It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s another Superman movie, and the first reviews are in! James Gunn kicks off the new DC Universe with the new blockbuster, with David Corenswet making his debut in the titular superhero role. The movie is being praised for Corenswet’s performance, his chemistry with co-star Rachel Brosnahan (as Lois Lane), and the comic-book-y plot and colorful visuals. If there’s any problem with the movie, though, it might be too overcrowded with characters and ideas.
Here’s what critics are saying about Superman:
Is Superman leaps and bounds above other superhero movies?
Easily the best Superman movie made in my lifetime.
— Matt Singer, Screen Crush
It falls short of the top tier of superhero cinema. I’d characterize the film as next-level good (a roster that includes Iron Man, Thor, Batman Begins, Captain America, and the hugely underrated Iron Man 3).
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety
So far, this has been the century of the comic book film, and… while Superman isn’t one of the best films of the 21st century, it represents the genre well.
— Scott Phillips, Forbes
Does it do the character justice?
Gunn and his team deliver a Superman film that feels worthy of the character’s legacy.
— Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
Superman has always been an idealist, and this film embraces that part of his character.
— Scott Phillips, Forbes
This isn’t your grandparents’ Superman, but it’s also truer in method to his on-page adventures than anything we’ve seen on theater screens thus far.
— Trace Sauveur, AwardsWatch
Is it a welcome change for the superhero genre?
A breath of fresh air… In an era saturated with dark anti-heroes, Superman is refreshingly idealistic — not in a saccharine way, but in a way that feels rebellious, even radical.
— Jamie Broadnax, Black Girl Nerds
Gunn knows that the world has grown weary of comic-book film culture, and in the new Superman he’s out to reset not just one studio’s fortunes but the very idea of what a comic-book movie is.
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety
There’s a satisfaction in a superhero movie that’s happy to be this freewheeling and ludicrous.
— Trace Sauveur, AwardsWatch
Perhaps its biggest strength is that it sidesteps all the revisionist murk of superheroes onscreen in the last decade or two and reverts almost to an enchanting state of child-like wonder.
— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
The color doesn’t feel [like] just an aesthetic choice. It’s a visual promise that this time, we’re going to have some fun.
— Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
Superman is deeply rooted in a sense of escapism and wonder, without fully shedding the issues of our time.
— Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate
Does this reboot from writer/director James Gunn rekindle my love of comic book movies? Not really. It’s weighed down by a lot of been there, done that.
— Scott Phillips, Forbes
Is it faithful to its comic book origins?
It genuinely feels like a comic book come to life, which is why it treats Superman’s powers as the most spectacular and least interesting thing about him.
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety
What makes Superman work is the same thing that has made Gunn’s other adaptations so beloved: as a filmmaker, Gunn is unafraid to embrace the comic book elements at the heart of the source material.
— Spencer Perry, ComicBook.com
Gunn has created what may be the single most Silver Age comic book saga ever put to screen.
— Siddhant Adlakha, Mashable
The film feels like an old school comic book… This Superman brings back the colorful visuals, the humor, the clever quips in the midst of battle, the lightheartedness of the vintage comics.
— Scott Phillips, Forbes
It’s rather a marvel how much it resembles an old school comic book, or more specifically Superman: The Animated Series (for my fellow ‘90s kids out there).
— David Crow, Den of Geek
Gunn takes the vast canon of Superman lore — from various iterations of the comics to TV shows like Smallville to the Donner films — and treats it like a grab bag, plucking elements from many sources.
— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
Much like opening a random issue at your local comic book store, Superman drops you straight into the action, counting on the audience to already be familiar with the characters and world.
— Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate
How does it compare to the Christopher Reeve movies?
It reveals an obvious love for Richard Donner’s 1978 event movie headlined by Christopher Reeve, and for 1981’s arguably even better Superman II, without sliding into reverential self-seriousness.
— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
The 1978 film was partly a romance… Corenswet and Brosnahan’s final scene (that I won’t reveal here) captures that same magic.
— Scott Phillips, Forbes
Reeve played the character as two distinct personas, wearing his cape and trunks with iron confidence. Corenswet’s Superman is pretty much Clark in costume. This isn’t a bad thing, and actually makes the protagonist more relatable.
— Julian Roman, MovieWeb
Does this feel like a James Gunn movie?
If you like Gunn’s style and previous films, then Superman will fly high.
