Superman
Rather than build us up to this moment, the movie drops you midstream. We never see Clark Kent learn to balance life at the Daily Planet or witness the public’s first reactions to an alien saviour. Because we lack that emotional foundation, the geopolitical stakes never fully land.
Corenswet has the look and brooding sense of duty you expect, but stilted dialogue and a hint of cockiness keep him from matching the warmth of Christopher Reeve’s classic. Rachel Brosnahan sparkles as a Lois Lane who already knows his secret, her pointed interview, where she presses Superman on accountability, is one of the film’s smartest moments. Nathan Fillion’s turn as a self-obsessed Green Lantern delivers genuine laughs, and Anthony Carrigan finds surprising sweetness beneath Metamorpho’s heavy prosthetics. Hoult clearly relishes his role, but his Lex never moves past “rich bully with a science project” – you can’t beat Gene Hackman’s iconic performance for real depth and menace!
Visually, Gunn’s palette pops, bright blues, bold reds, and playful cosmic touches (shout-out to Krypto, the best part of the movie). But by the final act, and the CGI overload: predictable battle beats, too many metahumans, and a climax that feels assembled in post-production. You can applaud the ambition, but you’ll miss moments to simply feel Superman’s humanity.
It’s a crowd-pleaser for CGI fans, but you can’t beat the heart and simplicity of the 1978 Donner classic. Time for DC to dial back the effects, trim the roster, and remind us why Superman’s true power always comes from his humanity.
Currently showing everywhere. Blink and you’ll miss it. It’s fun, but the CGI battles do get a bit predictable.
