When Richard Donner brought Superman to the screens back in 1978, it not only changed the face of superhero movies but it set such a high bar that nothing would ever touch it or even get close to touching it, especially when you have Christopher Reeve as the lead, an actor who not only looked the part but who switch from comedy to tragedy in the blink of an eye. Since then, we have had three sequels, with the last one, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, being an unbelievable disaster. 2006 saw Superman Returns with Brandon Routh taking the lead, but this was a box office bomb, and Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel with Henry Cavill and the subsequent movies were far too dark and, frankly, a bore. Now, James Gunn, famous for the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, has taken on the character, but has he hit the heights of Donner? Or crashed and burned?

Superman is in crisis. He has been defeated by a giant robot, and he has stopped a country’s invasion of another, but this is causing political upheaval. Meanwhile, tech wizard Lex Luthor wants to discredit the Man of Steel by screening a message left by Superman’s Kryptonian parents. Knowing that Luther is behind all of this, Superman must enter realms that could take the planet into a black hole and use all his power to convince the people of Earth that he isn’t an alien who wants to rule the world.

Let’s start with the positives. Gunn has brought the colour back to the character. A bright palette that doesn’t make the whole experience like a nightmare. He has also drawn inspiration from the original, incorporating humour while never forgetting the comic book’s source material. Overall, it is fun.

However, the whole film is a mess. Tonally, it is all over the place. Gunn plays out the events as if they could have been ripped from the pages of today’s newspapers, from countries being illegally invaded, to tech giants wanting to rule the world and almost controlling the government. Even inventing a place where those who speak out against a regime are removed from society and hidden in cells. Underneath the pretty colours and lightness is a commentary on where we are now, but it sits uncomfortably in the mix of effect-laden fights and an array of aliens that keep popping out of the woodwork.

We also get thrown into the movie as if it were a sequel to another film. It starts with the screen telling us of the events that have previously occurred, and Superman crashing into the snowy land of Antarctica. This becomes problematic throughout the film as things have to be explained about previous events, which feels somewhat irritating.

When the film does work, it works well. The introduction of Kryto the Superdog is a blessing in disguise. This CGI creature steals the movie as an unruly mutt who Gunn carefully puts in to relieve the tension. The gang of superheroes who come to Superman’s aid, the Justice Gang, are fun too, with plenty of jokes about the name along the way.

Gunn has done a great job with the casting. In the lead role, David Corenswet seems to capture the same level of performance that Reeve brought, managing to mix the comic with the action well. As Lois Lane, The Marvellous Mrs Maisel’s Rachel Brosnahan not only looks like Margot Kidder but also brings that same tough exterior to the character. Nicholas Hoult goes all out as Lex Luther, and chews the scenery up as every good villain should, and as Mr Terrific, Edi Gathegi does a terrific job (see what I did there?)

Superman is far from perfect, and yet, after the more recent big-screen incarnations, this is a massive improvement. Will this kick-start the new DC Universe? The jury is still out on that one. One thing is for sure: you will have loads of fun and want to take Kryto home with you.

3 out of 5

Director: James Gunn

Starring: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Skyler Gisondo, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Wendell Pierce, Anthony Carrigan

Written by: James Gunn, (Superman created) Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Running Time: 129 mins

Cert: 12A

Release date: 11th July 2025