turns in the story to satisfy, or at least to inform the characters and the world appropriately. Even then, itās fairly predictable stuff, though the level of some of the machinations was surprising. The pocket universe being used in part to fake the Hammer attack and as a secret prison threw me a bit. Itās not perfectly structured as a story, but it is perfectly well structured. I suspect that any perceived pacing problems (triple word score!) will lessen with subsequent viewings.
Thereās a lot that has been made about there being a strong message of hope in the film, but Iām not really seeing that inherent in the movie. I think people are bringing that to the movie, and wanting that from the movie, and wanting that in general, and that thereās a zeitgeist element to that that will make this film resonate that way with people.
I get that Superman and the events of the movie are mean to inspire hope in the goodness of people to a degree, but thatās never really tested much or actually fleshed out as a concept, and truthfully, it might have distracted from the core narrative if it was, given how the rest of the film is approached. To that end, I thought Supermanās final monologue was just a bit too clipped, though Corenswet does deliver it well. That speech could easily have gone wrong.
The dialogue isnāt great in places, though I think thatās intentional. There are moments where itās obvious weāre getting a nod to classic comic book exposition or monologuing, and more than a few nods to the āYouāll never get away with thisā level stuff. Gunn doesnāt have characters say more than they need to much of the time, which is appreciated.
The action is imaginative and generally well-rendered and executed. The anti-proton river was amazing, inventive stuff, and its worth dealing with another ādimensional riftā story point to get to experience that. The fight with The Raptors is great. I didnāt see a lot of the significant CGI issues people are complaining about. Maybe a few of the wider shots in flight sequences, but nothing ever doesnāt look ārealā during the action.
For a movie of this scale, this is a story that really hinges on the little things. And those are the things, and moments, that seem to really interest James Gunn. Little moments of kindness, or consideration, or analysis. Little moments of physical comedy. Little nods to character, or little moments that paint a really light picture of what someoneās relationship or relevance to another character is.
Corenswet is just incredible. To pull off some of those lines and moments with the kind of perfectly balanced earnestness he doesā¦just incredible work. Physically, vocally, an entirely committed, genuine performance. He seems like he can pull off bumbling Clark just fine, but I really enjoyed Private Clark and his bubbling frustrations and fears. And his Superman is pretty much perfect, with these little cracks in the facade he's trying to put on for others that showcase Clark's insecurities or emotions.
Brosnahan is also really, really good, and their chemistry really is off the charts. They elevate each other in almost every sequence. Their fledgling relationship is really believable, and refreshing as a take on the classic pairing. Lois is a dynamo here, constantly a step or three ahead of people, annoyed with them as she wants for them to catch up to what she's already arrived at, but willing to swallow her ego and try to teach.
Houltā¦I did not like at first, until I saw what he was doing with Lex. Heās unwrapping Lex as the movie unwraps Lex's plot, and then I realized that his performance was this gradual cracking open of Lex Luthor as he fails on different levels. And viewed through that lens, itās a really spectacular and dare I say, layered, performance.
Luthorās plans on plans on plans serve to make him sort of a comic book Lex Luthor on steroids, and the little abusive twists just make him feel like a detestable human being. And I love how bored and apathetic he is about his fantastic inventions, other than their utility. The apathy which which he describes these incredible discoveries and inventions was a unique approach.
I thought Sara Sampaio's take on Eve Tessmacher, while predictable, was somewhat clever with the subterfuge elements.
Edi Gathegi was just excellent as Mr. Terrific. Heās clearly putting on a sort of persona as he goes about his business, and you see it slip a few times. Thereās a lot there to mine, hope we get to see it.
Nathan Fillion is also excellent as Guy Gardner. I honestly wasnāt sure if he could find the right balance, which shows what I know.
Isabela Merced makes a striking, sarcastic Hawkgirl. She's coiled and dangerous and looking to lash out in battle, and weirdly relaxed and aloof outside it. Looking forward to more of her as well.
Anthony Carriganās Metamorpho was grotesque, but also really sympathetic. You could connect to the character immediately, which is a feat, not just because of the layers of makeup, but because heās still underdeveloped. I kind of need to see a Metamorpho and Plastic Man V Bane and Deathstroke movie immediately.
Thereās something just perfect about the inside of the Hall of Justice being this yellow and orange 70ās scheme. Not just because the Kenner Hall was yellow, but it doesnāt hurt. Max Lord was kind of blink and you miss him, wasnāt he?
