Superman: My Spoiler-Free Review
How do you tell a story about a character who is difficult to relate to? A character who is bulletproof, can fly and lift airplanes. That is the challenge any storyteller faces when they have an opportunity to write a story about Superman. The answer should be obvious, yet so many recent attempts have missed the mark.
You bring the audience in on an adventure of what it means to be human. We love, we laugh, we get angry, and at times, we're scared. We do our best to live our values, and yet we are still judged by others in an unforgiving, social media-fueled news cycle. Being human means you can do the right thing and still fail. Ultimately, the story of being human is the story of vulnerability and hope.
This is the story director James Gunn gives us in 'Superman,' out in theaters today. The movie does a masterful job of giving us a heroic, optimistic, and hopeful version of the Man of Steel, who genuinely cares about those around him. But he's a hero who can be hurt physically and emotionally. Pain is easy to depict, but portraying vulnerability and the joy of life together requires a great deal of skill.
David Coronswet's portrayal of Superman is a modern update on what Christopher Reeve brought to the role back in 1978. He's very likeable and easy to root for. In this tale, Clark Kent is a kind but sometimes stubborn man who strives to serve humanity while reconciling his Kryptonian heritage. Rachel Brosnahan is excellent as Lois Lane, and I look forward to seeing them both in a number of sequels. Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor is the best version of this character since Michael Rosenbaum's Lex from the early 2000s on Smallville, and I give him two thumbs up.
As a fan, I can see the influence of my favorite Superman Stories on the film. Jeff Loeb's "Superman: For All Seasons," Brian Azzarello's "Lex Luthor Man of Steel," and, unmistakably, the beautiful, larger-than-life "All-Star Superman" written by Grant Morrison. This movie is a comic book story in bright colors. Director James Gun is not here to tell a gritty, dark, realistic tale of the Last Son of Krypton. Jimmy Olson does not get murdered, and Superman finds a way to save the day without snapping the necks of the story's villains. It's a fun, adventure-filled tale that makes you want to look up and work towards building a better world.
See this movie on the biggest screen you can and enjoy!
