The first thing that struck me once James Gunn’s new iteration of Superman was released was how the reviews were all over the place.  This, however, I saw as a good thing, as such a situation makes gauging whether or not a movie is any good impossible just by reviews alone, and will prompt potential viewers to see it for themselves.  Nevertheless, I approached the movie theater with combined excitement and apprehension.  I knew the news behind it; this was to be the first in a completely revamped DC Universe after the failure of the prior, darker iteration, built atop Zack Snyder’s melancholy aesthetics and slipshod storytelling. 

New beginnings are scary things.  And every journalist and internet influencer with their pulse on pop culture was keen on seeing how this current year iteration of the Man of Steel with David Corenswet now taking up the ionic blue onesie would fare.  I admit to having sneaked a peek at a few spoiler-free reviews pre-viewing just to gauge what some of my favorite pop culture pundits were saying … and, much to my chagrin, I found that they had generally not been impressed. 

But for movies that I’ve been chomping at the bit to see, I never let negativity get in the way of putting my backside into a theater seat.  So with popcorn in hand, I slogged through the endless commercials and trailers to see whether what awaited me would be epic, or apocalyptic.

Short answer:  Though it is not without its flaws, I loved it.

David Corenswet above all, shines as the Man of Steel in a way that was denied Henry Cavill in Snyder’s darker take in 2013’s Man of Steel. In fact, his performance was the best that I had seen since Christopher Reeve’s turn in the original Richard Donner 1978 classic.  Moreover, it fits perfectly with the tone of the movie, which reflects the more upbeat, and at times, campy tone of Donner’s iteration that made us believe that a man could fly.

Gunn’s take broadens the focus from Superman alone, casting the spotlight on several other stars in both heroics and villainy, from Nathan Fillion and Isabella Merced as Green Lantern Guy Gardner and Hawkgirl — two of the “Justice Gang”  trio. Particular attention is paid to Edi Gathegi as its third member, the scene-stealing Mr. Terrific, whose no-nonsense attitude and surgically precise fighting prowess with Iron Man-like set of toys nearly steals Corenswet’s proverbial thunder.   

Nicholas Hoult’s megalomaniacal, narcissistic, and sadistic take on Lex Luthor made one of the most charismatic and frightening supervillains that I had seen in many a year: a man who lets his irrational hate and fear of Supes consume him to sometimes ridiculous and self-destructive ends, yet always seems to be one step ahead of our hero, making him a serious threat not to be underestimated.

Corenswet’s complex and deep chemistry with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane transforms something that could have been just another obligatory tension-breaking romance into a truly heartfelt bond, with Brosnahan rivaling Margot Kidder as the best portrayal of the irrepressible ace reporter/love interest of Superman.   

Unfortunately, the plot is where the movie somewhat sags … and will require a few tiny spoilers.

Gunn, upon the assumption that Superman is such an iconic character that an explanation of his extraterrestrial origins would be superfluous, instead, chooses a different approach to the beginning of that tale—something that fans of superhero origins may be disappointed to know.  Rather, it begins with an in medias res, that displays Superman reaping vengeance from a mysterious super-powered warrior from a nation whose invasion of a peaceful neighboring country he has recently stopped, setting off a massive media controversy.  The ensuing events occasionally struggle to hold together a somewhat bloated tale that circles around the enmity between Supes and Luthor, whose machinations lead to the near irreparable damage of Superman’s reputation, and the subsequent repercussions of this turn of events.

Altogether it is a complicated, often messy affair.  Those who particularly loved Zack Snyder’s darker, introspective take on Superman in Man of Steel may take particular umbrage with this lighter, more humorous approach, but despite the difficulty the plot displays with holding together its integrity, it is filled with amazing performances, humor, and heart.

Gunn puts it all together with such earnestness and enthusiasm that somewhere in the middle of its presentation, an amazing thing begins to happen.  You begin to feel that sense of childlike excitement.  This is especially true for those who take a step back and imagine the story as something that could have easily been a cartoon, but presented in live action.  This is particularly necessary, I believe, considering the sometimes flat-out silly plot elements that Gunn chose to use that come straight out of DC’s equally silly Silver Age—chiefly considering the presence of Krypto, the Kryptonian super-dog who is just as much a hero as he is a thorn in Superman’s side throughout the film’s roughly 2 hour traffic.

In short, the more a viewer enjoys (or is willing to enjoy) camp and occasional silliness, the more willing they will be to give its somewhat bloated plot a pass for the sheer enjoyment from the earnestness with which it is presented. For me, someone who is easily pleased and for whom Donner’s classic take holds a special place in my heart, I was easily able to look past its flaws and enjoy the action and fun that awaited me.

Considering the fact that Gunn, is the director behind the Guardians of the Galaxy films, there is a lot of fun to be had, which he brought from Marvel to DC, which gave a much-needed change to create a new DCU.  

If you like Guardians of the Galaxy, you’ll definitely enjoy Superman. Despite its shortcomings, it was, on the whole, a great reboot to the beleaguered DC film universe, and I personally can’t wait to see what lies ahead. Hopefully, this will birth a decent sequel, and more tales to tell in this comic universe before long.

7.5/10; Recommended