Superman SPOILER Review Thread (NO TAGS NECESSARY)

[Mandon Knight]

I feel I need to explain myself here first, because without explanation there will be some 'comeback', given my stance both on Gunn himself & my own thoughts on this film and what follows for the upcoming future it now seems, which still exist.

I HAVE seen the film now, for the very simple fact my dear (IRL) friend @Mach2Infinity had seen it and I wished to be able to talk & discuss the film with him over some of the scenes & events that he enjoyed.

My lifetime friendship with Mach is way more important to me than one film and one film-maker.

So going in, I had zero 'expectation', lets just see how this unfolds. I knew we were not getting Man of Steel for sure, but what we got, in my mind, is essentially a combination of Superman, the animated series and the Justice League animated series, both of which I loved when first broadcast.

Mach had informed me of what he got from the film and how certain imagery got his 'emotional range' and where the film 'scored' for him and the places where he 'felt', I understood why and aspects of those, did hit.

I didn't agree with some decisions taken on the character and supporting characters, like many have expressed and I am sure those will play out in future sequels.

Chemistry was very strong between Lois & Clark and you felt the ending, some great action sequences (I get the ? mark over the CGI, given the budget) and the given the introduction of the wider range of characters fitted what was being presented.

I got the emotion of the character that I 'tuned in with' and the casting of the main two leads where spot on, to put it in a nutshell, I laughed in the right places, I cried in the right places, I inwardly cheered in the right places.

The opening titles (clearly a direct and well intended reference to the 1978 original) worked and they took me back to seeing the Reeve original with my Pops (Dad).

Be interesting to see where and how this all moves forward, the basis of the story they are working from for Supergirl is a strong one in graphic novel form and I think that this DCU is here to stay,

It all depends on whether the hierarchy of WB are 'happy' with the outcomes for this Superman.

 

[donuts]

Glad you liked it.

WB is happy, a follow up of sorts is already being fast tracked and will go into production not too long after The Batman Part II starts filming.

 

[Thome216]

Glad to see so many positive responses to the movie, even if it really didn't do anything for me.
I wanted to like this far more than I did and I wish I was more on the side of those who did enjoy it so much.

I did like Corenswet's Superman, for the most part. There were a few moments where he really seemed to convey Superman. But I think he overdid it in the interview scene and other spots where he came off as very overly dramatic. He's supposed to have been Superman for a few years by now, but he comes off as pretty naive in some instances and so overly shocked when that bubble is popped.
His suit could use some work too. It's too much of a mix between the CW version and the '78 movie. Choose one, either something like Superman Returns or straight CW.

Really liked Brosnahan as Lois. I probably liked her best of all of them, her and her heavily sugared coffee! Dang, that would make even my sweet tooth ache!

His parents were too hokey, by far. His mom was especially treated more like a joke. Made me miss Eva Marie Saint or Diane Lane.

Krypto I could have done without, esp the way they had him jumping all over Supes and killing that dramatic opening. Yes, dog cute and funny, but it seemed like all he was there for was for chuckles and for the Supergirl tie-in.

Lex was pretty basic, IMO, except for that one moment where he played Russian Roulette.
I felt that was the only scene in the movie that had any risk or suspense to it, and that really grabbed my attention. That one scene...

Really did not like what they did to Jor-El and Lara! "Conquer and take many wives." W.T.F?!
That's nothing like they have ever been depicted and I kept waiting for the moment where it would be revealed that it had been faked. Nope.
We go from hopeful Krypton, with Kal-El being told to lead humanity into the light, to it apparently being a world of despots that kinda makes me glad it was destroyed. And what does Kara know about this? She's supposed to remember Krypton and was beginning to have a life there, so surely she knows about this.
Just an extremely weird choice to make.

Sadly, I have to say I much prefer the original Superman movie, Returns or Man of Steel. This... Wow.
I have thought of giving it another shot and waste at least twenty bucks or just wait until it streams...

Anyway, sorry to be a downer here , folks.

