Superman - Review

Take Me Home.

Review written by Jack Aling

Superman is written and directed by James Gunn.

Starring David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult & Rachel Brosnahan.

Superman, a journalist in Metropolis, embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent.

A hard reset with its eyes set on a bold new future, Superman is a refreshing take on the famous Man of Steel.

Full of hope and humanity, James Gunn strips away the layers of brooding darkness and gritty realism to remind audiences what comic book movies can be capable of when they don't take themselves too seriously.

A valiant performance by David Corenswet commands the screen with presence deserving of the famous red cape. Both as Superman and Clark Kent, whoops, spoilers, there is a stoic determinism that he embodies while allowing natural personality to shine through. Nicholas Hoult is great as the smarmy Lex Luthor, but it's Edi Gathegi who steals the show as Mr Terrific.

Not everything flowed as seamlessly. The visual style ranges from inventive to messy, often in the same sequence. Much of the dialogue feels forced, from charming to cheesy, often in the same conversation. Much of the film feels stitched together from multiple drafts, and although the final product manages to scrape by, it's not always a coherent experience.

A packed and bold film that brings optimism back to Superman - something that has been missing from the big screen for a while. Feeling closer aligned to its comic book origins than many cinematic offerings recently, James Gunn reminds the audience that it's okay to enjoy ourselves and live in the world. Not every instalment needs to be a world-ending catastrophe, though I'm sure we'll get there.

A very promising start in a new era for DC.

Our verdict: 4 out of 5 stars.

Superman arrives in UK Cinemas July 11th 2025

Read more of Jack's reviews at: letterboxd.com/TheJackAling