सुपरमैन

Let me say this up front: I'm not a fan of Superman as a superhero, but I do enjoy James Gunn's work (especially his «GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY» trilogy, which I absolutely love), so I was genuinely curious and looking forward to his new film about the Man of Steel.

Unfortunately, this time James Gunn left me disappointed. The biggest issue is the script. For some reason, the director chose to throw the audience straight into the middle of the action, with almost no background or introduction for the main character. Some might argue that Superman's origin story is no longer necessary, but in my view, it's absolutely essential for a full-fledged reboot. This is David Corenswet's first appearance as Clark Kent, and the film clearly lacks at least 30 minutes of emotional buildup to help us connect with him. Without that foundation, it's hard to truly care about his character.

The same goes for the rest of the cast. Lex Luthor lacks a clear motivation: he wants to destroy Superman right from the start, but there's no deeper reasoning behind it. Clark's relationship with his adoptive parents is barely shown - they appear only in a few short scenes. His connection with Lois Lane also feels shallow. There's no real chemistry between them, and their relationship seems to develop entirely off-screen. As a result, it feels more like we're watching the second installment in a franchise rather than the first.

Another serious flaw is the overload of secondary heroes. The audience is thrown into a new world packed with characters: Green Lantern, Mister Terrific, Hawkgirl, Metamorpho, The Engineer, Ultraman - all of whom show up, but almost none receive meaningful screen time (Mister Terrific is arguably the most developed). They're hard to remember, let alone care about. For the average viewer unfamiliar with the DC Universe, it's genuinely overwhelming. «BATMAN V SUPERMAN» was heavily criticized for a similarly chaotic structure, yet despite sharing the same flaws, Gunn's latest film is somehow receiving mostly positive reviews. I just don't get it.

So, for the first film in the rebooted DC Universe (DCU), I expected a more coherent, emotionally rich, and self-contained story. For many viewers - especially newcomers - this movie might feel chaotic and overcrowded. And, in essence, that's exactly how it is. In just two hours of runtime, Gunn packed in so much that it could have easily been stretched out into an entire season of a TV series.

6/10

P. S. I'm not a Zack Snyder fan, even though I'm aware of his massive fanbase. Personally, I see him as a strong visionary but a weak writer and director. Still, I have to be honest: his «MAN OF STEEL» left a far deeper impression on me than James Gunn's new «SUPERMAN». As disappointing as that is - especially given how much I admire Gunn's previous work - I have to speak frankly about how I feel.

I felt like I joined the movie half way through at the start. The muddle of characters rapidly became overwhelming and there never felt like there was a plot. The guardians of the galaxy style just didn't work as well on supes..

This felt like a comedy first and superhero second. Too much needless changes from the source material as well just made me feel like yet another DC reboot or remake is too little too late.

A reasonable attempt but falls short of being good.

I honestly don't see how this movie could impress anyone older than 10. Sure, it's colorful, lighthearted, and has a few crowd-pleasing moments - but underneath the cape and charm, it feels more like a Saturday morning cartoon than the cinematic relaunch of an iconic hero. For a character as emotionally rich and symbolically heavy as Superman, this version felt oddly flat, even juvenile.

The movie opens with a tone that hints at something deeper - maybe a layered origin story or a grounded emotional arc. For a moment, it feels like James Gunn might give Superman the complexity he deserves. But that promise fades fast. Instead of evolving into something meaningful, the story flattens into a series of lighthearted moments, cheesy one-liners, and safe, predictable beats.

It's like the film is afraid to take itself seriously for more than five minutes. Every time it flirts with depth, it quickly retreats to humor or surface-level charm. That approach might work for younger audiences, but for anyone hoping for a mature or compelling Superman narrative, it's a letdown.

Most of the cast did a decent job - nobody was outright bad, but no one really stood out either. The performances felt safe, almost like everyone was playing within tight creative boundaries. Even characters who are supposed to command the screen - like Superman and Lex Luthor - felt surprisingly muted.

David Corenswet as Superman checks the boxes visually, but his performance doesn't leave much of a mark. There's no real emotional weight, no moment where you truly feel what Clark is going through. And Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor, while an interesting casting choice on paper, lacks the menace or charisma that makes the character memorable. He's just... there.

It's frustrating, because these are some of the most iconic roles in comic book history - and yet the film doesn't give the actors enough material to make them feel iconic.

Are bright, the costumes pop, and some of the early shots are eye-catching - at least for a second. But once you settle into the movie, it all starts to feel a bit stale. The CGI is fine, but nothing we haven't seen before. The action scenes are clean but lack intensity or creativity. There's no real visual identity that sets it apart from every other superhero film.

It's like eating candy with no flavor - it looks fun, but you stop caring pretty quickly.

Superman (2025) feels like a movie made to play it safe - colorful enough to distract, light enough to entertain kids, but ultimately hollow for anyone expecting more. It had the opportunity to bring real depth and emotion to one of the most iconic heroes in fiction, but instead settles for a flat, overly sanitized version of the character.

If you're under 10, you might love it. For everyone else, it's just another cape in the crowd.

While we have all been through the rollercoaster that is the DCEU future over the past few years, Superman could possibly be up there with one of the greatest superhero films of all time even in a world with the iconic Batman films . I didn't honestly think Gunn would come out with such a bang on this as he did. The suicide squad was fun and showed his signature style but this is on a different level entirely . The bombastic visuals are usual and packed to the brim, but what this film does best is deliver an emotional aspect that hasn't been this prevalent in the genre for a long time . That's what I think will stick with people more than the action. I don't want to get into detail too much as we are very early in the reviews but this will have people blown away and fully ready to embrace the Gunnverse. I even say that as a massive fan of the Snyderverse . ..

Honestly, this version of Superman feels way too childish and overly comical. The tone is all over the place - cringey one-liners, awkward slapstick, and visuals that look like they belong in a Saturday morning cartoon. Instead of being a bold reimagining, it feels like a step back into campy territory no one really asked for.

David Corenswet, while a decent lookalike, completely fails to capture the commanding presence and charisma that Henry Cavill brought to the role. Cavill had gravitas - a balance of strength, vulnerability, and quiet intensity. Corenswet feels... light. Like he's playing dress-up rather than embodying Earth's greatest protector.

Worse, the theater itself reflected the film's flat tone. The room was dead quiet - barely a chuckle, almost no reaction. It was a sharp contrast to the electric energy I felt during Deadpool vs Wolverine, where the whole crowd was engaged, laughing, reacting. This Superman? It just didn't land.

Compared to Man of Steel, which had emotional depth, stunning visuals, and a powerful score, this version feels hollow. It might please kids or hardcore nostalgia fans, but it's missing soul.

Rating: 6/10 - Looks like Superman, but lacks the heart, presence, and impact. For something truly heroic, revisit Man of Steel.