Superman Raises Expectations For The DC Universe
Following the commercial failures of Zack Snyder and Walter Hamada’s DC Extended Universe franchise, we get a fresh start with Superman—a faithful adaptation of the iconic hero.
The summer blockbuster, which was released in July, was written and directed by James Gunn. It’s the first in a series of films in the rebooted DC Universe. Audiences are taken into the life of Clark Kent, a journalist for the Daily Planet who doubles as the world’s greatest superhero: Superman.
He is the protector of the fictional city of Metropolis and works at the newspaper with familiar faces from the comics such as Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and editor-in-chief Perry White.
Our protagonist has faced several foes, but none have managed to defeat him until he meets the Hammer Of Boravia—a villain from the fictitious country of Boravia—who battles the Man of Steel and overpowers him.
The foreign villain is later revealed to be Ultraman, a clone of Superman created by Lex Luthor, a wealthy entrepreneur with a strong hatred for the Kryptonian.
David Corenswet plays Superman like he was born to do it. He gives the character a level of vulnerability we haven’t seen since the CW’s TV show Superman & Lois. His portrayal is emotional and rash throughout the film.
Eventually, Clark flies to Lex Luthor’s headquarters to confront him about sabotaging the Fortress of Solitude—Superman’s base of operations—and stealing his dog, Krypto. He kicks the doors down and demands to know Krypto’s whereabouts.
That scene made me feel the same rage that Superman was experiencing. I have owned a dog and would do anything to get him back if someone took him. Those experiences humanized the character for me.
His relationship and banter with Lois Lane, who is played by Rachel Brosnahan, feels like it’s out of an episode of Superman: The Animated Series.
Lane believes that Clark shouldn’t be with her just because they are different. She doesn’t understand why he has so much faith in humanity and his perspective as a super-powered being.
Their personalities clash and the fact that Clark is not human gives their relationship more depth.
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor is spectacular. The man is an absolute hater and I love how envious he is. His jealousy of Superman reeks from the moment he’s introduced. His menacing tone ran chills down my spine.
Growing up, I watched Superman: The Animated Series and read a lot of the Silver Age comics. Watching this movie, I felt nostalgia that brought me back to my childhood. It was like seeing a comic book coming to life in front of my eyes.
The addition of the Justice Gang—a privately-owned superhero team—was great for the world building of the new DC Universe. We jump into a world with established superheroes, eliminating the need for origin stories that we’ve seen in different adaptations.
The humor in this film is alright. Sometimes it hits, other times it misses, but Krypto was the heart of the comedy. Seeing the furry canine in all his glory, acting like an annoying mutt is hilarious considering he’s well trained in the comics.
Mr. Terrific, a member of the Justice Gang, has a funny relationship with Krypto. He becomes frustrated after the dog destroys one of his gadgets, which made me laugh uncontrollably.
The MVP of this film is Jimmy Olsen, portrayed by Skyler Gisondo. His romance with Eve Teschmacher—Lex’s girlfriend—helps the heroes stop Luthor.
Superman is an amazing display of faithfulness to the source material while crafting a unique story. If you’re searching for a film that shows the humanity of superheroes, this is for you.
