It's a Bird! - Superman Review

I’d like to preface today’s review with the fact that, so I’m told, the very first movie I ever saw in a theater was Superman sometime in early 1979. The classic film, directed by Richard Donner and starring the legendary Christopher Reeve, was released in December of ‘78.

Being born in February of ‘79, I have absolutely no memory of this event, though do distinctly recall the first toy I ever picked out at Kmart was, you guessed it, also a Superman action figure from the Kenner Super Powers toy line, beginning in 1984.

To be noted, and only a point of interest to fellow Hoosiers, is that I saw Superman as a itty-bitty baby at the east side mainstay of The Emerson Theater, long before it was a music venue. 

Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938, with World War II on the immediate horizon, the character of Superman would go on to inspire countless millions with the values of “truth, justice, and the American way”. His heroic antics quickly went from comic books to radio, television, and animation, giving birth to the modern figure of the superhero that inevitably spawned thousands of other characters across multiple companies.

With wholesome values and moral integrity, Supes has always been seen as the “quintessential” superhero, and easily one of the most famous fictional characters ever created. The success of Superman in 1978 only went to further cement his place as a cultural icon known around the world.

There have been many iterations over the decades, including the beloved Henry Cavill with the Man of Steel from 2013, followed by a series of poor decisions and lackluster films which ultimately killed the entire DC franchise on the big screen.

He’s been around so long that his earliest appearances become public domain in 2034.

Enter, James Gunn, hot of the success of the MCU, and given free reign to completely revamp and recast all the properties, beginning with the newly released Superman, starring David Corenswet in the titular role. Needless to say, a lot is riding on the box-office revenue of the latest entry.

Let me start with the positives. The new release is definitely a theater worthy experience (I even saw it in 3D), and truly is, as many recent reviews relay, perhaps the most “comic booky” movie of all time.

It’s colorful, vibrant, frenetic, and silly.

Perhaps a little too silly.

Though, fans generally know what they’re getting with James Gunn, as his comedic stamp and eye for action is all over this.

Corenswet, who had his work cut out for him, embraces the role of Superman, and the casting across the board is solid with good chemistry between the actors. There are many beneficial things going for the new film, as a reboot of the franchise.

Yet, it is overly campy, and overly long. We can be thankful that Gunn recently cut around 20 minutes after a negative screening, citing the “silliness” of the film in general. Make no mistake, there’s fun to be had, and it's worth a theater watch (unlike the MCU’s recent Thunderbolts*), but it trips over its own cape on several occasions, making for a few moments when you can’t help but to roll your eyes, particularly towards the final showdown with Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult).

Featuring some cool cameos, and heart, we can only hope that the tonal quality of the films find their groove and don’t just continue pumping out more of the same generic jams. Superman 2025 fully leans into its comic book heritage, and that is both its strength and its weakness.

I’m willing to see what comes next for the DCU, but feel that it’s missing a lot of important opportunities to secure its cinematic place moving forward.

And for reference, I still haven’t made it through Ironheart, and Sandman season II seems like a chore at this point...

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Michael A. Dyer is the host of the HORROR TO CULTURE podcast, vidcast, and website.