From its opening moments, Superman (2025) announces itself as both a homage to the legacy of the character and a fresh start. James Gunn steps into the director’s chair with a vision that leans cheerful, colorful, and emotionally earnest, attributes that contrast sharply with the darker tones of recent Superman films. Rather than rehashing the origin yet again, the film drops us into a world where Superman is already recognized, beloved even, but under pressure, both from public scrutiny and from powerful forces who resent or fear his interference.
David Corenswet as Clark Kent / Superman gives a performance marked by earnestness and warmth. He’s less about towering invincibility, more about trying to live up to an ideal while grappling with the moral weight of his powers. His interactions, especially with Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane, add humanizing touches: awkward dinners, ethical dilemmas, and intimate conversations that ground the film just when the stakes feel very large. Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor also gets praise for bringing menace and intelligence, he feels less like a cartoon villain, more like someone who believes fundamentally in his own mission.
Visually and tonally, Superman is bold. The film is richer and more vibrant than some recent iterations, using color, set design, and visual effects to build a world where alien metahumans and everyday people coexist and clash. There are moments where the CGI gets a bit overstuffed, especially in big action sequences, and the final act suffers from a sense of “too much” rather than “just enough.” The pacing occasionally lags under the weight of multiple subplots (Justice Gang characters show up, side missions, political commentary) that, while interesting in themselves, sometimes distract from Superman’s core journey.
What Superman (2025) does best is restore a sense of hope, idealism, and moral clarity. In an era of gritty reboots and antiheroes, it feels almost radical simply to have a Superman who still stands for something good. The familial moments with the Kents, the dilemmas he faces when intervening in global affairs, and the contrast between heroism and public perception are all given weight. It’s not a perfect film, but it’s a promising one. If this is the beginning of the new DCU, then it’s set a tone: noble, ambitious, and grounded in humanity.
Superman (2025) is a mostly successful reboot. It’s not without flaws, overcrowded cast, occasional tonal wobble, and action that sometimes leans into spectacle over emotion, but its heart is in the right place. It reminds us why the character still matters.
Some quotes from Superman (2025)
“Your choices. Your actions. That’s what makes you who you are.” — Jonathan Kent
“I’m as human as anybody. They’ve always been wrong about me. I love. I get scared. But that is being human. And that’s my greatest strength.” — Superman
“Maybe that’s the real punk rock.” — Superman
“Krypto, what the heck, dude?” — Superman TVL Network
“You think everything and everyone is beautiful.” — Lois Lane
“I love you, Lois. I probably should have told you that a long time ago.” — Superman
