After suffering his first defeat, Superman (David Corenswet) finds that the battle for the hearts and minds of the people can be a lot harder than simply saving them. But while he attempts to be a beacon of hope, a maniacal Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) does everything he can to stop him, manipulating events from the shadows.
In rebooting the DC universe, James Gunn found himself a mammoth task. Thankfully - and rather unsurprisingly - it is one he has more than risen to. The other thing that won't surprise you is the soundtrack. It's very cool, very eclectic. In other words, very James Gunn. Now, it might say "Superman" on the poster, but in many ways this is so much more than a movie about the man of steel. There's no dipping your toe into the water with this one. Instead of coming up with a simple origin story to introduce us to this new world, Gunn has decided to throw us head first into the deep end of his DCU, and I'm very glad he did. Not only does he bring us into a world that already knows Superman - and many other super beings - he introduces us to the Kryptonian in the middle of a battle.
Now, no matter what your take on this latest reboot, there is one thing that is inescapable, and that is the sense of hope that surges through it. Clark's drive to do the right thing, to help as many people as he can is both the central theme and the movie's shining light. So much so that it genuinely gets under your skin. But how do you be that force for good in a world as polarised as ours? That is the struggle that Clark faces, and it's something David Corenswet portrays brilliantly. Not only that, he nails the cosmic blend of clean-cut country boy and superpowered being from another world, as he goes about trying to help wherever he can. Something that extends to his interactions with everyone who calls this little planet of ours home.
In order to populate this world, Gunn has put together an impressive cast. Corenswet, along with Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult, they are all on fire. Their performances are filled with passion, making their characters' battles feel all the more real. And they are surrounded by a whole host of DC characters that help bring this new universe to life. Many of them laying the seeds that will grow the DCU into something the DCEU could have only dreamed of being. As he has done before, Gunn has delved into some of the deepest corners of comic book legend to bring a wide variety of characters to the fore - including one loveably calamitous super dog. You might think that this would leave the movie feeling crammed or bloated, even at a shade over two hours long. But thankfully it doesn't. However, it is possible Gunn tried to do a little too much in just one film. With so much going on, and so many people to meet, some of them can feel a little underserved.
On the bright side, it shouldn't be too long before we see most of them in upcoming projects, as the DCU expands. Some particular favourites of mine are the members of the Justice Gang - especially Edi Gathegi's 'Mr Terrific'. They are a quirky bunch, and one bad haircut, who never seem to see eye to eye, but work together to keep our planet safe. A task that proves rather demanding, with countries on the brink of war, rogue kaiju, a raving billionaire, and a whole host of hostile metahumans. But Gunn manages - as he often does - to make it as humorous as he does sinister. And thanks to some mind-blowing visuals, seeing Superman and his pals flying around the world - and to a few slightly weirder places - to confront a number of different threats is not only bright and vibrant, it looks so incredibly real, making it all thoroughly absorbing. I'm still not sold on the suit, though.
Superman's return is an absolute triumph. David Corenswet's introduction as the man of steel is a vibrant and hope-filled adventure. But it is far from a simple origin story. Instead, James Gunn has thrown us in at the deep end of an already established universe. And while he may try to do a little too much, it is a fantastic way to launch the DCU.
9/10
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