This “Superman” Will Put a Smile on Your Face

James Gunn has already proven he has a knack for taking obscure or bizarre comic book characters and making them work on the big screen.  He made most of us cry like babies over a CGI Racoon and his pals in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.”  He breathed life back into the suicide squad and made a giant one-eyed starfish seem like a plausible supervillain in 2021’s “The Suicide Squad.”  But can he make us care about “Superman” again?  The live-action takes on this iconic character have run the gamut over the decades.  Since many feel the character is outdated and too much of a boyscout, recent attempts have given us a Superman who is moody, aloof, and not all that likeable.  Can Gunn and company crack the code, and give fans what they really want ?

“Superman” spares us the origin story we all know so well.  The movie jumps right in, Metahumans have been on Earth for a long time, Superman (David Corenswet) is 30 years old, has been donning the cape for three years, and he just lost his first battle.  This Superman is impulsive and occasionally blinded by his strong sense of justice.  He will jump into action if he is doing the “right thing” without anticipating the potential outcomes.  At first glance he seems naïve, but he truly sees the beauty in everyone and his kindness to others comes from the depths of his soul.  This vulnerability and goofy optimism makes this version of Supe’ one of the most likeable.

Clark has been dating Lois (Rachel Brosnahan) for about 3 months in the film.  The relationship between them has always been interesting, but perhaps never as dynamic and healthy as it is in this film?  Lois’ cynicism and pragmatism clashes with Clark’s idealism.  They don’t always see eye-to-eye, but it’s clear how much they care about one another, and how they each learn from the opposing viewpoints.  It’s refreshing and sweet, and couldn’t be possible without the chemistry between Rachel Brosnahan & David Corenswet.

It’s not just the two leads who have great chemistry.  The cast assembled for “Superman” couldn’t have been more perfect.  Each actor seems born to play the role they are in.  The “Justice Gang” team are especially fun to watch.  Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) steals every scene he is in.  Nathan Fillion is clearly enjoying every second playing the douchiest of all the Green Lanterns.  Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) is the perfect foil to the two egomaniacs she works with.  Nicholas Hoult has the least to work with, but still does a great job as the ultimate super villain, Lex Luthor.

The trailer implies the 2-hour movie will be overstuffed with side characters and comic-villains.  While it is a very “full” movie, it never suffers from plot-blot.  Sure, there is a lot going on, but it keeps moving.  The pacing never slows down too much.  Every scene is earned, and relevant to the story.  The only thing that could be a call is the plot revolves around Lex doing what Lex always does.  But his plan isn’t the real story here.  It’s about what it means to be human, to be kind, to love others, and what it takes to make the world a better place.  Somehow, in these dark times, James Gunn figured out how to make Superman more relevant and likeable than ever before.  He made Superman fun again.