Usually it’s just kryptonite that brings Superman out in a rash, but early reviews of the latest instalment in the long-running film franchise suggest our lycra-clad hero has significantly more to worry about than green crystals.
The new film – directed by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet as the fictional superhero, with Rachel Brosnahan as precocious reporter Lois Lane – will go on general release from July 11.
But while it marks a new chapter in a franchise that began with the iconic Christopher Reeve in Richard Donner’s well received 1978 classic Superman: The Movie, a faction of early reviews suggest some critics are already longing for it to end.
One such review, published by the Daily Beast some five days before strict press embargoes had been lifted, didn’t hold back in its negative assessment of the film.
In an extensive critique that has since been removed online, the publication condemned Gunn’s latest offering as ‘the Final Nail in the Grave for the Superhero Genre.’
Moot points include a convoluted, humourless script, poor character development and a plot filled with ‘fanciful nonsense that soon renders the entire affair superficial and silly.’
‘Just as the seemingly indestructible Man of Steel is fatally weakened by kryptonite, so too is the once-unbeatable superhero genre gravely threatened by audience fatigue,’ they write.
‘Looking ahead rather than focusing on the here and now, this attempt at reimagining DC’s movie series ultimately proves to be more of the same old interconnected-universe bedlam that, at this point, is perilously close to going out of fashion.’
While British star Nicholas Hoult’s portrayal of nemesis Lex Luthor wins scant praise from the outlet, leading man Corenswet’s portrayal of Superman is dismissed for adhering to a woke checklist of cringeworthy cliches.
‘Superman’s hero is no brooding Snyder-ian Christ figure; rather, he’s a sweet and sincere do-gooder who uses the word “dude,” takes time out of fighting behemoths to save squirrels from harm, and believes that viewing everyone as beautiful is “punk rock.”‘
With Marvel veteran Gunn – whose previous film credits include Suicide Squad and Guardians Of The Galaxy – tasked with breaking new life into the franchise, the outlet believes some fans might enjoy his reinvention of the DC hero, but the superficial script will leave everyone else underwhelmed.
‘DC Comics die-hards may delight in Superman’s endless geekiness but everyone else is apt to feel adrift or, at least, along for a frenetic, flimsy ride that only feigns interest in actual emotion,’ they write.
Elsewhere, collective reviews for the forthcoming release are a mixed bag – but many critics appear to agree that Superman ’25 is, well, a mess.
Sharing his thoughts on X, reviewer Scott Menzel writes: ‘James Gunn’s Superman feels like he tossed every Superman comic and his entire filmography into a blender and hit purée.
‘Corenswet’s solid, Brosnahan’s great, and Hoult is doing something, not exactly sure what. It is a mess, narratively and tonally, but hey, at least it’s refreshingly fun, entertaining, and not boring.
‘Think of it as if James Gunn’s Suicide Squad had a baby with James Wan’s Aquaman with a little bit of Guardians of the Galaxy sprinkled on top.’
Variety reporter Peter Debruge also took a premature swipe at the film while reviewing new release Heads Of State.
Commenting positively on the chemistry between leading men Idris Elba and John Cena, he described Heads Of State as “no sillier than Superman and a lot more entertaining.”
Meanwhile, The Sunday Times offered a rather more enthusiastic response in an another prematurely released review of the film.
‘Superman, directed by James Gunn, is a triumph,’ they write. ‘After a long wait, this is the film the character deserves.
‘In 1978 Richard Donner made us believe a man could fly when he picked Christopher Reeve as Kal-El, the Kryptonian who falls to Earth to become Clark Kent, and despite a superb sequel the franchise has since been a reboot slog of diminishing returns: Brandon Routh is forgotten, Henry Cavill is boring. Nobody seemed to know what to do with Superman until now.’
Addressing the film’s woke sensibilities in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Gunn insisted the current social and political climate meant it was right time to introduce characters with positive values.
He said: ‘People are looking for heroes right now. They are looking for values of goodness, looking for people who are good and decent human beings. And Superman is that.’
And fans of the franchise appear to agree, with independent assessments of the film – currently circulating on social media – largely positive, in spite of its critical mauling.
‘James Gunn’s #Superman is the perfect superhero movie and a terrific start for the new DC Studios.
‘It’s big, bright, exciting, full of hope & it never loses its sense of wonder. Watching it felt like ripping open a comic book & feasting on its wild, chaotic imagination. Loved it!’ wrote one enthusiastic fan.
Lauding the film’s leading man, a second added: ‘David Corenswet was born to play Superman.’
In another positive review, a third wrote: ‘This is the BEST #Superman movie to date. When James Gunn gets out of the way & lets his work speak for itself, it’s incredible. The score and sound design are out of this world.
‘You feel every note; every impact makes you soar inside. It’s not perfect, but darn close & made me a believer in Gunn’s #DC.’
A fourth added: ‘I really liked #Superman. It’s beautiful, hopeful, and reminds you why these stories matter. Just the absolute solid comic book movie I needed.’
Praising the film’s positive message, a fifth added: ‘#Superman made me so damn happy. The movie is loaded with exhilarating action set pieces and well-placed humor and levity, but the beating heart of the film is Superman’s humanity, and his insistence on doing good and making the world a better place.
‘David Corenswet brings such an infectious determination and warmth to the role that it makes that pursuit all-consuming and impossibly heartening.
‘Making that an even more robust aspect of the movie, Gunn and co. don’t shy away from exploring the challenges one might encounter when trying to navigate our reality while holding tight to those core values.’
