Superman Review: The DCU Begins

DC has had, as many are aware, trouble starting up its own cinematic universe. The previous attempt, started by Zack Snyder, has been one of the most divisive and toxic starts for any franchise in recent memory. Like Zack Snyder, director James Gunn hopes to start off this iteration of the DC universe with the world’s most powerful superhero, the Man of Steel. While it remains to be seen what the quality of subsequent films is in this cinematic reboot, one thing is clear: Superman glimmers with hope. This Superman review will be spoiler-free.

Superman is in theaters now.

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Story: Gods and Monsters

Despite being the first film introduction to the DCU, Superman doesn’t actually start with the character’s origin. The film instead opens up with a crawl, giving a brief summary of the character and the world he inhabits. Superman takes place 3 years into the character’s “career” as the titular superhero. Other superpowered beings are known to exist, and it seems to be part of everyday life. 

Superman changes the character’s origin story in a key way. It’s an interesting change that I feel might bother some diehard fans of the character. Personally, I thought it was a unique way for Superman (David Corenswet) to contemplate his purpose and entire upbringing. Of course, Lex (Nicholas Hoult) steps in here alongside his two goons, The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría) and Ultraman, and attempts to turn the world against him. Sprinkle in some signature James Gunn humor, which thankfully didn’t undermine the powerful emotional moments, and you have Superman.

Krypto can be unruly

The story works a majority of the time. Superman is a wacky, chaotic, and cartoony good time. So much happens in this film, and happens fast. I think that might harm some viewers’ experience with the film. There isn’t much handholding and James Gunn goes fully into the chaos here. It’s a story only he could make. My only real complaint with the story is that sometimes, the film goes too far into the chaos. There is an “area” in the film that just felt like too much. It felt cartoony. It might come into play later down the line in other DC films, but it felt a bit out of place here. If you have seen it, you know. 

Characters and Performances – Building A Universe

My main problem with Superman is actually the characters. There are just way too many of them. The introduction of the Justice Gang, consisting of Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) was successful. You get an idea of who they are, and by the end, how they changed. They brought a lot of humor into the film as well. Mr. Terrific with his deadpan face in particular, was a standout. He had one of the best scenes later in the film. I can’t wait to see more of him. 

The introduction of these characters was done flawlessly

And yes, David Corenswet knocks it out of the park as Superman. He gives a wonderfully warm and vibrant performance that inspires hope. We don’t see much of his alter ego, Clark Kent, but I was satisfied with what was shown. As for his arch nemesis, Nicholas Hoult brings a sadistic performance to Lex Luthor. His character was pure evil, and it surprised me how far they took him sometimes. Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) is already dating Superman. She’s an investigative journalist, and I thought she had a lot to do here with asking questions and sometimes answering them. What about everyone else? Well, there are a lot more.

Lex hates Superman with a passion

We get Krypto, which is Superman’s super-powered dog. He was great comedic relief. Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) is introduced here as someone who helps Lois later in the film…Then there is The Engineer, Ultraman, and Luthor’s girlfriend…and the entire supporting cast at the Daily Planet, which all at one point, bizarrely go on a trip in the film. There are just too many characters here. Some of the characters felt forced, while others, like The Engineer, were not given nearly enough time to develop. 

Pacing and Editing –  All Flight, No Fluff

So yeah, as I’ve explained earlier, the film is absolutely stacked with characters and story. Superman’s runtime is 2 hours and 9 minutes, but it doesn’t feel like it at all. There is something happening at almost every moment of it, with not a whole lot of downtime. Since Superman is basically on screen the entire time, there was a lot of action. Hell, the beginning of the film takes place right after a fight. And since Superman skips the origin story, this movie, like the Man of Steel, flew by. 

Each fight was stunning to watch due to the camerawork

And if you have seen previous James Gunn films, you’ll have an idea of how this film is edited. Great character moments mixed with catchy music dazzle the screen in almost every moment. Superman is electric, capturing the superhuman fights and action sequences effortlessly. I still personally prefer the great action in Man of Steel, but this just has more pizzazz, more color, more unique abilities due to the cast of characters and experience that Superman has, too. You could almost feel the air when Superman is flying around. There is this shakiness that the camera does alongside some large camera movements. It’s been done effectively several times here.

Cinematography and Sound – An Updated Classic

Like many others, I think CGI in films, in particular superhero films, has become lousy in recent years. It feels rushed, oftentimes resulting in some incredibly distracting backgrounds or character moments. I think it contributes to superhero film fatigue due to looking low effort. Just look at The Flash. I don’t like its implementation usually, but understand it’s almost a necessity in superhero films. James Gunn knows this, and it shows. Superman is breathtaking at times. There is even this “area” that is practically all CGI, but it looked so real. There are several shots in this film that are just ingrained into my memory now, including one where Superman is seen flying above after the destruction of a building occurs. Superman feels like a comic book brought to life. 

This scene alongside the music was powerful

The soundtrack that accompanies the beautiful visuals is just as great. Characters’ punches feel weighty, and James Gunn cleverly uses sound to also portray how fast Superman, as well as Krypto, moves. The Superman theme is a modern version of the legendary John Williams theme from the original 1978 Superman film. Electric guitars are mixed in here, giving a more rockstar twist to the classic. It suits the film in a way. And during the final fight, when the music kicks in and you see Superman go to work, you too will feel as though you can fly. Superman is an epic return to DC.

Are you planning to see this movie? Have you already seen it? Do you agree with this review for Superman? Let us know!