What defines a superhero? Having superpowers, special abilities, or technological costumes and using them to save the lives of those who cannot defend themselves is an obvious answer for many people. However, it is perhaps in the sense of humanity of these characters with extraordinary gifts (natural or artificial) that the most important characteristic of what it really means to be heroic resides. In the case of Superman, the most classic archetype of a superhero, the love of the Man of Steel for Earth and the people who live there is what truly defines and distinguishes him, because if he wanted to, he would have enough powers to walk (or better, fly) over the planet as a divine figure.
Clark Kent, however, enjoys living a normal life whenever he doesn’t need to come to the rescue of someone in danger, and the simple upbringing by his adoptive parents on a Kansas farm made Superman much more Clark than Kal-El, the last son of Krypton. It is from this premise, and never forgetting it, that director James Gunn gives Superman more layers of humanity and vulnerability than any other portrayal of the character in the history of cinema, and the excellent chemistry on screen between Superman played by David Corenswet and Lois Lane played by Rachel Brosnahan is the heart of the story. At the same time, Nicholas Hoult brings to life a Lex Luthor as obsessed as he is threatening, standing out as a convincing villain who justifiably holds the position of antagonist for DC Comics’ greatest symbol.
Son of Krypton and Earth
From the very first minutes of projection, the movie that opens the new DC universe in cinemas fulfills what it promises. Without much ado, we are briefly introduced through texts to the central events that show how the Son of Krypton arrived on Earth. Instead of a powerful and invincible figure, we see a Superman who shows his vulnerabilities, both as a superhero and as a human, because yes, after being raised for more than three decades by a simple couple of Kansas farmers, Clark Kent is much more a human being endowed with extraordinary powers than an alien who has lived on Earth for 30 years, that is, he is much more Clark Kent than Kal-El.
At every moment, Superman emphasizes how the title character of the film loves, above all, being part of humanity and being able to protect vulnerable people. Superman never gives up his duties as a superhero, but clearly values his routine at the Daily Planet as a reporter and his loving relationship with Lois Lane just as much as he cares about saving the world when necessary and being, indeed, a symbol of hope for humanity in difficult times, showing that it is possible to be good even in a world where goodness can be exploited as a weakness.
For more than two hours of film, Superman also addresses themes such as the manipulation of information and destruction of a person’s image as a way to weaken them. In the movie, the Son of Krypton has been loved by humanity for years and seen as Earth’s protector, and Lex Luthor knows that tarnishing the image of the Man of Steel before public opinion is just as important, if not more, than defeating him in battle. That is why the film shows that the persistent work of Lois Lane and other journalists from the Daily Planet is a fundamental piece in the media chess game created by Luthor to destroy Superman’s image.
The film also addresses, although without going into depth, the theme of war. A poor and militarily vulnerable population is at the mercy of neighbors with much greater military power, whose head of state tries to justify a war to ensure the security of a country that is not under threat of being destroyed, but which counts on the support of a superpower and, above all, on Lex Luthor to make its plans come true. Here, the manipulation of information and public opinion also plays an important role in the plot, with Superman serving as a line of defense for a vulnerable nation while simultaneously causing a diplomatic incident through this interference. Although the use of fictional country names seems to make the message the film wants to convey more subtle, there are no lack of examples of countries, even today, that could represent the two nations at war. In the real world, however, figures like Superman do not exist to prevent the genocide of vulnerable populations committed by military superpowers.
Clark, Lois and Lex shine on stage
Without revealing major spoilers, Clark and Lois’s relationship is one of the two main driving forces of the plot, while Lex Luthor’s antagonism is the other driving force of the story. Clark and Lois have the best couple relationship in the Superman movie franchise, with great dialogues, constant chemistry between the characters, and conversations that are not always comfortable or easy between them, but which contribute to their development.
While Superman is always ready to save people with his powers, Lois tries to make journalism her weapon. Both the script and the film’s direction avoid the easy trap of constantly placing the journalist in a vulnerable position, while also not making her an irresponsible person with courage that sounds artificial. Lois is smart and brave, but not foolish, and Rachel Brosnahan’s performance enhances the importance and strength of the character.
David Corenswet, in turn, brings an excellent balance between heroism, courage, and sensitivity for Clark Kent. There is a specific scene, one of the moments when the character is most vulnerable, where the suffering of Superman is palpable without being melodramatic—a typical scene that could have become overly sentimental in the hands of a less skilled actor emulating Superman’s emotions. The interactions with Lois and Lex are also extremely convincing, except for a specific dialogue between Superman and Lex, in which Superman seems to momentarily forget just how cruel Lex is throughout the entire film.
Nicholas Hoult brings a obsessed and psychopathic version of Lex Luthor to the big screen, without falling into the caricatured acting trap of Jesse Eisenberg in Batman vs. Superman. In several aspects, Hoult’s Lex Luthor resembles the best moments of Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex from the Smallville series, but with an additional dose of paranoia and self-perceived grandeur. If Luthor’s concern about Superman’s level of power may have once seemed legitimate in a distant past, in the film we see from the very first minutes a villain who has long abandoned any trace of decency, making him much more threatening.
Support list with ups and downs
If there is any small problem in the plot of Superman, it lies in the irregularity of the supporting cast, with many secondary characters having little prominence on screen. If the puppy Krypto steals the scene in the comedic moments, especially in the great interactions with Superman and the hero’s disbelief at the dog’s total lack of discipline, the same cannot be said about several other characters in the film.
The Justice League, composed of Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and the Amazing Man (Edi Gathegi), has considerable screen time in the story, but except for the Amazing Man in an important moment of the story, none of them really stand out, and it’s not the actors’ fault. The impression left is that in an attempt to already provide the first clues about an expanded DC universe, the movie places these characters in the story without developing them very well.
The comedic timing of Nathan Fillion brings the sarcastic tone of Guy Gardner at certain moments, but it is far from enough to make him a memorable character, while Isabela Merced has very few standout lines to give a more distinctive personality to Hawkgirl. Edi Gathegi is the only one of the three who saves himself and manages to have standout moments as Mr. Immortal, especially because the character’s stoic attitude creates a huge contrast with Superman’s friendly and kind personality.
In short, James Gunn makes Superman an extremely promising seed for the future of the DC cinematic universe. Although Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and 3 remain the director’s best works within the superhero subgenre, the foundations of the new DCEU seem to be truly solid, both because of the excellent performances by the main three actors and because the script brings great versions of Clark, Lois, and Lex to the big screen.
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