From Grim Snyder to Goofy Gunn: A Superman (2025) Review

Superman must reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as reporter Clark Kent. As the embodiment of truth, justice and the human way he soon finds himself in a world that views these as old-fashioned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pngEIbGpozw

I strutted into this movie with the swagger of a man who once wore a Superman cape to his adult Halloween party - and left feeling like I’d just babysat Krypto in a kaiju fight. Buckle up: Superman (2025) delivered a punch (literally) and a half - but man, did it have its problems.

First off: the cast. David Corenswet as Superman/Clark Kent is earnest enough to give you hope that maybe Superman’s biggest flaw is liking breakfast for dinner on dates with Lois. Rachel Brosnahan plays Lois as a whip-smart modern reporter - and yes, they’re already dating. No awkward slow‑burn romance here, folks - they just slide into co‑worker couple status faster than you can say “Daily Planet water cooler rumors.” Nicholas Hoult - as Luthor - walks around in a Steve‑Jobs‑inspired bald suit and acts like a beady techno‑zealot who believes he’s saving the world when really he’s selling mechs to the highest bidder

Midlife Crisis Crossover!

What I liked about it:

We got throwbacks - not cheap nostalgia, but actual nostalgic echoes. The end credits graphics and the Fortress of Solitude aesthetic harken back to the originals in a tasteful neon‑on‑ice way.

James Gunn’s slow‑motion magic shows up again - like when Clark pauses mid‑fist swing or Krypto leaps into frame - that ultra‑crisp, glossy freeze‑frame effect always feels like cinematic candy.

This is Superman with the “clear skies and brighter hero” vibe, not the drowning‑town, gritty gloom of Snyder. We’re in color, we’re in optimism - and yes, it's refreshing.

The potential was off the charts. The cast, the budget, the visuals - they had every tool in the box to make something iconic.

What I disliked - and it’s not small potatoes:

We get dropped right into Act Two. Origin? Gone. First‑time watchers are left blinking at inter‑country politics and superhero backstories they’ve never seen. It feels like reboot meets mid‑season of a show - confusing if you don’t already care.

Lois and Clark? They start off already dating. That’s less romantic tension, more “we’re already in our 80th episode together.” One silver lining: the newsroom side that all the reporters know they’re dating is actually pretty funny - but still.

Clark’s purpose struggle already happened offscreen. We begin with our hero fully formed, and that’s…boring. We start with the enlightened dude - not the guy running an identity crisis until the end credits.

Superman gets beat up a lot - by non‑metahumans! I get Luthor’s genius, but for the most powerful superhero to take beatings from dudes in armor without meta‑powers? Even I said, “come on.”

Krypto the dog is adorable, but the sidekick vibe is in full overdrive. And then add babies, weird-dimensional creatures, a Justice Gang… it’s like they injected all the cute Disney tropes at once, and I almost choked on the saccharine overdose.

Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion - the Green Lantern - is a joke here. Haircut from hell, cartoonish attitude, comedic relief rather than hero utility. He’s got cool powers that got squandered for cheap laughs.

Flying close‑ups? There’s a few that crossed over from majestic to straight‑up creepy. Staring at his face mid‑air, blinking in slo‑mo... not cool, dude.

But when it works? It really works. Gunn sneaks in that squirrel‑saving gag during a kaiju battle that’s so brief it’s blink‑and‑you’ll‑miss‑it - but it perfectly sums up his version of Superman: empathy for every life, even the tiny ones

. That sums up a lot of what feels right here - heart, warmth, humor.

Let me toss in some crowd commentary: on Reddit, one reviewer wrote, “Superman is a lot. Stuffed with characters and subplots… when it does, it’s a strange, wild ride.” That quote captures it perfectly - it’s overloaded, but energetic.

Critics mostly liked it: IGN called it “wonderfully entertaining and heartfelt” and gave it 8/10. Others praised the visuals, the tone, and Corenswet’s understated but compelling performance. But a chorus of voices noted it was overstuffed and could’ve used a tighter focus.

And now… the ranking.

I give it a 6.2 / 10.

It’s bright, quirky, sometimes heartfelt—and sometimes just a chaotic smoothie of too many ingredients. But there’s magic in the sincerity, and a spark of the Superman we’ve been waiting for - if only we could see more of his origin and less of Krypto cleaning up after extra‑dimensional chaos.

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