Superman 2025: James Gunn’s Frustrating Reboot Failure

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The turbulent story behind DC’s initial foray into a shared cinematic superhero realm is widely known, and diving deep into its ascension and descent would consume an immense amount of time. In essence, the control over DC was given to Zack Snyder, who aimed to differentiate DC from Marvel’s established success. The outcomes were largely successful, until Snyder’s leadership was replaced in an attempt to imitate Marvel’s triumph instead of presenting a unique alternative. From that point onwards, things started to crumble rather swiftly.

Currently, DC is making another attempt by recruiting James Gunn, who has worked for both Marvel and DC in the past, to oversee a complete reboot of their franchises. Some fans might find this choice less than inspiring given that Gunn’s previous ventures into franchise superhero movies (“Guardians of the Galaxy”, “The Suicide Squad”) were team-oriented with a heavy dose of humor. It remains unclear how his style would work when applied to an entire cinematic universe.

To begin his tenure, Gunn pens and directs the famous DC character, Superman. Admittedly, I wouldn’t have guessed that Gunn would be given control over this legendary figure, the Man of Steel. Yet, with high anticipation for a film that honors him well and launches the DC Universe effectively, I went in optimistic. Regrettably, “Superman” transforms into an aggravating and puzzling concoction of blunders and compromises.

The movie “Superman” is plagued with persistent problems such as an excessively complex narrative, poorly fleshed-out characters, puzzling plot twists, and questionable alterations to the established lore that fall short of their intended impact. What’s more frustrating is that at times it seems like the film was crafted for followers of James Gunn instead of devoted Superman fans. The tone is frequently lighthearted and humorous, while numerous appearances by his friends suggest a greater emphasis on leaving his mark on the franchise rather than delivering a compelling Superman tale.

Gunn initiates his narrative skipping over familiar origins, as they’re well-known to many. The story unfolds three years following Superman’s initial revelation to Earth. Notably, the most remarkable deeds of Superman occurred during this three-year span preceding the film, and regrettably, we don’t witness any of them. Instead, the narrative primarily focuses on Superman enduring severe beatings. To illustrate, the opening scene depicts him collapsing after being obliterated by a metahuman employed by billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult).

Regarding Lex, it’s worth noting that this formidable adversary of Superman is portrayed more like an ungrateful brat, with his intentions often unclear and confusing at times. Despite holding immense power and influence, the details about how he attained such a position are largely unexplored. We do know, however, that Lex operates as an arms dealer, potentially fueling a conflict between two neighboring countries. His animosity towards Superman is presented as both petty and seemingly insane. What’s more, Lex seems to exert significant influence over the U.S. government, and can sway public opinion just by making an appearance on a tacky talk show.

Certainly, a significant aspect of Superman’s narrative revolves around his life as Clark Kent. In this new iteration, he resumes his role as a reporter at the Daily Planet, working alongside Lois Lane, portrayed by Rachel Brosnahan. The story opens with them already in a romantic relationship, and Lois being privy to Clark’s superhero identity. Regrettably, their relationship doesn’t delve into uncharted territories compared to previous versions. The Daily Planet staff includes recognizable characters such as Perry White (Wendell Pierce), the editor-in-chief, Cat Grant (Mikaela Hoover), a busty character, and Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo), who is unfortunately tied to one of the film’s most peculiar and underdeveloped subplots.

Introducing three new characters with superpowers to the team: Guy Gardner, also known as Green Lantern (portrayed by Nathan Fillion), Mr. Terrific (played by Edi Gathegi), and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced). However, the nickname “Justice Gang” given by Guy becomes a recurring joke that doesn’t seem to have much depth beyond its comedic aspects. The team dynamics don’t appear to be well thought out, with only Mr. Terrific receiving significant development time.

Here are some issues that deserve attention: The film has some questionable digital effects, the tension often feels forced instead of genuine, the emotional depth is surprisingly absent throughout, and the characters of Ma and Pa Kent seem to be added solely for sentimental value yet lack significance. Furthermore, many human characters appear excessively naive and easily fooled. Even Krypto the dog, who could have been a simple and effective way to elicit audience responses, is mishandled by Gunn. Instead of knowing when to ease up, the CGI dog’s cute comic relief becomes repetitive.

I regret to mention this, but James Gunn’s “Superman” falls short in almost every aspect it aspires to hit. There are numerous targets here, and unfortunately, most of them miss the bullseye. Instead of crafting a tale that makes sense, Gunn seems more preoccupied with showering the screen with ideas rather than weaving them into a harmonious narrative. He even goes so far as to dismantle some well-established lore without reaping any tangible benefits. As for the performances, they are passable; no one delivers a standout performance that is either exceptional or disappointing. To give credit where it’s due, it isn’t the actors who are at fault here. The script and direction are the culprits.

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2025-07-11 18:57