The superhero movie formula before the recent Superman film has been over-exhausted for a while now. Disney is coming out with too many series that are dragged out and movies that are just let downs all around. It’s hard to get excited about any superhero movies when the likely chance of it being empty action scenes with an emptier plot is enough to give up entirely on superhero movies, though Superman (2025) brings back the thrill for films in the future with its captivating plot, interesting direction and powerful messages the movie holds.
The story is about Superman’s earlier years of being a hero in Metropolis alongside the Justice league in its beginning stages of being a team. Superman has to face Lex Luthor and his militia as Luthor is able to destroy the trust people have with Superman, forcing Superman to regain the people’s trust and take down Luther all while almost everyone is against him.
Becoming the first DC movie directed by James Gunn after he left Marvel to join DC, this new installment to the Superman movies is obviously a different direction to go and James Gunn was a great option for moving it this way. James Gunn has grown in popularity due to his success in superhero movies, known for his soundtracks, lighthearted comedy, vibrant colors and ability to add new perspectives to the characters he works with. The movie was first announced in 2023 with the teaser coming out in 2024, ‘earning 250 million views on the first day.’ The buzz around this film was understandable and James Gunn delivered.
Out of many messages the film held, humanity and hope stood out the most against the others. Hope was in every aspect of this movie, Superman had a strong moral compass even with his past against him and was extremely kind to anything and everything. The humanity was also perfect, usually it either seems to be totally ignored in Superhero content or extremely heavy on the protagonist to the point where the protagonist is very disliked, but this movie balances it perfectly.
This adaption to Superman let’s him be human and show emotion just how any other person would, this really shines when he confronts Lex Luthor with his monologue:
“I am as human as anyone. I love, I-I get scared. I wake up every morning, and despite not knowing what to do, I put one foot in front of the other, and I try to make the best choices that I can. I screw up all the time, but that is being human, and that’s my greatest strength. And someday, I hope, for the sake of the world, you understand that it’s yours too.”
This speech shifts the focus from his powers to his humanity. Revealing his flaws and weaknesses to the spotlight and then turning them into his strengths and hope, not only for him, but for his enemies and the world.
Superman (2025) might just be my favorite superhero movie I’ve ever watched. It gave me a new appreciation for Superman’s character and I learned about characters I didn’t know before or didn’t really think of. This movie was all around amazing and set the bar for any future Superman movies, overall this film wasn’t only about being a good hero, it was also about being a good person with flaws and all.
