By Julia Kelm
Directed by James Gunn, Superman (2025) reboots the Superman franchise not with an origin story, but with a younger, still trying to find his place in the world, Clark Kent. The film follows his journey to reconcile his dual identity as a Kryptonian with his human upbringing.
David Corenswet soars into the role of Superman with ease, which is wonderful to see in a film landscape that seems to prefer only recycling the same 10 actors.
I prefer to see newer actors taking the spotlight in major pictures like Superman. It is by no means an easy achievement to fill the shoes of a much larger Henry Cavill, not to mention the legacy of Christopher Reeve.
Something that I’ve always liked about the concept of Superman was his unflinching kindness which seems to have been forgotten in the overtly evil superhero trope that seems to be inescapable in the genre.
Personally, the Omni-Man and Homelander type characters bore me and just add to my anxiety about how evil people can be. On the other hand, this version of Superman gives me hope for a better humanity and future.
Outside the role of Superman, Rachel Brosnahan, whom I adore from her previous role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, steals the headline in her role as Lois Lane. Not only did I feel that she adapted to the character well, but I also loved how she felt like a fully fleshed-out character that wasn’t solely dependent on the existence of her love interest.
In addition, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific was also a standout character that kept the audience entertained whenever Superman was off-screen.
The rest of the cast, besides Lex Luther, fell off a bit for me. Characters like Jimmy Olsen, Hawkgirl, and Green Lantern were fine — there was just not enough screen time with them to be attached. This was kinda unfortunate, seeing that Jimmy is supposed to be Clark’s best friend, and they may have talked to each other like three times.
Outside of cast pros and cons, the themes of immigration, anti-war and late-stage capitalism are in no way subtle. Gunn knows what he’s doing, and he’s not afraid of Hollywood because God knows nobody can replace his talent.
I think as young people, especially college students, the world can seem out of control and hopeless. For me, I can say that for certain at least.
If it wasn’t evident by my consistent film reviews for The Lumberjack, I love movies. It’s my favorite form of entertainment and escapism.
In a climate where it seems the voice of the public is getting quieter and quieter, major films like Superman that don’t shy away from making their messages heard will have a greater impact on the public when our government fails us.
Don’t give up just yet, don’t let yourself be consumed by dread and bad news. If you still have a voice, use it. This is gonna sound cheesy as hell — be like Superman!
If Superman is still playing in theaters this week, go see it. If you missed your chance, Superman will eventually be streaming on HBO Max, where you can watch some of Gunn’s other shows while you’re at it.
Julia is a journalism major, and is the life and arts editor for the paper. She loves film and is a regular on Letterboxd. She also enjoys going on walks in the forest, and taking pictures to relax. If you have a movie you want her to review, email her at jk328@humboldt.edu
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