movie review: superman

Superman
Review by Jeff DeRouen

The thing is, I enjoy just about every comic book movie I see. I’m not a reader of the literature, so I don’t have an emotional connection to these characters. It doesn’t upset me when they “get it wrong” because I don’t really know what “getting it right” looks like. My day will never be impacted over what actor they pick or whether they explore the “awesome World War II storyline where he goes back in time – it’s so REAL, man!” period of the late sixties. In my eyes, what the filmmakers do with these properties comes down to one question: is it entertaining or not?

Yes, filmmakers like Richard Donner took this story about flying people who can shoot rays out of body holes and created something beautiful and cinematic. Christopher Nolan took the pages of these comic books (by and large intended for children) and made three compelling, violent, and decidedly adult movies. They were heavy.

Heavy is not what James Gunn is doing here: he’s taking us back to the books and embracing the ridiculous child-like world depicted there and in the cartoons. That doesn’t mean the film isn’t serious – there are moments, but Gunn’s Superman is fun, bright, and full of toy ideas.

When Superman does get serious, it explores timely themes but certainly isn’t as heavy-handed or 'woke' as it’s been accused of being. It’s hard to justify calling how the film depicts immigrants and a pending ethnic cleansing something NEW or only of today. The struggle of the immigrant has been depicted in art since the beginning of, you know, art.

In fifty years, the people who watch this movie will not think of Israel and Palestine, or the policies of the current presidential administration. They will think of whatever conflicts are happening then and reflect on how their world treats those seeking refuge.

The themes Gunn explores in Superman are universal and timeless. Superman has always been a symbol for truth and justice – for morality and kindness – if you see yourself or your ideology in the BAD GUYS on screen, that’s on you, boo.

Superman is the kind of movie where we get to let go, be entertained, and feel good about life – and we need that. If you want serious cinema, you’ll want to skip this one. If you’re a dad in his forties looking for a movie to take your kids to on a Saturday afternoon, boy, are you about to have a good time. This movie was made for you.