Superman
A Review by Ava Bellows
James Gunn’s Superman is the Movie We Needed—And the One We Didn’t Expect
A Review
by Ava Bellows
Superman, 2025.
Courtesy of Warner Bros.
James Gunn’s Superman isn’t just a great superhero movie—it’s a great movie, full stop. It’s smart, emotionally charged, politically sharp, and powered by a vision that refuses to play it safe. This isn’t about capes and explosions (though there’s plenty of that too); it’s about identity, morality, love, and what it means to be good in a world that’s forgotten how.
Gunn doesn’t just direct—he orchestrates. He colors with every crayon in the box: comedy, horror, romance, high-stakes drama. Somehow, it all works. There are no hard pivots or tonal whiplash. Every mood is earned. Every beat has weight. The result is a story that feels as human as it does heroic.
David Corenswet. Courtesy of Warner Bros.
At the heart of it is David Corenswet, who delivers a stunning performance that doesn’t just live up to the Superman mantle—it redefines it. The subtle differences in his posture, voice, and energy as he shifts between Clark Kent and Superman are fascinating. He’s not just putting on glasses or taking them off—he’s inhabiting two people. And in each, he reveals a different layer of the same deeply human character. You don’t just believe in him as Superman. You believe in him as a man.
Nicholas Hoult, meanwhile, is terrifyingly excellent as Lex Luthor: an unhinged tech billionaire with the charisma of a TED Talk and the soul of a snake. His greed, his jealousy, his bottomless insecurity—it’s all far too recognizable. Gunn taps directly into the zeitgeist, making Luthor’s villainy feel less like comic book fantasy and more like front-page news. It’s chilling, and it’s timely.
Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane is fierce, sharp, and a perfect foil to both of Corenswet’s personas. She’s not here to be rescued—she’s here to challenge, expose, and outmaneuver. The chemistry between Lois and Clark feels lived-in, mature, and real. Gunn wisely skips the origin story and drops us straight into the middle of their lives and their romance. It’s a bold move, and it works. We’re invested from the first frame.
Nicholas Hoult. Courtesy of Warner Bros.
But what truly sets Superman apart is its underlying message. There’s a powerful, unmistakable undercurrent here—a metaphor about displacement, power, and resistance. Without being heavy-handed, the film echoes the current moment in America, and yes, even the ongoing genocide. The parallels are there if you’re looking, and they hit hard. This isn’t just popcorn cinema. It’s protest art wrapped in a blockbuster.
And that’s the miracle of it. Superman is mainstream cinema at its most radical. It’s punk rock. And it could only have been made by someone like James Gunn—someone who knows how to work inside the machine without being consumed by it. A studio doesn’t take a swing like this unless they trust the artist holding the bat. Gunn swung for the fences—and connected.
This is the kind of film that reminds us why these stories matter. Why we still need heroes. Why we still need to believe that goodness, even when it’s hard, can win.
James Gunn’s Superman doesn’t just give us hope—it earns it.
(L-R) David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Superman trailer, 2025.
Courtesy of Warner Bros.
WATCH TRAILER
SUPERMAN
DIRECTED BY JAMES GUNN
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