— Julian Roman, MovieWeb
This is a Superman movie, but it’s maybe even more so a James Gunn movie: the character’s base sensibilities are filtered through a roguish filmmaker with an eye for visually distinct, flashy spectacle.
— Trace Sauveur, AwardsWatch
Gunn has given the new DC Comics Superman the energy of his first Guardians of the Galaxy movie without the total sarcasm, but still stressing profundity about the character and his self-appointed mission in life.
— Roger Friedman, Showbiz 411
From a directing perspective, Gunn is working out of his comfort zone here, and it leads to some of his best work.
— Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate
The tone tends to spread all over the place, or dare I say, jarring, going from something familiar to downright out-there eccentrics that the word “coherence” doesn’t seem to apply in Gunn’s filmmaking vocabulary.
— Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania
How is the script?
The script is layered with political subtext — immigration, power, and the misinformation of the media. But it never feels preachy.
— Jamie Broadnax, Black Girl Nerds
As much as I enjoy Superman to a certain degree, I just can’t help but find Gunn’s screenplay lacks the much-needed emotional depth and, above all, a substantial clarity in his storytelling.
— Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania
When Gunn is challenging himself to go outside his comfort zone and being as earnest as possible with Superman, the film is at its absolute best… When Gunn goes back to his comfort zone, showcased particularly in this film with the Jimmy Olsen subplot, the film falters, and that leads to an uneven tone.
— Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate
Does it do a good job of kicking off the new cinematic universe?
Superman is a thrilling and emotionally rich new beginning for the DC Universe.
— Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
The DCU is in great hands if this is what they were able to deliver out of the gate.
— Spencer Perry, ComicBook.com
Superman is the first comic-book movie in a while that teases a cinematic universe not by forcing needless subplots and unrelated cliffhangers, but by enriching its own story with so many interesting and amusing supporting characters that you want to watch them in other projects.
— Matt Singer, Screen Crush
It’s the best possible way to relaunch a franchise, at the end of the day: Screw the table-setting, just make a movie people will actually enjoy watching.
— Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
As both a story on its own and a prequel to a whole bunch of others, this movie must introduce us to a variety of characters we’ll meet later, and it does it without feeling too much like fan service or exposition.
— Amber Wilkinson, New York Times
How is David Corenswet in the lead?
David Corenswet makes an outstanding Superman/Clark Kent, his performance loaded with self-irony, charm, and poignant vulnerability.
— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
Corenswet was an inspired choice to anchor the DCU. He does great work in a nuanced performance that’s extremely physical and emotive.
— Julian Roman, MovieWeb
Corenswet’s portrayal brings an earnest transparency in his portrayal and will win the hearts of fans.
— Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate
Corenswet handles the duality of playing Clark Kent and Superman with genuine warmth. There’s an earnestness to his performance that evokes Christopher Reeve without mimicry.
— Jamie Broadnax, Black Girl Nerds
Unlike every other live action actor since 1980, I wasn’t watching some guy playing Superman. I was simply watching Superman.
— David Crow, Den of Geek
Corenswet proves to be the right pick for the role… The only gripe I have about Corenswet’s character is that I wish Gunn could bring equal focus on him in a Clark Kent mode.
— Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania
What about Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane?
Rachel Brosnahan is an absolute force as Lois Lane. Sharp, confident, and unrelenting, her portrayal reclaims the essence of Lois: a woman who can go toe-to-toe with gods and still get the story first.
— Jamie Broadnax, Black Girl Nerds
Rarely has anyone stepped into a role so assuredly. Brosnahan injects Midge Maisel’s propensity for wisecracking into a modern-day woman who already knows the answers before they’re asked.
— Roger Friedman, Showbiz 411
The best onscreen Lois we’ve ever had.
— David Crow, Den of Geek
Possibly the sharpest and most captivating interpretation of the ace Daily Planet reporter since Margot Kidder.
— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
The film would have been a bona fide disaster if not for the self-possessiveness of its cast, Rachel Brosnahan chief among them.
— David Ehrlich, IndieWire
Are they good together?
A Superman film lives or dies by the chemistry between Clark and Lois—and this one absolutely works… Their banter sparkles, and their emotional connection rings true.
— Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
James Gunn’s long-anticipated Superman has the best special effect I’ve seen in a summer blockbuster this year… I’m talking about the electricity that blasts off whenever David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan share a scene.
— David Crow, Den of Geek
Corenswet’s funny, scrappy rapport with Rachel Brosnahan’s whip-smart Lois Lane makes their every scene together a delight.
— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
The goofy but swoony Corenswet and the all-American but sexy Brosnahan have so much chemistry that they leave the audience wanting more — which we’ll no doubt get.
— Roger Friedman, Showbiz 411
The chemistry between Brosnahan and Corenswet crackles — romantic, yes, but built on mutual respect and admiration.
— Jamie Broadnax, Black Girl Nerds
How is Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor?
Nicholas Hoult absolutely owns this film as Lex Luthor.
— Julian Roman, MovieWeb
Lex doesn’t necessarily fall into the canon of Hoult’s other great monster boy roles but the same energy is present — specifically Hoult’s complete lack of fear when it comes to bringing out the ugliest sides of his characters.
— Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor is perhaps the most fascinating interpretation since Gene Hackman.
— Jamie Broadnax, Black Girl Nerds
He chews every piece of scenery, twirling an invisible mustache, adding in bits of Gene Hackman and even a little Mike Myers’ Dr. Evil. He’s just right at being menacing and self-absorbed to the point of distraction.
— Roger Friedman, Showbiz 411
Hoult’s Lex feels like a mix of Michael Rosenbaum’s calculated portrayal in Smallville and even has some shades of Jesse Eisenberg’s performance in Batman v Superman… While some of the narrative beats with him can get a little silly, the core of Hoult’s character is great.
— Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate
Are there any other scene stealers?
Let’s talk scene-stealer: It’s not a person—it’s Krypto the Superdog… Absurd, adorable, and very on-brand for Gunn.
— Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
Edi Gathegi surprises me the most in his scene-stealing supporting turn as the hilariously deadpan Mister Terrific.
— Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania
Edi Gathegi is the standout human performance in the film…it’s like he was born to play the part.
— Scott Phillips, Forbes
Mister Terrific [is] likely to be your kid’s new favorite hero.
— Siddhant Adlakha, Mashable
Gisondo [as Jimmy Olsen] in particular steals the show every time he’s on screen.
— Spencer Perry, ComicBook.com
How is the action?
The action feels larger than life, and dazzlingly superhuman, especially when Superman’s rival vigilante team, the Justice Gang, gets involved.
— Siddhant Adlakha, Mashable
Gunn once again proves himself uncommonly skilled at juggling large casts of heroes and villains, and balancing large-scale action sequences with quieter moments that strengthen the relationships (and tease out the comedy) between his characters.
— Matt Singer, Screen Crush
[Gunn] has an eye for spectacular comic-book action… One of the movie’s most memorable set pieces: a one-man fight against Luthor’s army seamlessly shot in a continuous long take from a unique perspective.
— Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania
Does the movie have heart?
What sets Superman apart is its deeply emotional core.
— Jamie Broadnax, Black Girl Nerds
The result is very much a comic-book action-adventure but one with a warm human heart.
— David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
Gunn’s heart is so plainly on his sleeve that he writes in dialogue to describe kindness as “punk rock” in all earnestness.
— Trace Sauveur, AwardsWatch
How does it look?
Gunn embraces the bright colour palette that ideally reflects the movie’s overall fantastical vibes.
— Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania
The cinematography and color grading are a step down from previous Superman films.
— Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate
Does the movie try to do too much?
There are a lot of plates being kept in the air, and it is a testament to Gunn’s command for writing and worldbuilding that it never feels overwhelming.
— David Crow, Den of Geek
To say there’s a lot going on here is a vast understatement. Superman has a packed narrative with multiple subplots establishing the new DCU. Those worried that Superman gets lost in his own movie can rest easy: Superman is critical to every plot line, and drives how each character reacts.
— Julian Roman, MovieWeb
For all the geeky and colourful vibes that [Gunn] injects into Superman that may please comic-book fans, the movie overcrowds itself with too many things going on at once.
— Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania
The film ends up overstuffed with super-powered supporting characters, to the point that Superman’s own ethical quandaries feel too easily resolved.
— Siddhant Adlakha, Mashable
The super-busy quality of Superman works for it and, at times, against it. The movie rarely slows down long enough to allow its characters to meditate on their shifting realities.
— Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Will it leave us excited for more DCU movies?
There’s at least three DC heroes in Superman not named Superman that I can’t wait to see again.
— Matt Singer, Screen Crush
With the upcoming Milly Alcock-led Supergirl already wrapped filming and set for next June release, here’s hoping the second movie in the DCU would be a marked improvement by then.
— Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania
Superman opens in theaters on July 11, 2025.
