Superman 2025
Superman Movie Poster 2025 - Credit Wikimedia Commons
We went to see the new Superman movie with a bit of apprehension, but we left impressed. This breath of fresh air was needed for the long-suffering subject. While there are still a few kinks to work out in the style, this is a promising start to a new legacy. If the company can maintain its stellar cast through sequels and keep some momentum, we’re hopeful that they will find their voice and create a series of blockbusters worthy of the original comics.
The 2025 Superman focuses on the character, not the actor. We’re introduced to this Superman universe already in motion. Clark and Lois are an item, The Daily Planet regularly reports on Superman, and Clark Kent is well installed into its reporting staff. This film feels almost like an ensemble, rather than a single star driven output, and it works far better as a comic book fan’s film (even if some of us are more upset about the diversions from original plots and characters than others). The balance of camp and humor with action and adult themes is not quite as smooth yet as it likely will be as this franchise moves forward.
David Corenswet, while perhaps not as charismatic as Henry Cavill, is a good fit for Kal-El and gives him an understated, less ego-driven, more idealist/activist touch as a character. This Superman, while still morally lawful-good, is in line with his generation. He grew up in the United States with small town parents listening to punk “pop” and is less removed from his peers than other past Super-Clarks in the genre. The difference is his belief in what his Krypton parents sent him to earth to do. His debate with Lois Lane about political and international actions feels more relevant and real that we’ve ever seen in a Superman movie.
Rachel Brosnahan is the perfect choice for Lois Lane. She wears the experienced journalist professionalism and confidence like a comfortable suit. Nicholas Hoult gives Lex Luthor the creepiest motivations and expressions we’ve seen in a Superman movie and really brought the squick factor to his obsession with our hero. It’s almost triggering.
The real stand-out performances were scene stealers Alan Tudyk as Superman’s Robot 4; Neva Howell as his sweet, old, hick, earthly mother; Beck Bennett as comically overly-emotional fellow Daily Planet reporter; Zlatko Buric’ as the bizarre and maniacal dictator, Vasil Ghurkos; Anthony Carrigan as a very sympathetic daddy Metamorpho (we hope to see more of him in sequels); Nathan Fillion as “a” Green Lantern; and Edi Gathegi as the film arc driving Mister Terrific. Gathegi’s character truly drove the second half of the movie and is already worthy of his own spin-off.
There was enough reference to and even short inclusions of other DC universe characters to build expectations of what future sequels could bring. It’s hard to mention ANY of them without major spoilers, but long-time fans will see some of it coming within the first 20 minutes of the movie, and those expectations are well met by the end.
That Movie Page highly recommends the first outing of the new Superman and keeps our criticisms of its smallish flaws to ourselves. We’re looking forward to what this brings next and giving kudos to James Gunn for a job well done!