‘Superman’ Review: Truth, Justice, and the DC Universe Way

When it comes to superheroes, no one is bigger than the Man of Steel himself, Superman. Everything about him, from the red and blue caped costume to his genuine goodness, is iconic of the superhero genre. He is the heart and soul of DC Comics, and with Warner Bros. struggles in the past with its DC Extended Universe, it’s fitting that he would be the one to officially usher in the new film era of the now DC Universe with James Gunn both in the director’s chair and co-leading DC Studios as a whole. It’s a heavy burden for one man/film to carry on their shoulders, but if anyone can bear the weight, it’s Superman. And for the most part, the film delivers a feelgood adventure that represents the best of humanity. The story plays it a little too safe and follows many of the same superhero tropes. David Corenswet is just so charming and wholesome in the red and blue that it doesn’t matter too much. Superman is a safe but smart kickoff to the DCU and for once makes me excited for what its future may hold.

Set in an already established Metropolis, Superman follows the titular superhero as he navigates being the city’s savior while struggling to maintain his identity and morals as every move he takes comes under intense scrutiny. Everything comes to a head when Superman intervenes and single handedly stops the powerful Boravian army from invading the poorer country of Jarhanpur. He did it because it was the right thing to do and to save countless lives, but many governments sees it as one super powered person taking matters into their own hands without question. Businessman Lex Luthor takes this opportunity to spin the narrative and turn the people against Superman, who begins to question his own identity and purpose. The most powerful metahuman on the planet, Superman has never faced a challenge such as this before, and for the first time feels a real fear and struggle with his power.

Superman is the first film to kick off James Gunn’s and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe so there is a lot riding on its success. This is audiences first look at the world and the superheroes that inhabit it for the foreseeable future. Unlike the previous DCEU, this universe’s Superman is bright, inspirational, and hopeful, and David Corenswet encapsulates those ideals wonderfully as both the superhero and his alter ego Clark Kent. He approaches every situation with a juvenile innocence, believing in the best of everyone. Then there’s his superpowered puppy Krypto, who literally is the best. Seriously. Krypto steal every scene he is in. It’s the most wholesome Superman we’ve had since the Christopher Reeves days. This is no dig on Henry Cavil, who is a great interpretation of Zack Snyder’s vision. Corenswet feels closest to the comics, and this is the direction Gunn wants to go.

Story-wise, Superman feels pretty similar to others in the superhero genre. The film opens with Superman coming off his first loss and finding out that he may not be as strong as he once thought. From there it expands to him fighting everything Lex Luthor throws at him, big and small. The story has been updated to modern times with references to the influence of social media and ongoing military wars that are obvious stand-ins for today’s conflicts. There is a lot going on, especially since it introduces audiences to an already established Metropolis along with the likes of Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern, Mister Terrific, and Hawkgirl, all of whom call themselves the “Justice Gang” to little fanfare as their team name is still up for debate. On Luther’s side there’s Ultraman and The Engineer who act as the muscle against the immensely more powerful Superman. For a Superman movie, there are a lot of secondary characters introduced. It takes a little while to find its groove, but it mostly works and doesn’t feel too overstuffed. The world feels lived in although still mostly contained to Metropolis.

Superman is a solid opener for the new DCU. It’s colorful, entertaining, with plenty of action and enough humor to keep the film flowing. It does try a little too hard to differentiate itself from its past. The film makes it annoying clear that Superman does everything in his power to make sure that no one gets killed or when there is massive collateral damage that people have already evacuated the area. It’s heartwarming at first but painfully obvious how hard the film is trying by the end. We get it, this Superman doesn’t kill. Still, it’s refreshing to see a comic book film that is so hopeful and so overwhelmingly positive in a time when that is very much needed in our lives. Look up is not only the tagline of Superman telling you to look to the skies; it’s also telling you that Superman is an inspirational figure worthy of looking up to. That is when Superman is at its best.