SUPERMAN
6.0 / 10
Superman returns to the big screen under the direction of James Gunn, hired by DC to replicate his Marvel success—where he made his name with the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy.
The color palette is brighter. The tone is lighter. We’ve got a fresh ensemble playing familiar roles, with a new roster of supporting characters rounding out the team around Superman. And it just debuted to a very respectable $122 million opening weekend.
But is it any good?
I went in with an open mind—wanting to like it, as I do with all movies. I’m also sympathetic to the big-picture messages that Gunn’s trying to convey. But as for the film itself…
It feels rushed and poorly executed. I do agree with the decision to skip yet another Superman origin story, but the first act setup is super choppy. A recurring issue is the lack of context: Superman’s three years deep into this new DCU, but it still feels like we’re meeting him for the first time.
Most of the characters—major and minor—are presented two-dimensionally, with little sense of motivation or inner life. The public at large is portrayed as a sea of NPCs, literally triggered by social media and monkeys (and maybe Gunn’s got a point there). Story threads get dropped as quickly as they’re introduced. By the third act, it all devolves into the usual mess of CGI splatter. My eyes practically rolled into the back of my head as we faced yet another universe-threatening calamity.
But there are highlights! The Justice Gang is fun—even without proper setup—which I credit to the actors more than the writing. David Corenswet is a passable Superman and a better Clark Kent, though I wasn’t wild about the suit. Next time, it’d be nice if Superman actually reflected on what’s happening to him, and let it inform his choices.
The lowlights? Lois Lane. Come on. Give Rachel Brosnahan something to do—and maybe build some real chemistry between her and Superman. And what about the message from Bradley Cooper and that actress from Westworld? We’re just supposed to believe their new translation is 100% accurate because Lex Luthor and the government say so? And Superman doesn’t even question it? Ultraman/Bizarro Superman is another lost opportunity—reduced to your typical CGI set pieces. There was potential for something deeper, but it gets paved over by the digital superhighway.
Overall? It’s fun. But eminently forgettable. 6 out of 10. Should you see it in theaters? I took my parents to IMAX and scored a free ticket for myself, so I didn’t regret it But if I’d paid full price? I probably would’ve waited for streaming.
The color palette is brighter. The tone is lighter. We’ve got a fresh ensemble playing familiar roles, with a new roster of supporting characters rounding out the team around Superman. And it just debuted to a very respectable $122 million opening weekend.
But is it any good?
I went in with an open mind—wanting to like it, as I do with all movies. I’m also sympathetic to the big-picture messages that Gunn’s trying to convey. But as for the film itself…
It feels rushed and poorly executed. I do agree with the decision to skip yet another Superman origin story, but the first act setup is super choppy. A recurring issue is the lack of context: Superman’s three years deep into this new DCU, but it still feels like we’re meeting him for the first time.
Most of the characters—major and minor—are presented two-dimensionally, with little sense of motivation or inner life. The public at large is portrayed as a sea of NPCs, literally triggered by social media and monkeys (and maybe Gunn’s got a point there). Story threads get dropped as quickly as they’re introduced. By the third act, it all devolves into the usual mess of CGI splatter. My eyes practically rolled into the back of my head as we faced yet another universe-threatening calamity.
But there are highlights! The Justice Gang is fun—even without proper setup—which I credit to the actors more than the writing. David Corenswet is a passable Superman and a better Clark Kent, though I wasn’t wild about the suit. Next time, it’d be nice if Superman actually reflected on what’s happening to him, and let it inform his choices.
The lowlights? Lois Lane. Come on. Give Rachel Brosnahan something to do—and maybe build some real chemistry between her and Superman. And what about the message from Bradley Cooper and that actress from Westworld? We’re just supposed to believe their new translation is 100% accurate because Lex Luthor and the government say so? And Superman doesn’t even question it? Ultraman/Bizarro Superman is another lost opportunity—reduced to your typical CGI set pieces. There was potential for something deeper, but it gets paved over by the digital superhighway.
Overall? It’s fun. But eminently forgettable. 6 out of 10. Should you see it in theaters? I took my parents to IMAX and scored a free ticket for myself, so I didn’t regret it But if I’d paid full price? I probably would’ve waited for streaming.