Superman arrives in 2025 carrying the weight of an entire cinematic universe on its cape. Directed and written by James Gunn as the foundational film of the rebooted DC Universe, it is tasked not merely with telling a great Superman story but with restoring faith in a franchise that has spent the better part of a decade losing it. Gunn meets that challenge with a picture that is joyful, emotionally generous, and visually inventive.
At a Glance
Director: James Gunn
Runtime: 129 minutes
Starring: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Anthony Carrigan
Release: 2025
Critics Rating: ★★★★ (4/5 stars, a triumphant reinvention)
Audience Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars, the Superman film the character has needed)
Review Breakdown
Plot
Gunn's picture drops us into a world where Superman already exists, bypassing the origin story entirely and trusting the audience to know who Clark Kent is. The story centres on Lex Luthor's increasingly desperate campaign to discredit and destroy Superman, running parallel to a geopolitical crisis involving the nation of Boravia and a conspiracy that draws in several other superpowered individuals. The narrative is tightly constructed and moves with propulsion, balancing large-scale action with quieter character moments that give the picture its emotional weight. Gunn's screenplay is witty without being flippant, serious without being dour, and consistently surprising in the directions it chooses to take.
Characters
David Corenswet announces himself fully in a role that could easily have buckled under the weight of expectation. Where previous screen Supermen have emphasised either the god or the man, Corenswet finds the precise balance between the two: his Clark Kent is warm, slightly awkward, and thoroughly credible, while his Superman radiates a decency and optimism that feels earned rather than imposed. He is funny, vulnerable, and physically commanding in equal measure, and he makes the character feel new without erasing what came before. It is a performance that will define the role for a generation. Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane is the most fully realised screen incarnation of the character since Margot Kidder: sharp, driven, romantically complicated, and distinctly her own creation. Her dynamic with Corenswet crackles with chemistry and tension. Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor is a study in controlled menace, a tech-industry titan whose charm and intelligence make him more frightening than any amount of scenery-chewing would. Isabela Merced brings heart and humour to Hawkgirl, while Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner provides the most reliably entertaining comic relief.
Tone
Unashamedly optimistic and alive with good humour. Gunn understands that Superman's power is not his strength or his speed but his fundamental belief in people, and the picture is built around that belief. It is not naive; the world it depicts has darkness and cruelty. But it insists, with purpose and considerable charm, that goodness is a choice worth making and a quality worth celebrating. After years of grimdark superhero cinema, it feels radical. The humour is organic rather than forced, the action is exhilarating rather than numbing, and the emotional beats land with a precision that suggests a filmmaker entirely in command of his material.
Meaning / Themes
At its core, Superman is a picture about the choice to be good in a world that rewards cynicism. Lex Luthor's central argument, that Superman's altruism must conceal a hidden agenda because no one acts without self-interest, is the thematic engine: the story exists to disprove him, not through argument but through action. Clark Kent's goodness is presented not as naivety but as a form of courage, a daily decision to extend trust and compassion in the face of a world that does not always deserve it. It is a deeply hopeful film, and that hope is its greatest achievement.
Direction
Gunn directs with a confidence and visual fluency that marks a significant step forward even from his Guardians of the Galaxy work. The action sequences are spatially clear and thrilling, the quieter scenes are given room to breathe, and the visual language is distinctive without being self-indulgent. John Murphy's score is sweeping and emotionally precise, introducing a new Superman theme that earns its grandeur. The production design creates a world that feels simultaneously familiar and fresh, grounded in a recognisable reality while embracing the inherent strangeness of a world with superheroes in it.
Cultural Reception
Superman received strong critical and audience notices on its release, with most reviewers praising Corenswet's performance, Gunn's tonal confidence, and the welcome return to optimism after years of grimmer superhero fare. Its commercial performance was robust, establishing the rebooted DC Universe on a firm footing and generating considerable enthusiasm for the films that will follow. Corenswet's Clark Kent is already being discussed as the definitive modern incarnation of the character, and Brosnahan's Lois Lane has been widely recognised as the most fully realised screen version of the character the franchise has produced.
Final Verdict: A triumph. James Gunn's Superman is exhilarating, emotionally rich, and anchored by a career-defining performance from David Corenswet. It understands what makes the character great, trusts that understanding, and delivers a picture worthy of the name. The finest Superman film in decades, and one of the most accomplished superhero films ever made.