 

[dhandler01]

No need to apologize...you dont have to like the film just cause we did

 

[elgaz]

I saw the film on release day in the cinema but have been kinda sitting on the review as I wanted to rewatch it a few times and gather my thoughts.

For the record, I'm a fan of MOS/BvS extended edition. Just mentioning that as they're the most recent other movies with Superman so it's hard to avoid comparison. Absolutely not a Snyder fanatic though and no time for that Gunn fanbase vs Snyder fanbase rubbish. I'm a fan of Superman as a character, having grown up collecting many Superman comics and graphic novels - all with different writers, artists & approaches - so always welcome any new take on it with excitement.

Things I liked -

• A more positive, upbeat Superman for most of the film
• Lots of action scenes
• Brighter colour palette than previous films
• David Corenswet did a great job in the main role. Lots of physicality but really sold the optimism and virtue of the character too. He also looks the part.
• Hoult did a great job as Lex
• Rachel Brosnahan & Corenswet had very good chemistry
• Casting in general was spot on for supporting characters too.
• Nice to see some lesser known DC characters finally in a big movie, e.g. Mr Terrific and Metamorpho
• Approach to the Fortress of Solitude aesthetics and camouflage ability (& introducing Superman's robots) was brilliant
• Kents were great. Very authentic and salt of the earth people. The emotion in those scenes was valuable to the film.
• Krypto was fun (in small doses - see below).

Things I didn't like -

• The film was overstuffed. Too many supporting characters serving little or no purpose. I'd gladly have lost the Cat Grant appearances - for example - if we got a bit more of Wendell Pierce as Perry White, or the Kents.
• I was hoping that Gunn wouldn't go for his signature wide lens, fisheye flying and tracking shots but unfortunately he did. Took me completely out of the solo Supes flying scenes.
• Superman's biological parents and their motivations. It's been discussed at length but I'm definitely in the camp that doesn't like this approach of making Jor-El and Lara would-be conquerors.
• Pacing felt a little rushed at times, the film barely had a chance to breathe.
• Superman got beat up a lot. I know there's arguments against making him overpowered and unbeatable, but this went fully in the opposite direction.
• The evil clone reveal worked ok for the film, but felt cliched. It's been done in many other mediums and shows.
• I took umbrage with some of the story direction and plot choices which were hard to swallow. Lex controlling Ultraman remotely? In the time it took him to shout the commands and his team to key them into a computer, with his super speed and super hearing Superman should have been able to hear those earpiece commands and counter before Ultraman could carry them out.
• There was a bit too much reliance on Krypto for comedic effect.

Overall I enjoyed the film and it's a worth addition to all the Superman movies and TV shows that have preceded it. Gunn set out to make his own unique take on Superman and in that respect, he succeeded. My biggest complaint however is not a specific scene or component of the film, it's that in taking this brighter, lighter, more comic-book based approach, the film lacked some of the majesty and epic feel we've seen in scenes from other Superman movies. I can't easily pinpoint why but I think it's a combination of things involving the visuals, score and the cost of certain choices made by characters in those films having a real dramatic impact.

All of these are my own opinions of course and I don't expect everyone will agree

Overall, it's a 6.5/10 or maybe 7/10 movie for me, or thereabouts.

 

[Sithborg]

Just to be clear, going into this movie, I had low expectations. I had soured on Gunn's films in general since GOTG 2. Which is why I did not want to pay to see it in theaters. And I detest Snyder's films.

Yeah, I did not like the film. I struggle to understand why they started the film where they did, when they had to do so much to explain the current situation. And by explaining, telling instead of showing.

The cast is great. Just, get them under someone other than Gunn. I feel Corenswet is the one hurt the most. He is very good most of the time. But it is undercut a few time by Gunn not quite understanding the goofy/nerdy and morale center of Superman. Perhaps Hoechlin and Quaid have set up too high a bar, but I feel Corenswet was doing a good job before Gunn's dialogue gets in the way. "Gosh, I can be such a jerk sometimes" doesn't feel natural. When he is being able to do natural lines, he is great. Which kind of leads to the Kents. Like, I knew going that Gunn was going to be setting up the adoptive parents as the "good" parents. But I did not expect for them to be a very patronizing portrayal of "simple farmers". Given how slow they had Pa Kent talk, I wonder how much of the "simple" part Gunn took to heart.

