An Honest Review of Superman (2025)

Andrew R. Duckworth

I was lucky enough to see an early viewing of Superman, the thing that will kick off James Gunn’s new DC Studios films. Before I begin, this wouldn’t be an honest review without first being upfront in my disliking of the character. I’m much more into gritty heroes, the kind that fall into much more of a gray area. There is something far more human about anti-heroes, the character steeped in folly but capable of doing extraordinary things. Batman was always my go-to. Still yet, I’ve seen the Superman films before. If you’re a lover of comic book films, you’ve at least watched them. I had planned on seeing this one as well, yet not quite as soon as I got the opportunity. When the opportunity presented itself, why not?

This review, as the film has not yet officially released, will remain spoiler free. I won’t be fleshing out the story, but simply commenting on a few things that struck me throughout the film that I can talk about.

Tone

This film manages to feel like an older Superman film, carrying those necessary elements from the past, yet feels surprisingly fresh as well. One of the points that many critics have had since it was announced that James Gunn would be in charge is that the film would be too humorous. While the film does have plenty of humor, the film does not hinge on it. In other words, no, it does not feel like “Guardians of the Galaxy: Superman.” The humor is much more sophisticated and it does not feel dominant, overwhelming, or out of place. As I was previously one of the naysayers, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised.

Characters

The characters in the film are well developed. Everyone knows who Superman is before we go to the theater, but there is something very different about this iteration that I feel myself struggling to explain. In so many ways, this Superman feels more believable and relatable, if that’s even possible. Throughout the film, I never once found myself thinking, “oh boy, here he is, the hero that can never die.” As great as Henry Cavill was as Superman, David Corenswet’s version does not feel as cold and closed off.

Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor is one of the better iterations, providing a believable villain hellbent on achieving his own ambitions. In some ways, however, I wish we had a bit more of the history between Lex Luthor and Superman. Context drives this narrative in that respect. Conversely, in some ways, the history isn’t needed at all. It seems as though we are seeing it unfold in a fresh way on the screen.

The character that I thought I would have the most problem with, Krypto, was not only tolerable, but I actually grew to like the pup. His addition definitely feels different for a Superman film, but Krypto provides a lot to love about this film.

I’ll discuss other characters at a future date, but I can say there is much to love about the other characters as well.

Music

The music of this film is very well done. It was nice to once again hear those iconic notes from John Williams, but not have the film depend on them. We hear it every once in a while with the score, but not so much that it keeps the score from being original.

Verdict

As someone who does not particularly like Superman all that much compared to other DC characters, I was prepared to rate this film as a 1 or 2. However, there is so much to enjoy about this film. It has brought me from being a naysayer concerning possible leadership of DC under James Gunn to begin to ponder what other stories might look like. I give this film a 4 out of 5. Is it the perfect film? No. Is it the perfect Superman film? Again, no. But it is one that can bring those that both love Superman and those who aren’t sold on Superman to the table. The characters are well developed, the tone of the film is great, the score is fantastic, and the story, which I did not and will not dive into, felt like a great way to deliver both familiar and new.