The Stream: While shorter than most superhero movies these days, this one still feels too long at 2 hours.

The Big Screen: Great chemistry between Lois and Superman, and Mr. Terrific is just that.

The Final Bill: A light and funny Superman makes for an enjoyable summer blockbuster.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: James Gunn
Writers: James Gunn
Stars: David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, Wendell Pierce, Beck Bennett, Skyler Gisondo, Rachel Brosnahan, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Anthony Carrigan
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rating: PG-13 for violence, action and language
Runtime: 1 hour 59 minutes plus end and post credit scenes
Production Companies: Warner Bros., DC Studios, Troll Court Entertainment, Domain Entertainment, The Safran Company,
Platform: In theaters July 11, 2025
Notable Trailers: Project Hail Mary, The Odyssey, Now You See Me Now You Don’t, One Battle After Another, The Cat in the Hat

Hey, Streamers! It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s another Superman movie, but this time it’s from the mind of James Gunn, who has been tasked with revitalizing the DC Universe. In James Gunn’s Superman, Superman (David Corenswet) is dealing with the political fallout from his intervention in an invasion of a country called Boravia. Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) is attempting to use negative public opinion of Superman’s actions against him with the U.S. Government in an attempt to neutralize the metahuman. As they are at odds, Superman and Lex Luthor are headed towards an inevitable clash. High flying hijinks ensue.

While it does feel like superhero movies are a dime a dozen, James Gunn seems to have figured out a secret sauce to inject some freshness into his editions of these movie franchises. In Superman, which Gunn has written and directed, the story is formulaic, but the tone is specific to this world and its characters. There is a playfulness throughout the film starting with the appearance of Krypto, a superpowered dog, the banter between Lois and Clark, and the silly trio of the Justice Gang. The dialogue has a light sense of humor that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which makes the entire movie feel fun and engaging. It’s a welcome turn from the brooding and dark Superman from the Zack Snyder era. There are larger political themes wedged in about Superman being an alien and an immigrant that are too on-the-nose and feel clunky and forced but not necessarily off-putting.

In general, the cast is good. Rachel Brosnahan and David Corenswet have really good chemistry as Lois Lane and Clark Kent. Their scenes together are highlights of the movie. All other scenes are stolen by Krypto and Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific. Mr. Terrific gets some of the best lines in the movie, and Gathegi delivers them with gusto. You’ll want to see more of him. The action sequences are entertaining with some good visual effects. David Corenswet is believable as the Man of Steel in both look and physicality. On the other hand, Lex Luthor is so annoying. Sure, he’s the villain, but does he have to be such a relentless nuisance? His minions are the worst too but not in a fun way. Maybe that’s Nicholas Hoult doing a good job, but I hated every scene with Luthor. I want to like the villain, and I just hated this guy. Lastly, this movie could have cut about 15 minutes as some scenes go on for too long.

Ultimately, Superman is a light and enjoyable movie presenting a character we have seen many times before. James Gunn has rescued this DC character from the dark and brooding version and made something silly and fun. The new Lois and Superman have great chemistry while Mr. Terrific is a scene stealer. While Lex Luthor and his minions are pretty annoying and one-note, the spectacle of the movie including its visual effects and action sequences make this a worthy trip to the big screen, at least for a matinee.