Superman (2025) – Film Review

Director: James Gunn
Cast: David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan
Certificate: 12A

By Roger Crow

In 1978, Richard Donner kick-started the big screen superhero epic with one of THE greatest exponents of the genre.

Superman: The Movie was a glorious, starry, effects-filled origins story and disaster epic with a sweet romance at the heart, and some glorious bad guys. Aside from boasting the presence of Gene Hackman and Margot Kidder, among many others, it also featured Christopher Reeve as the guy who would define cinema’s Man of Steel.

Now, 47 years later, we have James Gunn’s take on the saga, and as generations have grown up with Donner’s version of events, he wisely avoids what we already know. Our hero was rocketed from his dying home planet of Krypton, and, well, you know the rest.

We open with one of the most played trailers from the movie. Our costumed hero crash lands in the arctic tundra, is rescued by his faithful dog Krypto (making his big-screen debut), and restored to health by robots.

“Snappy”

After the gritty, grim Man of Steel (2013), and its assorted other versions, Gunn’s version of Superman is a sunnier affair, but not without moments of darkness.

Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) is a super smart villain who is merciless, and has worked out most of our hero’s fight moves in advance. Little wonder he has the upper hand, using an armour-clad humanoid to fight his battles for him.

When Superman isn’t getting his derrière handed to him, he’s in a full-on relationship with Lois Lane, which isn’t easy when he agrees to an interview with the Daily Planet reporter. Not only does this scene provide valuable exposition for what happened before we started watching, it gives us a chance to see how good the duo are together. There’s a snappy, winning chemistry between David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan.

Also thrown into the mix are too many supporting characters, including Green Lantern with the haircut from Hell, Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabella Merced) and Mr Terrific (Edi Gathegi).

“Satisfying”

Naturally there are bust blocks in this blockbuster, and in a scene which feels lifted from Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, a big monster attacking skyscrapers.

The latest take on Superman is a LOT of fun with some hilarious scenes, and moments of head-spinning action. It’s also like eating a huge bowl of dessert filled with sweets covered in chocolate, and more E numbers than is good for you. The sugar rush of effects and set pieces is enetertaining enough, even if Gunn’s screenplay is more barking than the scene-stealing Krypto.

Yes, you can strip back the politics of the screenplay and compare them to events in the real world, and yes, a video message from his parents is an interesting touch (no spoilers), but while this may be far from the masterpiece that was Donner’s version, it also feels more satisfying than Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns.

Fun with a capital F, and well worth seeing on the biggest screen possible.