Movie Review: Superman

Movie Number 30 of 2025

The Movie: Superman

The Cinema: Hoyts Victoria Gardens

Run Time: Two hours, nine minutes. 

Stars: 4

As a child of the seventies, Superman will always be George Reeves and Christopher Reeve. George Reeves was on the black and white television show. Christopher Reeve will always be my sentimental favourite, that right mix of strong and dork, charm and farm. He stood for the America that seems to be disappearing. He was also bloody gorgeous. 

I'll also admit that I've not seen the Henry Cavill Superman films, not for any other reason other than I've missed them. There were other things to see. And yeah. Henry Cavill. I'll get there one day. 

So, it was with a bit of trepidation that I went into this new, 2025 version of Superman. What would enhanced computer graphics and a new crew do to this perennial favourite?

I need not have been worried. 

The 2025 version of Superman is slick, fun, funny and just a little bit woke - but not too badly.

According to RottenTomatoes.com, which gives this an excellent 84% fresh rating, the story goes like this:

"When Superman gets drawn into conflicts at home and abroad, his actions are questioned, giving tech billionaire Lex Luthor the opportunity to get the Man of Steel out of the way for good. Will intrepid reporter Lois Lane and Superman's four-legged companion, Krypto, be able to help him before it's too late?"

It fits the bill. There's the good - Superman and the crew at the Daily Planet, versus the bad, which is a very dastardly Lex Luthor and his incredible tech. 

But this has sooooooo much more. 

I could go on about the tech and the CGU, which are phenomenal, but what got to me about this film is the performances and the heart of it. It's great. 

In this incarnation, there are a few changes to the essential story. Instead of that love story where Clark/Superman (David Corenswet) and Lois (Rachel Brosnahan) do that slow dance, Clark and Lois are three months into a relationship - and it's real and fun and shows a couple coming to terms with each other. I really enjoyed this part of the movie. Corenswet is just the right mix of caring, intelligent and dorky. Brosnahan comes across as smart, capable and very much her own woman.  

Nicholas Hoult, sans hair, is awesome as a progressively unhinged Lex Luthor. He's channeling a little Elon Musk as his antics prove to be a foil for Superman's strength and character. He's helped along by The Engineer (Maria Gabriela de Faria) and the mysterious Hammer of Boravia. 

Aiding Superman is this group of ragtag superheroes, The Justice Gang. These guys are hilarious. The Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabella Merced) and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) steal the show, and some of the action, as the attempt to help Superman save the world. 

The two other standout performances for me were Lex Luthor's gormless girlfriend Eve (Sara Sampaio) who is a scream, and the Krypto, the super dog. he steals every scene he's in. Also, the dog is incredibly relatable. 

There's also two clips in the titles once the film has finished and a foreshadowing of the next film in the series, where we get to meet Supergirl (Milly Allcock).

James Gunn, who directed all of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, decamping to the DC Universe, does a great job with this. The action and the comic timing go hand in hand. 

Is David Corenswet the greatest Superman? No. But he's very, very good. 

This is worth seeing on the big screen just for the effects. 

It makes for a very enjoyable night out. 

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