Superman

Kick-starting the new DC Universe, James Gunn reminds audiences that there is still hope to be found in the interminable Superhero genre

It’s been said before, but there are too many superhero movies. The industry is at a point where it has invested too much into the once beloved genre of film, which has since become a meagre flicker of the gargantuan flame that it used to be. The interminable Marvel Cinematic Universe has overstayed its welcome and then some since the achievement that was the Infinity Saga (ending with Avengers: Endgame) and the DC Extended Universe had a history more turbulent than the waves of Aquaman’s ocean (despite what a certain sect of fans would have you believe). That’s not to say that DC didn’t have its own wins, however its catalogue of films has far fewer successes than its direct competitor. It was with a mix of cheers and groans that Warner Brother’s news of DC Studios was received. Led by producer Peter Safran and writer/director James Gunn, the new studio is responsible for bringing forth a whole new era of live-action and animated films and television series for this new DC Universe. Despite audiences’ trepidation with yet another reboot of the DC Universe and its characters, the first cab off the rank is finally here in the form of James Gunn’s Superman.

Written and directed by Gunn, Superman feels like a real return to form for the superhero genre. Taking things back to the heightened realities that have seemingly been forgotten in recent superhero films, Superman reminds audiences why it is that these universes have been so beloved. Throwing audiences headfirst into this version of Superman we are quickly introduced to David Corenswet’s portrayal of the titular character in the aftermath of his first lost fight. He’s beaten, bloody and hurt and through the pain he manages to give a whistle, to which the Superdog Krypto responds. Storming in at super speed, the Kryptonian canine whisks Superman back to the Fortress of Solitude for a quick recharge of energy from the Earth’s yellow sun and a spin of his Kryptonian parents’ unfinished video message that was sent to Earth with him, before he flies back to the city of Metropolis to continue battling his foe, The Hammer of Boravia. Seemingly commanded by the delightfully evil, Superman-hating Lex Luthor, played by Nicholas Hoult, the Hammer of Boravia makes quick work of Superman in the light of his actions intervening with the country of Boravia’s invasion of Jarhanpur. The battle ends, the Hammer flies away and Superman is left defeated once more, before being helped up by the people of Metropolis.

If that all sounds like a lot of information in a very short amount of time, it’s because it is. And that is true for majority of the film. Preceded by some quick-fire text that catches audiences up to this Universe and its centuries long history with metahumans and decades long relationship with Superman, the film spends no time retreading old ground. And there’s no need for it. Superman’s story is one that is familiar to most people, given the near 90-year history of the character and countless adaptations across the page and the screen. Gunn assumes audiences know how this all goes, and if they don’t then there’s an ample piece of text to catch them up before things kick off. Much like its opening, Superman as a whole is a film that is doing a lot of things in a very quick manner. Not only is it required to act as a retelling of a familiar character, but it is also acting as a kick-starter to the new DC Universe that Gunn and Safran are set to ignite.

So once things get moving along, we find Clark Kent working at the Daily Planet alongside Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane and Skyler Gisondo’s Jimmy Olsen as they debate Clark’s ability to consistently interview the Man of Steel. Immediately following this playful office banter, we find that Lois and Clark are in a 3-month relationship and Lois already knows that Clark is Superman. After a playful interview between Lois and Clark (as Superman) becomes heated over the political ramifications of Superman’s interference with the Boravia/Jarhanpur invasion, we find that Superman didn’t act out of political alignments and instead out of the desire to simply do the right thing and save lives. Corenswet and Brosnahan’s chemistry is electric in this sequence, as it is for the entire film, and it serves as another fantastic way for Gunn to catch audiences up on what it is that makes this version of Superman tick, which as it was at the characters creation is to act as a beacon of hope for those who need it. He is the “champion of the oppressed” after all.

Corenswet’s portrayal of Clark/Superman perfectly captures this side of the character. Where recent iterations have interrogated the character’s God Complex and what it means to be immortal in a world filled with death, Corenswet brings a welcome level of charm and humanity back into the limelight. With a healthy dose of comedy and a physique for action, Corenswet and Gunn strike a great balance with the character to feel both human and Kryptonian at the same time. Whether it’s through scenes of conversation between Clark and Lois or through his squabbles with the corporate sponsored ‘Justice Gang’ - comprising of Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific, Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl and Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner - Corenswet’s Superman always feels driven to do right by the people of Metropolis, down to the saving of a squirrel from being trod on by a giant creature wreaking havoc on the city. A drive that was instilled upon him by his Earth parents, Ma and Pa Kent, Clark wants nothing more than to first and foremost be good person.

Gunn, along with cinematographer Henry Braham, also do a lot with the films visuals to help highlight the larger-than-life nature of Superman. Filmed in a way that tries to bring the comic books to life, the film is popping with saturated colours and carries a heightened feeling with its use of wide lenses and kinetic camera moves. These visuals are often a strength of the film, but also occasionally a weak point. The way Gunn directs many of the films action sequences gives way for the camera to move almost too kinetically, which can often make it hard to translate what is actually occurring on screen. This is also by and large due to the heavy reliance on CGI to bring something like Superman to life, and while it is not bad it can at times make the whole thing feel weightless and not as heavy hitting as it possibly could.

Thankfully these action shortcomings are made up for tenfold by the incredibly exciting story that, while potentially feeling politically charged, is instead a reminder that comics mirror the world we live in; one that is already filled with real life supervillains. Nicholas Hoult’s Lex, who is comically evil, never feels comedically evil. His anger towards Superman, driven by his disdain for the love this apparent alien is shown by the people of Metropolis, leads him to use his incredible wit to do anything in order to tear him down. From selling arms to enemy nations, studying Superman’s every move in order to beat him in fights and opening a pocket dimension to store an army of monkey bots to tweet #SuperShit, Lex’s hate for Superman runs thick. Using this hate to spin the media, and in turn the public’s perception of Superman on its head, Lex will do anything necessary to destroy his newfound nemesis. This hate almost brings with it the end of the world, not only as his arms business is heading towards a genocide, but his pocket dimension begins to fracture reality and rather than stopping these heinous happenings, Lex uses them as an opportunity to kill Superman.

Culminating in a climax that, while technically carrying with it a world ending threat, feels appropriately framed and scaled for a Superman story. Once again reminding audiences of how these superhero stories should feel, Gunn manages to strike a great balance of high concept stakes and the exciting ways that they are dealt with. Charged by David Fleming and John Murphy’s score, which at times riffs on John Williams iconic 1978 Superman theme (occasionally a little too much), the film is constantly energetic as it leads into this city crumbling finale. It’s not a spoiler to say that, of course, Superman swoops in and saves the day, but that is exactly the coda that the film is running on. When all hope feels lost, Superman is there! Despite feeling like many of the smaller threads placed throughout the film feel unresolved, like the aforementioned ‘Justice Gang’ or Clark’s Daily Planet counterparts, it is clear that these are fodder for the future of this new DC Universe. However, Gunn’s Superman is so genuine in its portrayal of its characters and moves faster than a speeding bullet to constantly and consistently entertain its audience that these loose threads can easily be forgiven in light of the hope that this film shines on the future of superhero films and this new DC Universe.

Superman releases in Australian cinemas July 10!