James Gunn’s reboot trades existential dread for chaos and heartfelt charm.
By James Verniere/Boston Movie News
Superman gets a cheeky “Guardians of the Galaxy” makeover by “Guardians” auteur James Gunn, and the result is a breath of fresh air after years of Zack Snyder-led, Christopher Nolan-influenced superhero existential dread. As much as many enjoyed Henry Cavill as Snyder’s stalwart Man of Steel, David Corenswet’s goofy, smitten, handsome do-gooder gives the franchise a much-needed and lighthearted shot in the arm. He’s fun, and we need a whole lot more fun right now.
Writer-director Gunn kicks off the story with Superman (Corenswet) experiencing his first defeat and hurtling out of the sky near the North Pole, where his faithful, painfully playful and entirely CG pet dog Krypto (a film highlight) rescues him, dragging the injured superhero by the cape to his icy sanctuary the Fortress of Solitude, where they are met by some notably very “Star Wars”-like robots.
Gunn’s “Superman” is the first film in the DC universe and the second reboot of the film series. His Superman is a member of the “metahuman” super-group Justice Gang (a temporary name), which also includes Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion in a blonde Beatles wig), mace-wielding Hawkgirl (Isabel Merced) and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi). Gunn’s screenplay isn’t completely scintillating.
It involves a Russia vs. Ukraine-like war in which Superman intervenes because the aggressor country is secretly led by Superman’s evil and probably insane arch-enemy, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). Superman’s enemies refer to him as an “alien,” meaning he was not born on Earth, in this case, giving the film a newfound relevance in this age of ICE. Luthor’s cohort, who calls himself Hammer of Boravia, is the one who defeated Superman. The Hammer resembles a gold-helmeted Iron Man when he is suited up for battle. Otherwise, he is the silent, masked figure known as Ultraman.
The plot further involves a dangerous “pocket universe” created by Luthor, a threat to Metropolis posed by Luthor’s creation, a scheme to turn the people of Metropolis and the world against Superman, whom Luthor refers to as “the Martian,” “Venusian” and “Kryptonian,” alternately, and the cute, if also checkered romance between Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and Clark Kent aka Superman.
In an entertaining early sequence, Superman battles what looks like a Godzilla-sized version of Disney’s live-action Stitch. The plot of “Superman” is better than other critics are saying, and the dialogue is clever in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” style most of the time. In an exception, Lois has to speak the godforsaken line, “Wait. What? Why?” Screenwriters, right? We learn that Luthor uses the pocket universe to imprison his kidnapped enemies secretly (more ICE echoes) and in only one of the plot’s Elon Musk-aimed barbs to house his internet troll farm run by typing monkeys.
Luthor’s blackmailed cohort, the protean android Metamorpho, is memorably brought to life by actor Anthony Carrigan (HBO’s “Barry”) and promises to be a future asset. Wendell Pierce brings wry gravitas as Daily Planet editor-in-chief Perry White. Corenswet gives this new Man of Steel, a former teen punk rocker, a credible sense of inner turmoil, which turns into comic-book-level metaphor when Superman battles the incognito Ultraman. Mixing my metaphors and comic franchises, I wondered if Ultraman was going to be this series’ Magneto. Corenswet and Brosnahan have chemistry, although their romance is only one of many plot lines. Sprinkled in minor roles are Gunn favorites Alan Tudyk, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker and Pom Klementieff. Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell make Ma and Pa Kent likable first cousins of the Beverly Hillbillies. MAGA has dubbed the film “Superwoke” in an attempt to smear it, but I don’t think this is going to hurt “Superman.” Up, up and away.
‘Superman’
Rating: PG-13 for violence, action and language
Cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult
Director: James Gunn
Writers: Gunn, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster
Running time: 2 hours, 9 minutes
Where to Watch: In theaters
Grade: B+
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