Which yeah, given everything going on in 2025 america, **** what he did to the Els.

Ironically, Brosnahan came out the best. Which is a miracle given his problems with writing women in the past.

Look, I also am confused on why women are obsessed with Skylar Gisondo. But why do you have to make him the magnet for all of Gunn's bull****.

TLDR: Its a Gunn movie. I don't like Gunn movies.

 

[DarkKnight]

Finally got a chance to see it. I know... I know... Why just now? I've been too busy and a lot going on.
But.... Unfortunately, I'm personally not a fan.

Allow me to say this with love to my fellow forum members and Superman fans. I know I'm in the minority here and I'm so happy many of you enjoyed this. But I did not. I unfortunately even have to say that I'm not that that big of a fan of David as Superman. I'm not a David hater and I'm not a Snyder Snob though I did enjoy and Miss Henry. I've enjoyed aspects of every Superman for different reasons. But outside of a few minor things here, I'm afraid Im just not into David in the role.
The only standouts in the film for me was Mr. Terrific and Guy Gardner. Lex was ok. He was most definitely better than the previous version from the Snyder series but still far from my favorite version.
I didn't care for the editing style at all. It truly took me out of it in certain areas of the film.

It did have some things that I liked. Certain Superman scenes were cool, new and fun.
I liked the Ultraman costume and clone twist/story. New Characters etc.

But I really hated what they did with Superman's parents. Both the El's and Kents. I hated the Kryptonian rule the world and conquer stuff and I hated the awkward fake deep Southern accent from Ma Kent. It was laughable.

I have no problem with James Gunn. I love many of his films from Marvel to other genres. But this one just didn't do it for me.
I'm glad many of you are happy. I just wished for more or should I say wished for something else? I don't know. It's just not for me.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Yeah this movie just gets better with every viewing.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Yeah this movie just gets better with every viewing.

Only seen it the once, so far, looking forward to seeing it again and soak it in a bit more on the blu-ray release, which is coming up, here in the UK, in October.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Only seen it the once, so far, looking forward to seeing it again and soak it in a bit more on the blu-ray release, which is coming up, here in the UK, in October.

Yeah I got the Blu-Ray the other day so I watched it this morning during my daily Peleton workout and it’s just such a joy. You know a movie is good when scenes make you tear up while burning off loads of calories lol. The scene with Pa Kent in front of the house always gets me.

Also. David and Rachel might be my favorite superhero movie couple of all time. Their chemistry is just off the charts. They don’t even have that many scenes together but when they do it’s just fire. They are right up with there with Reeve and Kidder to me (honestly more so because these two really do act hot for each other lol), Tony and Pepper, Peter and MJ, etc.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Also, some of the special features are pretty cool and it was interesting to hear that it was actually Safran who pushed for a Superman movie while Gunn was more reluctant that I originally thought. I was very critical of Safran when this thing started because at the time I felt the was just Zaslav’s little roadie but I think I owe him an apology because it sounds like he was the real driving force to get Superman back front and center after all the DCEU/Dwayne Johnson nonsense. Sometimes you do need those business types to really step in along with the creatives to move these things along. So good on both Safran and Gunn for being able to put together the right vision for the character.

 

[TheSlickTony]

Finally sat down with the folks (Dad's a big Superman fan) & brother and watched Superman last night. Some thoughts:

1. Love the cast. Just awesome all around. Like my Pop said last night, David is a "110/100" as Clark and Supes.

2. The tone of the film was spot on. It balanced a sort of "all-ages" feel with some heavy themes and political commentary.

