Much noise has been made of James Gunn’s semi-reboot of the DCEU, most notably with this week’s release of Superman. It feels like hopes and dreams are being pinned on it, just like it has found itself at the center of a Fox News-created controversy about its messaging, its so-called “wokeness,” and its abandonment of the character’s so-called American virtues.
Pretty much all of that is horseshit.
Superman’s messaging is genuinely no different than its messaging has ever been in the nearly 100 years of the character’s existence. He stands for justice, for goodness, and for kindness. The messaging remains unchanged, and if anything, Gunn has chosen to lean into the nostalgic qualities of the character even harder. Certainly, this film is in direct opposition to Zack Snyder’s darker-toned Man of Steel, a lighter, kinder, more family-friendly Superman. But it’s also a film that gently delivers its message of hope to audiences without jingoism or brute force. Instead, Superman (played with twinkling charm by David Corenswet) is all he ever needed to a be — a genuinely good guy … with godlike powers.
It’s the genuine good guy part that the film does so well. Corenswet shines in the role of a Superman who knows in his heart what is right but struggles with a world that doesn’t always do or want the right thing. His vision is singular, and his compass is strong, but the world is far more complex than that, and that — not Lex Luthor (brilliantly played by Nicholas Hoult) nor his Hench people — are the crux of his true struggles. How does one with godlike powers help a world that sometimes doesn’t want your help, that sometimes doesn’t trust you?
Gunn delivers this story capably, if unsubtly, at a breathless pace, giving us a colorful, eye-popping world filled with a variety of clever characters. Rachel Brosnahan is terrific as Lois Lane, a confident, no-nonsense character whose zeal for the truth often serves as a sounding board for Superman’s sometimes seemingly childlike ideals. The nascent “Justice Gang” of Green Lantern, Mr. Terrific, and Hawkgirl (Nathan Fillion, Edi Gathegi, and Isabella Merced, respectively) serve as a fun collection of super-alternatives when Superman is otherwise occupied, a rowdy trio of heroes often at odds — at least regarding methods — with Superman.
The story is a bit of a garbled mess, involving two fictional countries at war, Lex’s manipulation of the US government, alternate dimensions, black holes, giant monsters, you name it. Gunn throws the kitchen sink at us in the film’s quickly-paced 129 minutes, and while it often feels nonsensical, it’s also just the right tone of comic booky nonsensical. It’s chaotic and often quite silly, but it’s hard to really call those negatives when it’s so clearly part of his overall intention — Gunn wants you to embrace the inherent absurdity of his story and simply enjoy the ride.
And enjoy the ride we did, for Superman is a lot of fun. Its effects are dazzling but not overwrought, and its finale is one of the more satisfying superhero fights we’ve seen in a while, filled with clever plans and daring rescues. Those rescues are particularly important — this is not a film rife with mass casualty events, this is a film preventing them. It’s all central to the character himself — he may knock a building or two down, but he’ll be damned if he isn’t sure it’s empty before he does. Also, make no mistake — this is a Superman film. Unlike some previous iterations, Clark Kent is truly an alter ego here and in fact is rarely even seen. There are a handful of minutes of Corenswet playing Clark. No, the focus is purely on Superman, and honestly, it’s probably better for it.
I can’t tell you if this will save the superhero film, or even if they need saving — as far as I can tell, superhero films are still pretty much printing money for the studios. It’s definitely a significant tonal shift for DC, one that works in its favor — not because Snyder’s vision was bad, per se — it wasn’t always my cup of tea but it also wasn’t devoid of its charms — but because it certainly casts a wider net in terms of appeal. It’s good-natured fun, featuring performances filled with cleverness and humor, while still holding onto those Superman-like virtues that make the character so popular. Gunn has set the tone for a new universe of heroes, one that’s not afraid to be a little goofy, that excites us, and that embraces the nostalgic virtues that drew in so many fans in the first place.
