Superman (2025)

Look, up in the sky! It’s yet another Superman, his eighth screen incarnation if you’re counting, and yes, we are doing this all over again. Should we be?

Mostly, yes. The new Superman smartly skips past the origin story. No exploding planets, no baby in a space bassinet, no discovering his powers at the Kent farm.  We’re dropped right into a world that already knows the guy in the cape and tights. Clark’s secret identity? She knows. Lois and Clark? Already a thing. Clark and The Daily Planet? Oddly sidelined. And that’s a shame.

What works, and works fast, is the film’s energy. Filmmaker James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) clearly brought his mixtape of comic book optimism. The colors pop, the pace zips and we are thankfully spared another dark, overly grim yawnfest. The film clocks in at a breezy two hours, which feels practically retro in an age of 3-hour superhero bloat. A standing ovation for that alone.

David Corenswet (Twisters, Hollywood) and his do-gooding Superman radiates a golden retriever vibe. He’s super, yes, but vulnerable in ways that make you actually care when he gets knocked around (and he gets knocked around a lot). Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) matches him beat for beat as Lois Lane, the two sharing skyscraper-leaping chemistry that fuels much of the film’s charm. More of that next time, please.

And there’s Krypto. The superdog. He flies. He growls. He steals scenes. You’ll leave wanting the plushie.

The first hour is pure joy. Banter, character beats, clever action. Then comes the large plot hole. I mean, a universal portal time hole thing.

Woof. It piles on cosmic threats and loses much of what made the early going so enjoyable. Superman gets beaten more than any other screen version before him. So much so that Mel Gibson is probably wishing he had this role.

Suddenly, the film feels pressured to go epic big, piling on way too many increasingly vague threats. The Justice Gang (maybe their name, maybe not) enters. They’re here to help, and somehow they get beaten up much less than the Man of Steel. It doesn't add up. Supes fights one threat, then another, then five more. Lois drives a spaceship — what is happening now?

Nicholas Hoult (Nosferatu, The Great, Juror #2) plays Lex Luthor in the most one-note Elon Musk way, and it's a mystery what his beef is with Superman is despite, well, spoiler avoided.

The real crime committed is — not enough Clark Kent. With all the universe-hopping, the grounded, goofy charm of Clark-in-the-city is sidelined.

For all its flaws, Gunn brings a welcome sense of humor, hope, and old-fashioned romance back to the DC Universe. Will it make its money back? Definitely. Will it make people want more Superman? Well, I left wanting more Krypto, Lois and Clark, so I'd say they might be on to something here.

In a nutshell: The first half is a colorful blast. In the second half, I was looking at so many things happening, and yawning. It's a toss-up, but yay, it's a tight two hours and Krypto saves the day.

Bonus Tip: No need to stay for the credits. Throwaways without much charm or intended humor.

Where to watch: In theaters starting this Friday. July 11, 2025.

Would it be better with Olivia Colman? Of course.

Award potential: Visual Effects is the only play here.

The Ten Buck Review: Down Krypto! Worth ten bucks.