3. It could be more so my upbringing or what I pay attention to, but I got serious Russia screwing with its Asian counterparts more so than an Israel/Palestine thing. Either way, it was handled real well.

4. I did not like (and my Pop hated it) the super quick swerve the public did when they saw the whole message. Sure, some folks would be upset. But how they went from loving him to all of a sudden throwing stuff at him within 2 minutes was just a tad too sudden.

5. I was a bit worried that Krypto might make it a tad too kid-friendly, but he reminded me of my now passed dog, Finneas, so he gets my seal of approval.

6. I was not prepared for the Kents to be THAT... Midwestern, but they reminded me of some folks I have known in my life and they were awesome characters in this. I always knew Pruitt Taylor Vince as the IFC guy, now I'll remember him as Jonathan Kent .

7. I have to give a special shoutout to Nicholas Hoult being the biggest scumbag Lex I have ever seen on the screen. I mean, he is peak comic-Lex scumbaggery in this and I need more of him getting mauled. And I have to give a shoutout to Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific. He was, well, Terrific.

All-in-all, I would give the film an 8/10. It had to be a jumping off point, which it did well, but it tried to perhaps juggle a little too much. What it did excellently was that I WANT to see all of these character renditions again and again. Which I did not feel after watching Man of Steel for the first time. Can't wait for Man of Tomorrow.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Yeah one thing I’m not sure about with the upcoming MoT movie is how much I’m going to be able to root for Lex as somewhat of a hero/protagonist in that he’s SUCH a despicable POS in this universe so far. Like… given the kind of stuff that he does in Superman (putting innocent people in private prisons, orchestrating a genocide to make himself a king and have an excuse to kill Superman)… I’m sure Gunn isn’t going to try and give him the kind of redemption arc that someone like Peacemaker had, but it still will be very difficult not to feel absolute disgust toward him even when he’s doing the “right” thing against a much greater threat. It’s an interesting challenge for the audience for sure. Definitely excited to see it. But I guess the only reason I bring it up is because Gunn worked real-world villainy into Lex’s character. It’s easy to overlook villains’ past misdeeds in these movies when they do goofy sci-fi stuff (which Lex obviously also did) but when you consider some of the other **** he had a hand in and can draw the parallels with the real world (US concentration camps, genocide by Israel and Russia) it may be hard to see Lex as anything but human garbage no matter what happens in MoT.

 

[TheSlickTony]

Yeah one thing I’m not sure about with the upcoming MoT movie is how much I’m going to be able to root for Lex as somewhat of a hero/protagonist in that he’s SUCH a despicable POS in this universe so far. Like… given the kind of stuff that he does in Superman (putting innocent people in private prisons, orchestrating a genocide to make himself a king and have an excuse to kill Superman)… I’m sure Gunn isn’t going to try and give him the kind of redemption arc that someone like Peacemaker had, but it still will be very difficult not to feel absolute disgust toward him even when he’s doing the “right” thing against a much greater threat. It’s an interesting challenge for the audience for sure. Definitely excited to see it. But I guess the only reason I bring it up is because Gunn worked real-world villainy into Lex’s character. It’s easy to overlook villains’ past misdeeds in these movies when they do goofy sci-fi stuff (which Lex obviously also did) but when you consider some of the other **** he had a hand in and can draw the parallels with the real world (US concentration camps, genocide by Israel and Russia) it may be hard to see Lex as anything but human garbage no matter what happens in MoT.

My exact same thoughts. One of the reasons why I am excited for MoT: How the hell will Gunn make Lex even semi-semi-sympathetic?

 

[Deck Rickard]

My exact same thoughts. One of the reasons why I am excited for MoT: How the hell will Gunn make Lex even semi-semi-sympathetic?

Yeah, it’s a challenge for sure. I mean, watching Superman, there was a moment where I was looking at Lex and literally everyone in his control room and thinking, “ALL OF YOU deserve to be in prison forever!” Lex and his people are absolutely despicable. And while I know Superman is always going to try and see the good in people… I’m not gonna do that lol.