Superman

I’ll get this out the way, I’m feeling very conflicted about this film, and definitely need a second watch to cement my feelings.

This is a comic book movie through and through, and it is also a James Gunn project through and through, and I think that’s both a good and a bad thing.

For the most part, this works for me. This universe is vibrant, and colourful, and lived in, putting us in the story in media res is such an interesting choice and it mitigates having to go through the tedious backstory that we’ve all become used to. I’m so fascinated by the world that Gunn has created.

The narrative is pretty straightforward in this film, but there is so much thrown at you that it can’t help but feel a little bloated at times, and as much as I was invested in this world I think a slight issue with the movie is that nothing really gets room to breathe. I walked away wishing I got more of certain elements of the movie. What speaks volumes is that the standout scenes of this movie to me are probably the two slowest scenes, the scenes where we really get to sit with Superman and Lois having conversations.

Perhaps this will work better for me on a rewatch but initially I’ve walked away feeling less satisfied because we haven’t dug that deep into anything despite everything being interesting.

With Gunn having directed so many superhero projects now, I think we’ve become accustomed to his sensibilities on screen and this movie is all the good and the bad put together. I love Gunn’s sense of humour. His comedy really works for me, it doesn’t always land, but I like how much comedy he throws at you and I think for the most part this does work. However when you don’t get to spend a ton of time with these characters, and some of them are just reduced to comedy, it is a little disappointing.

Another staple of Gunn’s work is the way he shoots action, I really love his camera work, it’s so fluid the camera almost floats around these action set pieces as an entity itself and he has such good position awareness of his action, it makes you feel like you’re there with them, and considering a large majority of this movie is action, I love how dynamic, new and refreshing it felt.

I think a lot of people are giving this credit for being something so new and different and I don’t think it is all that much. I just think that this world feels different. It feels more comic booky and cartoony, and I mean that in a good way, it’s immediately set itself apart from other universes, which is good. 

And while I enjoy that this movie is clearly a set up for a universe that he’s building, I do think because of that some of the dialogue isn’t the best, it becomes quite expository at the start of the film. It finds its footing as it goes on but sometimes when you’re not given a ton of time with certain characters and they were just there to have expository lines, it’s not always satisfying.

The standout and the reason to go see this movie is David Corenswet as Superman. He is such phenomenal casting, he totally embodies the character of Superman, better than any actor previously. He manages to toe the line between being goofy and dorky, and earnest and like a Boy Scout but he still has anger and more volatile emotions, but it’s coming from a place of goodness and kindness. He just toed that line so wonderfully and played him so with such nuance.

Something that initially didn’t work for me on my viewing but after speaking to people it works a little better, was the way that the theme of this movie is kind of explicitly told to you at the end through Superman’s character, but actually it feels so in line with who this character is.

The rest of the cast is phenomenal. There’s not a single person who feels out of place. I just wish I got more of lots of them. Rachel Brosnahan is a clear standout as Lois Lane, again wish she had more, and Mr terrific was an absolute scene stealer, did not expect to like him as much as I did. Genuinely there’s not a single actor who feels out of place here.

I’m so interested in so many characters and that’s a testament to the world that Gunn has created, I just wish we got to sit with the characters more because, as much as his action and his comedy are good, the best parts of this are his character moments and that’s apparent in the standout scenes of this movie.

I think for setting up a universe though and introducing us to all these characters, while also being a Superman story, this is exactly what this movie had to be even if it is a little messy and bloated, I had a smile on my face the entire time I was watching the movie, and what more can you ask for? Also Krypto what a brilliant inclusion