The Daily Planet staff is just perfect. Wendell Pierce is gruff and all business, but you can tell thereās a compassionate man in there somewhere. ******* Jimmy is not a flavor I knew I wanted until it happened. I like how heās sort of used to highlight āthe other side of journalismā (along with Clark), perhaps well meaning, but with less integrity and compassion. He was sort of ruthless but also weirdly unsure of himself, a take on toxic masculinity, but there's more to him. And the rest of the supporting characters, though limited in their portrayals, really made everything feel lived in and familiar. I adored the Magic School Bus Adventure approach with Perry leading them into battle in a flying saucer. Wanted much, much more of them. I suspect Gunn knows that, and has parceled certain characters out to us so we'll want more elsewhere.
The Engineer is cool, but just kind of there. She has a decent amount to do, but is a bit one dimensional. Maria Gabriela de Faria's performance is good, though. She managed to inject enough emotion into it that the character doesnāt feel completely cardboard.
Ultraman, or at least Proto-Ultraman, is also certainly there. The action with him is great, the small moments of physical comedy had a āMonkey workā quality to them at times, but were appreciated from a performance standpoint. He works okay as an extension of Lexās machinations and obsession. And there are like, six places they can go with him (More formed Ultraman hell bent on revenge/Crime Syndicate, Bizarro, some version of Doomsday, some combination of Braniacā¦that sort of open option for the character is fairly intriguing to me.
And the great thing isā¦they can still do the other characters that he doesnāt turn into in fairly faithful ways if they want. Nothing in the film or his fate precludes it. Weāre told that Lex has made other clones, and heās clearly done other experiments. And that gives Supermanās rogues gallery a sort of āfreak of the weekā feel, and ties it back to Lex, which is cool.
Ma and Pa Kent were my big disappointment in this movie, but that has little to do with their portrayal or performance. I think Iām just conditioned to want more of their presence throughout the film, their wisdom, their exploration of conflicts with Clark. The performances here are spot on. Iāve seen people complain about the sort of country bumpkin portrayal, but being descended from them myself, that really is almost exactly what typical Midwest salt of the earth folks act and often sound like. Andā¦the way they used the Kents to settle things down mid film really drove him the sort of āweek in the life of Supermanā feel of everything, which is something about the film that I loved. Itās the only place that the movie really does slow down or breathe, and it was very, very welcome at that point. Theyāre not a constant presence in the film, but they do provide emotional color to it at just the right time.
Kryptoā¦was just fantastic. All of it. Just fantastic.
Evil Jor-El is either a feint, and part of a more nefarious scheme (but why?) or canon here, and either way, there are some really good story possibilities there.
Oh, and "Mankind Is Introduced to The Supergirl". Sheās clearly dealing with some stuff, but is also likely going to set a certain cub reporter straight.
I would have liked to have seen Superman use The Fortress for something other than healing, and to see its secrets explored just a bit more, but they did give us a little glimpse of him actually using it to get some solitude at the end of the film, and that was really poignant.
Gunn has populated this world with color-coordinated citizenry largely bored of or annoyed at world-ending threats if theyāre not right in its path (a commentary on the world?) who are used to evacuating when they strike, a news staff that is sticking around through the danger and mostly curious, jaded, selfish heroes, and people willing to work for a supervillain for some reason. Thereās really a great cross section of downright comic book humanity on display here, and it makes the world feel lived in and more real, even though itās not fleshed out very much.
There are the seeds of future storylines and possibilities dropped here. The Pocket Universe has a sort of de facto Phantom Zone feel to it and there are undoubtably other universes with other worlds and other dimensions to explore. Using the concepts in this film as an introductory primer to all of that was clever.
I do feel bad for Lexās exes, and whoever else got left behind in the Pocket Dimension when Supermanā¦just didnāt save them from the prison. Would have liked to have seen some sort of attempt to rescue them, too, maybe have Rex do that while Superman tries to save Joey, or having Lexās āMr. Handsomeā help out and pitch in. Maybe thatās the plot of a JIMMY OLSON & THE NEWSBOYS limited series. Big Jim kind of needs the redemption, after all. And it would be a good forum to flesh out the Daily Planet staff. Just saying.
Regardless, Gunn absolutely gets this mythology, and his vision for it is impressive. Heās taken a dash of inspiration from many different eras and it all works together quite seamlessly, and just feels āclassicā. Thatās no small feat, either. He clearly has an affinity for All Star Superman, and there will probably be elements of that in the sequel, especially when it comes to Luthor. Iām guessing the sequel will feel less For All Seasons and involve slightly more traditional storytelling.
Something most people arenāt discussing, but that I think the seeds have been planted forā¦this Superman isnāt naiive, but he IS flawed. And those flaws are going to cause problems for him moving forward. Feels like maybe heās going to have to learn certain lessons more than once. And for all his obvious charm, heās more than just a bit out of step with everyone else, even a little bit socially awkward. I would say that while heās a very good person, heās also being deliberately portrayed as a little bit out of touch. Not just socially, but morally. Itās an interesting approach to the character.
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