And Krypto the Superdog!
Written and Directed by: James Gunn
Cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Ozu, Nathan Fillion
Swift shot: Walking out of Superman (1978) as a four-year-old was an experience that is impossible to recreate. I wasn’t ever expecting to look up to this new Superman as my Superman, and certainly it isn’t the best Superman film ever produced. But, Gunn’s is a colorful spectacle for the summer that comic nerds will definitely enjoy . . . especially those far more versed in the Superman family books. Oh, and Krypto (Ozu) just steals every freaking scene!
As the film opens, we see Superman (Corenswet) has barely escaped a thorough ass-kicking that led him to the Antarctic, just out of the reach of his Fortress of Solitude. Luckily he has his trusty sidekick, Krypto to drag him to safety.
Helping Superman convalesce within the Fortress are his “Superman robots” I guess that is technically what they are called, but I was hoping for a cooler name, to be honest. Like, Superbots, ah well. Anyway, through some souped-up tanning process led by bot #4 (Alan Tudyk), he begins to heal up. There are some other choice voice actors you might recognize playing the bots: Michael Rooker; Pom Klementieff; and Grace Chan who add a bit of comic relief to this comic caper.
What led to this epic trouncing of Superman? Well, it seems he decided to play peacemaker by unilaterally intervening in some Eastern European conflict where the Boravians were about to slaughter the Jarhanpurians. Yea, these names, bro.
After his defeat, he just goes back to business as usual at the Daily Planet as Clark Kent, bragging about how he got a great interview with Superman about the whole thing. But Lois (Brosnahan) is not too thrilled with his actions, and as this isn’t the origin story, she’s already in a relationship with Clark and bit of a spoiler here . . . knows he is Superman.
So, when they get home after work, she calls him out on his decisions and the article – pestering him into agreeing to let her interview him as Superman. [Swift aside: apparently it was this scene that ultimately led to Corenswet to get the part]
Superman explains his decision was clearly to prevent deaths; his attacks were only on vehicles and no human casualties, allegedly, happened. This version of Superman comes across as James Gunn admits, a bit “pollyanish” at times, or more akin to Mr. Rogers. Where he is ever the optimist about humanity, Lois is more cynical and realistic. She doesn’t want to take any sides, and this dual nature of their relationship is causing a rift. End of the day, she should take Clark’s side, right?
Meanwhile, Lex Luthor (Hoult) sends a little distraction into Metropolis to keep Superman busy while he and his crew: The Engineer (Maria Gabriela de Faria); Ultraman; and Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio) infiltrate the Fortress of Solitude and try to dig up dirt on Superman. Nothing too new here for fans of the original movies, Lex was always very cunning and sharp, and yet he always has a soft spot for the dimwitted, Eve. What Gunn did with her character giving her a modern significance is pretty clever. Dumb blondes are Luthor’s Kryptonite.
While his fortress is being raided, Superman is dealing with a giant monster the lamestream media ever so creatively refers to as “the Thing.” How clever. But, Superman eventually gets some help from a group of misfit heroes going by the name of the Justice Gang. It’s “led” by this bowl-haired bozo Green Lantern named Guy Gardner (Fillion) along with Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mr. Terrific (Gathegi).
As all this chaos and destruction is raining down upon the bystanders of Metropolis, they are basically so nonchalant they might as well have been waiting for their laundry to dry. Like, seriously, this is a major problem I have with this movie. The people in this city are completely oblivious to reality, on any level! I get that we have become desensitized to violence, but we haven’t become apathetic to danger – it’s called FUCKING RUN, YOU IDIOTS!
This was a major strike against Superman, and I can only excuse it as a possible nod to the 2016 show, “Powerless,” starring Tudyk, where the denizens of Metropolis have to navigate the persistent perils of super battles and somehow live a normal life. It was a choice I didn’t care for, as people barely looked concerned as literal buildings came crashing down around them.
And then there’s this bit of bullshit . . .
Lex was after dirt on Superman, and he apparently finds it in a message from his Kryptonian parents, Jor-El and Lara. Luthor convinces the world into thinking that Superman is actually pure evil and has been tricking us this whole time. Here’s my problem with this part, not mere seconds after Superman has thwarted a giant monster (which apparently is not a big deal, barely makes the news) some people he just saved pull out their cellphones and react to this Lex “breaking News” and immediately, and I mean IMMEDIATELY turn on Superman! There’s no burn in time allowed, it’s like, these people are functional r-tards.
Yes, I will grant you that fans are fickle, but fuck, it’s clear Gunn has a very low opinion of the people on this planet, he has them gawking around without a care in the world as monsters stomp around, and he has them turn on Superman faster than Tesla owners when Elon posts something good, bad, or whatever the fuck on X. Difference is, Superman has proven to be a savior for humanity countless times, and these people see one video on their little screens and are like, yea, FUCK SUPERMAN! Oh my, please! Just, no.
A bit of a spoiler alert here, maybe the Els were right, after all, James? See my Brightburn review for more explanation.
After the break in at the Fortress of Solitude, Superman has lost Krypto, so he agrees to turn himself in to Lex and his cronies within the U.S. government, just to see if he can rescue Krypto. A noble move, especially as you get to know more about his relationship to Krypto, heh.
While he is detained in a complex cell, we meet a new deep-dive character from the DC universe . . . major spoiler alert here . . . it’s Rex “Element Man” Metamorpho, played by Anthony Carrigan. He will be the key to Superman’s freedom, if he can be persuaded to help him escape.
Lois isn’t just sitting idly by as all this is happening. She is working with Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) and the rest of her Daily Planet crew to uncover why Lex Luthor is so obsessed with the Borovian conflict and how it pertains to his incarceration of Superman.
Alone, she wouldn’t be very effective, but she does manage to convince Mr. Terrific to help Superman get out of that crazy prison.
That’s all leading to the exciting, colorful conclusion of James Gunn’s Superman!
You’ve already heard my major gripes with the movie. And if that was a deliberate choice – so be it, I guess it was just a nod to Powerless, and we are powerless to do anything about it. But it really detracts from the serious peril we are supposed to be feeling for these stupid humans. I know Gunn’s tone is a bit quirky when it comes to violence, but you are taking away what makes a hero heroic, when you make the people he saves unrealistic clowns.
Look, if you are a pre-teen or just a serious comic book nerd, you will love Superman. But, if you are looking to be emotionally moved and to connect with the heart of this character, I think there are better films for that. It’s not a knock on Corenswet, who I think looks and acts the part, quite well. It’s all in the tone, for me. And this new Gunn-verse isn’t going to be for everyone. Still, it didn’t suck, and I had fun watching it on IMAX. It’s definitely one you want to watch in the theater, at the very least.
