Review - Superman (2025)

Rating: 7/10

Director: James Gunn | Screenplay: James Gunn | Cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Isabela Merced, Nathan Fillion, Skyler Gisondo, Wendell Pierce, María Gabriela de Faría | Cinematography: Henry Braham | Music: John Murphy, David Fleming | Runtime: 129 min | Rated: PG-13

James Gunn definitely cooked with this one. Superman is completely, unmistakably his. If you've seen the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy or The Suicide Squad, you know exactly what I mean before the first act is over: the needle drops, the ensemble chaos, the sincerity hiding under all the jokes.

The cast is the real win

First off, the new cast is great, and I'd bet money they make a lot more films together. There's a chemistry here that usually takes a couple of instalments to develop, and it's already there in the first one.

My favourite was probably Mister Terrific. Edi Gathegi plays him as the smartest and least impressed person in every room he walks into, and he gets some of the best moments in the film without ever raising his voice about it. David Corenswet is a good Superman, sincere without being wooden. Nicholas Hoult's Lex is petty and vain in a way that works better than the grandiose version usually does.

And the dog. Krypto is a total goof, a daredevil, and a complete scene-stealer, and he has that specific energy every chaotic dog owner will recognise instantly. James Gunn clearly loves his animals, and this is the most fun he's had with one yet.

The story wasn't my thing

Story-wise, it wasn't really my vibe. It's a fun, energetic ride with great action and a nice touch of Smallville nostalgia, but some scenes felt like filler, and the plot never grabbed me the way I wanted it to. It's busy. There's a lot going on, and not all of it earns its screen time.

That's the thing keeping this from being higher for me. It didn't hit hard enough to make me want to rewatch it. I do think younger audiences are going to love it, and I don't mean that as a dig. It's built for exactly that energy.

One thing nobody in my cinema saw coming

There's a fictional country in this movie where the characters speak broken Croatian. Actual, recognisable, mangled Croatian. The entire room lost it. I have never heard a cinema go from silence to laughing that fast. If you're watching this anywhere in the region, that alone is worth the ticket, and I'd love to know how that decision got made.

The verdict

Story-wise it wasn't my thing, but I still had a good time. The direction keeps everything snappy and visually fresh, and there's a real warmth underneath the chaos that a lot of comic book movies have forgotten how to do.

If you're into superhero films with a bit of heart and a dash of chaos, you'll probably enjoy it.

7/10